ME drivers - Disney employees?

[CanadianImagineer]

Our return driver, Chuck I believe, was sharing stories about "Traditions" class and other CM related stuff. He was also THE bus driver from the ME movie, which I found pretty cool! I had always thought that ME was outsourced to Mears, and that the drivers are in turn not Disney employees. Is this correct?

 

[seashoreCM]

1. The promotional films may have non-Disney drivers and others in conspicuous roles.

2. The driver could have been a former Disney CM.

2a. Didn't our friend and moderator Tyler (C&DE) work for Mears driving DME at one time, after leaving Disney Transport?

 

[Tamdude]

During my trip in May, I was talking to the bus driver that took us back to the resort from MK. She told me that they were Disney employees, but the ME busses/drivers are on conrtact from Mears.

 

[Edd]

The DME and DCL drivers are hourly employees of Mears Transportation. They are not on any contract with Mears. Mears does all the training of the drivers and provides them with the benefits. The DCL, DME and Mears busses you ride in are owned by Mears transportation.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

The drivers of DCL and DME motorcoaches are indeed Mears employees.

Back when DCL first came around, the drivers who were assigned to DCL took a special version of the Traditions class geared towards operating participant employees. It's possible that particular driver had attended that class. It's also possible that he at one point in time worked for Disney in some capacity, and took the class that way.