Georgia bus driver: 82-year-old retires after 50 years on the road

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. – An 82-year-old Fayette County school bus driver is parking her bus for the final time this week, celebrating a 50-year career that earned her a standing ovation from the local school board.

Fayette County driver retires

What we know:

Diane Vaughn is stepping down from her role as a school bus driver after half a century on the road. She originally started driving in 1976 to secure insurance to pay for her child’s cancer treatment.

Vaughn fell in love with the job immediately and has been safely transporting thousands of children ever since. The Fayette County School Board recently honored her with a specially made 50-year service pin, as the company does not typically stock them.

Miles driven and memories

By the numbers:

If an average school bus travels 12,000 miles annually, Vaughn has logged enough miles over 50 years to equal 24 trips around the Earth’s equator. That distance is also equivalent to driving to the moon and back with more than 122,000 miles to spare.

The vehicles she drives can weigh up to 18 tons when full and measure up to 45 feet long.

Reflecting on her career

What they’re saying:

“When I started driving, I fell in love with it and I have not stopped loving it since,” Vaughn said. She noted that while some children test boundaries, they know their limits, and she recently received a touching apology letter from a student who used to give her a hard time.

Buses have also changed significantly since 1976. “It took them 40 years to get me a school bus with an air conditioner,” she joked, adding that her current bus also features a heated seat.