After more than two decades in mental health care, Portia Berry recently found a new way to serve the community: behind the wheel of a bus.
Today, she drives Route 18, among others, and has quickly grown fond of the community it serves. While out on the road, she brings the same steady presence and empathy to the driver’s seat that she once offered patients in crisis.
“I feel like I’m still doing mental health work, just in a different uniform,” Berry said. “You get everything on the 18...People who are hilarious, people who are kind, and people who are struggling. But everyone gets treated the same, with respect.”
Her approach to customer service is shaped by years of clinical care. Whether helping someone in crisis or offering a warm seat on a cold day, Berry’s philosophy is simple: “Sometimes all someone needs is to be treated like a human being,” she said.
Though still early in her transit career, Berry has fully embraced the challenges of the job. The mental load, she said, is different from her hospital days, but no less intense.
To manage stress, she leans on support from co-workers, her personal routine, and a growing sense of purpose. While others have encouraged her to pursue other roles, Berry is clear about what she wants. “I just like driving,” she said. “I like being out in the community, seeing people, helping people. That’s enough for me.”
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