Thursday, May 22 marked the end of 55 years of transporting students for Allen County school bus driver Roger Steenbergen. After an accident-free career driving a bus thousands of miles across Allen County and the Commonwealth, Steenbergen has made his final drop-off before retirement. His 55 years-of-service is believed to be the longest tenure behind the wheel of a school bus in Kentucky. “I started driving a bus as a senior in high school,” Steenbergen shared. “I’ve seen a lot of changes. I have made a lot of friends and a lot of enemies.” Then Allen County School Superintendent Jimmy Bazzell hired Steenbergen. At that time, CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) requirements were non-existent; all that was needed was a regular driver's license and a willingness to undertake the “adventure” of wheeling a school bus with children across the hills and valleys of the county. Steenbergen accepted the challenge--a challenge that led to Steenbergen transporting kids to and from school as well as across the state. “There are very few counties in the state that I had not been to,” Steenbergen added, “I have carried basketball players, football teams, and bands. I don’t know how many miles it is around the world, but I’ve probably been around the world.” Sit with Steenbergen for any length of time and stories----good, bad, and everything in between---flow. Steenbergen met his wife on the bus---she was a student he transported in his early days of driving. His memories include the friendships made with the countless drivers and colleagues with whom paths have crossed. There are also memories of misbehaving students---and the resulting punishment. In his early years, drivers could administer paddings themselves rather than writing up reports and leaving school principals to deal with student behavior. “I have a lot of fond memories and many headaches,” Steenbergen noted. “Used to, if you had a problem with a kid you could bust his rear end and, oftentimes, he would get it again when he got home. I’ve whipped a lot of boys but never a girl. I left that to someone else. I’ve been fighting mad at times but had to grin and bear it.” Steenbergen has watched numerous changes in the profession. One example is in communication. “When I started back then, we didn’t have any radios,” Steenbergen said. “If you broke down, you were pretty much on your own. You had to walk to find a telephone. I’ve walked several steps to find a phone and call someone to bring me another bus.” The thousands and thousands miles Steenbergen has logged includes “getting up with the chickens” and driving in all types of weather and across most of Allen County. (Story by Don Meador) NCTC congratulates Mr. Steenbergen for all his years of service to Allen County students! (fb)

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