End of an era: Centennial School District bus driver officially retires after nearly 54 years of service

Centennial School District bus driver retires after nearly 54 years

Centennial School District bus driver, Rich Kutz, finished his last route Monday afternoon as he retired after almost 54 years.

WARMINSTER, Pa. - After almost 54 years of driving school buses for the Centennial School District, Rich Kutz finished his last route Monday afternoon, just shy of his 80th birthday.

He walked to his bus for the last time at the transportation yard in Warminster, a process that has certainly looked different over the years. 

What they're saying:

He says the first school bus he drove had no power steering, manual doors, and no radios.

"You had a lever here, you’d just reach over and open up the door that way," said Kutz. "It was a six shift, four in the floor, you had a double clutch, a lot of times you could start off in second gear, which was a break."

His decades behind the wheel was one of two jobs for some time; Kutz also worked for 46 years at SPS Technologies. His wife by his side, he gained two children and five grandchildren of his own over the journey, but also became a part of so many other families.

On Monday, after driving one family for over 14 years, he did the last route with their youngest child after driving their three older children. It was fitting, as it was also his final route as a driver.

Just shy of his 80th birthday, he says it’s officially time for retirement.

"If you take it day by day, you’re here, 53 years. You know, it’s hard to believe," he said. "It might strike me maybe tomorrow, next week, whenever I’m finished, after 53 years, you know you get tired, I’ll be able to sleep in a little bit."

His colleagues could not let him go without a proper send-off.

They surprised him with a crystal, for decades of transporting the district’s precious cargo, and a bench, with a plaque in his honor, which will stay at the transportation yard.

"You have to have patience, a lot of patience," said Darlene Maimon, a driver of 36 years with the district. "That comes with experience and Rich had quite a bit of it. I’m happy for him and I’m sad for him that he’s not going to be here any longer, because we always gave each other a thumbs up on the road."

Kutz says the years flew by, but he knows it’s time for a new chapter.

"Your body can tell you when you’re ready to go, that’s for sure," he said. "I have a few things going on, nothing definite."

"Number one is sleeping in?" asked FOX 29’s Kelly Rule.

"Number one, yeah," he said.