SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — 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.
Some of us hope to retire at 70-years-old. Still sharp as a tack, he knows his route very well. It is a job he started at just 15-years-old.
“During that time, students could drive,” Whitfield said.
Much has changed since he took on the job — from things like regulations and tech, to working during integration.
“But it was smooth with me though,” he said. “I didn’t have any problems with the kids at all.”
He always keeps this in mind while driving: “Respect the kids, and you will receive respect from them,” Whitfield said.
No school bus driver in Suffolk stuck around for as long as Whitfield. In fact, no employee in the district made it to 70 years of employment, according to his supervisor.
Retirement took some convincing from his co-workers. Whitfield wanted to keep the wheels turning.
“‘Cause I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” he said. “I have good kids. I’m going to miss them, I know it.”
Next to the foot pedal sits a leather-bound set of memories, kept safe in a zip lock bag — every single route and field trip since his career began in 1954.
“Just going to look through it and see how many places I did go,” he said. “I’ve been to a lot of colleges and universities. Sort of everywhere.”
Whitfield is still sorting our retirement plans, but he already plans to come back part-time after the summer, at least, to make sure his replacement knows the route.
“I’m going to go with that person to make sure the run is done nice and smooth, like I was doing it,” he said.
His last day of driving is Friday.
