Thanks to Words with Friends, an online multiplayer word game, Dave Schluter not only met his competition, but also his mate! After playing about a dozen games together, Dave and Mary decided to try an in-person meet-up that involved crossing the Atlantic Ocean!
Mary visited Dave in the United Kingdom. Three months later, Dave came to the U.S. to visit Mary in Castle Rock and try driving in a foreign land. Several visits later, Dave was excited to move to America and the couple tied the knot!
Schluter was born in Wimbledon and lived in the suburbs of London. There, he never owned a car.
“There was no need to have a vehicle with great public transportation, like the bus, train, and the tube within a five-minute walk,” said Schluter.
Schluter didn’t drive until he was 33 years old, due to a lack of need.
Ironically, he worked as a postman in the suburbs of London for ten years, driving a full transit van down small, narrow roads. That experience has no doubt helped Schluter become a very skilled driver.
Schluter joined DCSD’s Transportation Department in fall of 2021. He went through the school district’s six-week bus driver training program to earn his Commercial Driver License (CDL).
Schluter is a full-time driver who interacts with elementary, middle, and high school students. One of the highlights of his day is the drive along Monarch Boulevard when busing students to Rocky Heights Middle School and Rock Canyon High School.
“I say to the kids, look at the pretty, pretty!” Schluter refers to the mountain scenery and the students know it. “I’ll never get bored of the mountains,” he said.
The Brit acclimated to driving on the right side of the road, sitting on the left side of the car, and is still getting used to Colorado’s wide, open spaces.
“When Queen Elizabeth died, a student gave me a pet stuffed corgi. It’s displayed at the front of the bus,” said Schluter. “I like being with kids, so driving the bus is something I enjoy!”
Schluter also helps out driving for field trips during the summer.
“Dave has been a real asset to our department. His students and fellow Americans (aka co-workers) enjoy his sense of humor,” said Holly Rolen, Castle Rock Terminal Transportation Supervisor.
Schluter enjoys being a member of the community. Recently while he and his wife were out enjoying brunch at a restaurant, two students from his bus route came over to say hello, and their families paid for Dave and his wife’s meal.
Schluter became an official U.S. citizen on March 4, 2024.
“Everyone in Transportation has been very supportive,” said Schluter. “A few staff even attended my citizenship ceremony and decorated my bus with red, white, and blue bunting and American flags!”