If you look up "burnt-out" in the dictionary you might find a picture of Otto. Though frequently involved in random collisions, Otto remains true the Bus Driver's Pledge: "never crash the bus on purpose," and stands proudly by his record of fifteen crashes without a single fatality. But Otto is not just a schoolbus driver. His wide-ranging career includes stints as the Springfield Bloodmobile driver, Springfield Seniors Gambling Junket Bus driver, and operator of the Springfield Poolmobile.

Otto has trouble with authority, beginning with his father, "the Admiral," and continuing to this day. Otto doesn't flout authority so much as unwittingly bump into it, which results in his feeling constantly hassled by "the man." Yet Otto has a warm rapport with the school kids.