Virginia school bus driver retiring after 70 years on job

SUFFOLK, Va. — A Virginia school bus driver will be navigating the end of his 70-year career on Friday.

Ulysses Whitfield, 85, has been transporting students for Suffolk Public Schools since 1954, WAVY-TV reported.

That is not a typo. Whitfield has been driving a bus since he was 15.

“During that time, students could drive,” Whitfield told the television station.

After 70 straight years of driving the bus for Suffolk Public Schools, Ulysses Whitfield is finally retiring at the age of 85. Since the mid-1980s, he only took two half-days off, and no full days off since then.https://t.co/q0JRgLqL9H pic.twitter.com/7IMEHhIyN1
— WAVY TV 10 (@WAVY_News) May 29, 2024

Since the mid-1980s, Whitfield has only taken two half-days off and had not taken a full day off in nearly 40 years, WAVY reported.

He added that he needed to be convinced to stop driving by his co-workers.

“‘Cause I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” he told the television station. “I have good kids, I have good kids. I’m going to miss them, I know it.”

In addition to handling the school bus route, Whitfield also drove students on field trips.

Next to his foot pedal, Whitfield has a leather-bound pouch containing every route he traveled since his career began, WAVY reported.

“Just going to look through it and see how many places I did go,” he told the television station. “I’ve been to a lot of colleges and universities. Sort of everywhere.”

Whitfield said he is still working out details for his retirement. He told WAVY that he plans to return on a part-time basis to help his replacement make the transition.

“I’m going to go with that person to make sure the run is done nice and smooth, like I was doing it,” he told the television station.

Suffolk is about 20 miles west of Norfolk.