FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Blue Bird Corp. recently honored 66 employees with employment milestones of 35 years or greater, with the largest milestone marked at 50 years of service.

The employees were honored during a company ceremony and awarded with a certificate of appreciation and a gift of $50 per five-year employment increment.

“I began working for Blue Bird in 1962, a time when gasoline was just 29 cents per gallon,” said J.W. Purvis, who started at age 18 as a fabricator and is now part of Blue Bird’s maintenance department. “Over the past 50 years, I have enjoyed watching Blue Bird’s products evolve and the manufacturing line progress to the efficient engine it is today. I was trained by some of the most knowledgeable veterans at Blue Bird, and I take great pride in knowing that many of those same elements that helped build a safe bus are still being properly carried out — you can’t beat that.”

This year, Delmar Davis Jr. celebrates 35 years of employment at Blue Bird. In 1977, Delmar joined Blue Bird as a press operator and has progressed throughout the plant as his job roles developed. Today, Delmar works with Blue Bird’s materials department and ensures that appropriate parts are staged and ready as the buses progress down the assembly line.

“I love to come to work each day,” Davis said. “As the sixth generation in my family to work at Blue Bird, I am proud to call my fellow co-workers family, both literally and figuratively. When I work, I feel good!”

“Our employees’ commitment and enthusiasm for Blue Bird shows in the quality of our buses as they roll off the assembly line each day,” President and CEO Phil Horlock said. “Having the best and most committed workforce in the business is a key reason for Blue Bird’s success over the years.”  

Company officials said that with 1,500 employees, the average length of employment at Blue Bird is 19 years.

Other recent stories about school transportation honors:

● STI honors employees with appreciation week

● N.Y. association names top technician