Bus driver split shifts: is the schedule harder than the route itself?

A split shift can make an easy route feel like a long day. You drive the morning rush, sit around long enough to get tired but not long enough to really reset, then come back for the afternoon crowd when traffic is worse. The route matters, but the gaps matter too. Where do you eat, where do you park, can you use a restroom, and how far are you from the yard? Those little things decide whether th…