Line 322
Steen has always worked with packed schedules and tight deadlines. A couple of years ago, his daily life changed. He is now a bus driver in Thy. Here, he finds peace and space to let his thoughts wander freely and has the opportunity for a casual chat with any passengers who might feel like it.
It is quiet through the wild landscapes between the coastal towns of Klitmøller and Hanstholm, and when the bus number changes from 90 to 322, passengers also become few and far between. Even the radio falls silent, unable to get a signal. Behind the wheel of the bus that drives passengers around Thy sits Steen Windfeld Rasmussen.
The 11 kilometres from the last stop in Klitmøller to the first stop in Hanstholm offer wild scenery as far as the eye can see – with Thy National Park on one side and the North Sea on the other. It is on stretches like these that Steen finds peace and time for reflection.
“It’s like taking a walk in the garden – it feels like therapy to me.”
Since the summer of 2021, 61-year-old Steen Windfeld Rasmussen has worked as a bus driver behind the wheel of Nordjyllands Trafikselskab’s Scania buses, something that was never part of the former baker’s original career plans.
Thy National Park, and Thy as a whole, is a region Steen feels deeply grateful for. Further down the route past Hanstholm and on the way back towards Thisted, he drives his passengers through varied landscapes.
Out in the fields, the farmers have kicked off the manure season. The familiar smell quickly makes its way into the bus as well.
The North Jutland landscapes and fields are, a few minutes and stops later, replaced by the largest town in the municipality, Thisted, where the final stop is, before the journey soon continues on to the next village.
It is stretches like these that bring calm to Steen’s whirlwind of thoughts.
“I have a lot on my mind and can’t always concentrate on reading, because I’m constantly interrupted by new ideas, garden projects, and plans for the summer house,” he says.
“Driving here brings peace to my soul and an inner calm.”
Steen has spent most of his working life in production at major companies such as Dragsbæk Margarine, Bakkedal, and Premier Is.
Back in 2019, he began to feel the first symptoms of stress, an increased tendency towards irritability, negative thoughts, and difficulty relaxing, even during his free time. In January 2021, he was signed off work with stress and symptoms resembling the early stages of depression.
During his sick leave, he realised he wouldn’t be returning to his old job. Instead, he was offered a position as a bus driver, a job he quickly accepted.
Originally, he had thought of it as a temporary solution, but it became the ideal workplace. It allowed him to interact with people on a limited but suitable level, which he found relaxing and comfortable.
In April 2021, he officially began his vocational training as a bus driver, and already by the summer of 2021, he started driving routes. The job change led to a lower heart rate and an improved mood.
It has become his new everyday life.
On the way up Trælshøj, there are several stops through Ræhr on the route towards Hanstholm, but no passengers. Steen is ahead of schedule. He slows down as Ræhr Lake comes into view on the left, and after a few quiet minutes of reflection, he suddenly says:
“When I was working while stressed, the negative thoughts filled my mind much more than the positive ones, even though there was no room or time for them. Now, when I actually have time to think them, I don’t think about negative thoughts, because they no longer take up space.”
What matters most to Steen now is that he finishes work at the times stated in his schedule. And when it says time off, it really means time off without bringing the job or its thoughts home.
Bus 90 approaches Hanstholm. The two lads Steen picked up in Thisted are about to get off. He can see in the mirror the one he uses to check the back of the bus that they’ve packed for several days in nature.
“Where on the harbour would you like to hop off?” he asks.
Technically, the buses are meant to stop only at designated stops along the route, but Steen can’t help offering a bit of extra service to those who use his bus.
The men look slightly surprised.
“We’ll just get off at the next stop, we still need to do some shopping for the next few days.”
“All right,” Steen replies. “You should be allowed that.”
That’s how Steen’s everyday life goes. Several times a day with plenty of opportunities to see the areas and towns of Thisted Municipality.
Between Hanstholm and Thisted, past Nors where his son lives, out to Klitmøller and back again. It suits him perfectly. The chance to strike up conversations with those who feel like it and otherwise just enjoy the landscape in his own company, where thoughts are free to wander. Or fall completely silent.
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