By Lyra Bordelon
In a few months, long time local Mountain Transit Authority Martha Elmore will be retiring after driving for public transit for 33 years. With compliments from her supervisor, Elmore sat down with the Mountain Messenger to reflect on her time with the public and the service.
“On May 8, I will have been working for the Mountain Transit Authority for 33 years. It’s a very educational job. Everyday. On the job training everyday. You never know what you’re going to learn. This week, it’s patience. You have to be alert. I’ve learned, starting as a snot-nosed little kid to a professional bus driver.
“I got started when a friend of mine that I went to church mentioned they were looking for bus drivers back in 1988. She said, ‘Would you like to drive a bus?’ and I thought, ‘I didn’t even know Greenbrier County had a bus.’ I walked everywhere when I moved down here. I said, ‘Sure, I’ll try,’ filled out the application, and I was a relief driver for a couple of years. Then I got the full time job.
“In the beginning the responsibility was nerve-wracking, but now there’s a lot of respect. You’re responsible for many people on the bus. I’m glad I finally figured that responsibility out, I needed it. I’m from the 60s so, we didn’t think responsibility was very good, but I’m thankful. I’ve learned through many years.
“The route, the purple line, starts in downtown Lewisburg, comes down to Ronceverte, goes to Fairlea and Walmart, Spruce Cove, occasionally the airport and a couple of doctor’s offices out that way on call. You call and we pick you up. It’s a huge loop, that’s what I do, seven or eight loops per day. This route is from seven in the morning to six in the evening.
“You get to meet a lot of people, interesting people, anyone from little babies to ninety-some year olds, even from out-of-the-country residents. I’ve met a lot of interesting people. You get to see all nationalities, it’s really awesome. It’s a rewarding job.
“The senior citizens are really cool because now I am one. When I first started, I thought I was going to rule them. This is my bus, I will drive them, but that didn’t work very well. That’s a memorable lesson for me, let me tell you, they clipped my wings big time and I’m thankful for each and every one of them. They taught me, on the job training, how to respect and honor people.
“A while back, My former pastor’s wife said ‘you know you’ve got a pretty good job there. You know you might be the only person they see all day long.’ I thought “whoa.’ That helped me out a lot. Some of the people that ride, we may be the only person that talks to them. They may go to different places, stores and doctor’s offices, but we may be the only ones that talk to them. We’re they’re only means of transportation.
“There are also people that you talk to every day, then they’re not here anymore. You get used to them coming everyday, they go different places, then they’re not there anymore. They went on with the Lord.
“I would like to thank my Lord and Savior for letting me have this job for 33 years. I’m grateful for the beginning, I’m glad the MTA saw something in me to keep me this long. All my passengers became friends and acquaintances. I work with some neat people, really nice people, from the management to the drivers.
“I see the Greenbrier Valley growing and I think MTA can help that. If people would just give us a chance, it would be amazing what MTA could do.
“I challenge everyone to ride the bus one day. Park the car one day and ride the bus. See what we’re doing. It’s amazing – when you’re driving, you don’t see a whole lot. When my friends let me ride with them, I see all kinds of things. We need to get on the bus and just look around, you see a lot of things you forget we even have. You know they were there but you never paid attention to it.
“With the upcoming spare time, I’ve got some projects to do at the house. I’ve got some things I’ve got to get done. I’m backing up a little bit, getting that done, then who knows where God will lead me. I’m so excited.
“It’s been a good ride. Just like any other ride, I’ve had some bumps, curves, hills, stops, but in the long run it’s been a good run. I’m grateful for that. I really do like this job and I like the people that I help. They’ve been an education, some more of an education than others, but you know how that goes.
“I would like to thank my Lord and Savior for letting me have this job for 33 years. I’m grateful for the beginning, I’m glad the MTA saw something in me to keep me this long. All my passengers became friends and acquaintances. I work with some neat people, really nice people, from the management to the drivers.”
MTA General Manager Tim Thomas also thanked Elmore for her work, saying, “An employee like Martha can never be replaced. She loves her community and her passengers.”
Elmore encouraged anyone who would like to find work to apply to be a driver by calling 304-872-5872.
