Bus cleaner retires at 100, plans to work with seniors

alonzomourning23

CAGiversary!
Feedback
26 (100%)
A Los Angeles man who worked cleaning buses for the Metropolitan Transport Authority for 76 years has finally called it quits on his 100th birthday.

Arthur Winston was only absent for one day during his working life - when his wife died in 1988.

In 1996, Mr Winston was honoured by former US President Bill Clinton as "Employee of the Century".

In the same year, LA's transport authority renamed its South Bay bus depot the "Arthur Winston division".

Born in Oklahoma, he began picking cotton when he was 10.

But several harvests were lost to droughts and storms, forcing the family to head west. In 1924 he found work with the Pacific Electric Railway Co.

Mr Winston told that BBC he had seen many changes over the years and that life had definitely improved.

"We got away from the horse and buggy days," he said.

In recent years, Mr Winston led a team of 11 service attendants. Every day they fuelled and washed dozens of buses.

He said he had seen generations of co-workers come and go but he never felt he was missing out on a "gentle retirement".

"I just kept on going. I'd rather be moving, working or doing something than laying around the house," he said.

'Not in his DNA'

Mr Winston's great-niece said he had never been late for work and had an impeccable record in terms of safety.

"His fellow employees have always looked up at to him. He has shown us he is a man of integrity and honour, and provided us with a good model of work ethics," Yvette Chappell-Ingram said.

Mr Winston has no definite plans for retirement but said he wants to keep busy - possibly working with senior citizens. He is also planning to travel to Tennessee to visit his 98-year-old brother.

"We've never encouraged him not to work because that's not him - it's not in his DNA," Ms Chappell-Ingram said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4841942.stm

How the hell does an 80 year old, let alone a 100 year old, clean busses? And he's not even planning on retiring from work, just from bus cleaning. He'll be working with seniors that he could be the father of.

And people complain about working into their 60's.
 
yeah.jpg


Thanks OP, what a guy.
 
I head about that guy on the news. Its amazing that he was never late for work all those years.
 
[quote name='sblymnlcrymnl']Damn, what a shitty life. Well, he has lived a long time, you've gotta give him that.[/QUOTE]
Apparently the "Quality not quantity" Theory doesnt seem to apply to him.
 
[quote name='Blade']Did anyone else notice this:

_41481806_winston_ap203.jpg
[/QUOTE]
Nice photoshop work buddy. Looks like you might have done it in paint :p
 
[quote name='Eviltude']Nice photoshop work buddy. Looks like you might have done it in paint :p[/quote]

I only had to highlight what was already there. ;)
 
Wow Congrats to that man. My question is why was he never promoted in 76 years? He has done an honorable thing but at the same time how sad is it to work some place for 76 years and be in the same position. If you want to work someone shitty for 76 years and never get promoted work at walmart.
 
[quote name='Graystone']Wow Congrats to that man. My question is why was he never promoted in 76 years? He has done an honorable thing but at the same time how sad is it to work some place for 76 years and be in the same position. If you want to work someone shitty for 76 years and never get promoted work at walmart.[/quote]

It said he lead a term of 11 service attendants. He may have not wanted a promotion for one thing. I know for operators a further promotion is a different job entirely, and also removes stability as the company may force you to transfer across country, something they can't do to operators.

Also, there isn't much room for promotion unless you have skills unrelated to being a telephone operator. Many spend their whole life as operators, or just getting 1 promotion to supervisor. Though there are significant pay differences, as long time employees make 3 to 4 times as much for the same work as new ones. That could be the case here.

Though the guy doesn't seem to have a problem with his life. Working probably makes him feel productive and keeps his activity level high, helping to prevent a host of issues that many seniors face.
 
[quote name='Graystone']Wow Congrats to that man. My question is why was he never promoted in 76 years? He has done an honorable thing but at the same time how sad is it to work some place for 76 years and be in the same position. If you want to work someone shitty for 76 years and never get promoted work at walmart.[/quote]

Perhaps he is neither particularly skilled nor intelligent and has made up for these shortcomings with raw tenacity?
 
bread's done
Back
Top