KINGSLEY — For over 30 years, Jim Ames has worked driving bus 18A to bring students in Kingsley to school, home, and on field trips.
Jim’s journey began in 1995, when he retired for the first time, but he decided to get right back to work as a bus driver.
So, why is he retiring now? Because of his wife.
Jim said that she is now retiring, if she wasn’t, he would keep working.
Kingsley Area Public Schools Transportation Director Erik Nieman says that even though this is his first year working with Jim, they do have one thing in common, caring about the safety of the children.
Jim says that he has many memories as a bus driver, from driving his own kids and grandkids to school, to a few mishaps, including one involving another bus driver.
While gesturing to a woman who wished to remain anonymous, Jim said “This lady right over here saved my bus. I got off from it, and I didn’t set the brake. She jumped off and saved my bus. “
With Jim’s second retirement coming at the end of the school year, it brings to light the struggle schools have with finding drivers.
Erik said that they will continue advertising and working with applicants to help them to acquire their CDL.
But – Jim says that he does have plans to keep going and exploring life.
Now that his wife has retired, they will explore Alaska and the United States in their motorhome