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.
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.