New Britain Hearld, Hartford Current--February 2006--Driving to School for 30 Years

Three decades later, New Britain says goodbye to a longtime school bus driver.

A bus driver recently retired from DATTCO Inc., the company that operates school buses for the New Britain school system, after driving for the city for 30 years. Mary Milton finished her routes and said goodbye to the last class of students she would transport shortly before the holidays.

Thirty years of driving for New Britain is quite a milestone, as conventional school buses have only been used for 34 years. Milton holds the record for the longest active school bus driver ever employed for the city.

Prior to the use of conventional school buses, students rode to school on the New Britain Transit System. DATTCO has operated the transportation contract for New Britain since 1972.

Milton, a New Britain native since 1958, came to work for DATTCO in 1975 because she was looking for a job that would allow her to bring her 3 young children to work with her. School bus driving was the perfect fit. Milton brought her children to work with her everyday and had time to go home and prepare lunch for her family before the afternoon routes began.

“I enjoyed working for DATTCO. The company always had the best equipment and the most understanding managers. If I did not have a ride to work, they would pick me up, or I was allowed to bring a bus home with me. We received new buses every 2 years to drive” said Milton.

Mary experienced many changes in school buses throughout the years. Changes in style, size and amenities were common. “The buses seemed to get bigger every year but they forgot to widen the road,” she joked.

When asked what she liked most about driving she replied “The Kids.” Mary enjoyed getting to know the students and watching them grow through the years. She has even had the unique opportunity to drive two generations of students. “I knew I had been driving for a longtime when I would start my new routes in September and some of the students I would bring to school, I had also been their parent’s school bus driver.”

Milton not only drove for the New Britain public schools but for Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Mary Immaculate Academy as well. She also drove city commuter buses in Hartford and Windsor Locks.

“DATTCO will miss Mary. Words cannot express how proud we are to have been associated with her for over 30 years as a friend and coworker. She has safely transported thousands of students to school over the many years she has been with the company. We will surely miss Mary, but know that she will enjoy her leisure time. We hope that Mary will come see us often, as we consider her part of our family” said Donald DeVivo, DATTCO’s Senior Vice President.

Mary looks forward to her retirement and spending more time with her 4 grandchildren and her dogs. She also looks forward to visiting family in Florida.

DATTCO still allows its employees to bring their children to work with them and was recently nominated as one of “The 20 Best Places in Connecticut to Work” by Hartford Magazine.

Established in 1924, DATTCO is a family owned full service transportation company. Its three main divisions include Coach & Tour, Sales & Service and School Bus. DATTCO operates approximately 900 school buses throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island. DATTCO Sales and Service division is an authorized dealer for International, Terra Transit and Midbus. They employ over 120 mechanics at numerous service facilities in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Motor Coach division operates 120 vehicles that offer services ranging from Dial-a-Ride to shuttle to commuter and charter services. In addition, the company offers a full service travel agency, capable of integrating plane, train and ship travel with already existing bus service. They specialize in group and individual tour packages. The company employs approximately 1,200 people throughout the three divisions. DATTCO’s mission is to provide personalized service, quality products and innovative passenger transportation solutions, delivered by the finest transportation professionals in the country.