‘Always on time’ Virginia school bus driver celebrating 47 years has no plans to retire

CHESAPEAKE Va. — Driving kids to school and making sure they get there safely is not an easy task.

That’s Selena Diggs’ task every day of the school year. She’s been driving school buses in the Chesapeake school district for 47 years, starting her career in 1975.

Dropping the kids off at school and seeing their smiling faces makes the ride worthwhile.

Selena Diggs, a bus driver at Grassfield High School, started her career as a bus driver with the Chesapeake school district in 1975.

Diggs picks up elementary, middle and high school students in the Grassfields area every day. She said coming to work is easy with a support system like the grass field community.

“I love the kids, I love the atmosphere, scenery and it’s just great,” said Diggs.

She mentioned that she treats each student that rides her bus like her own.

“I feel like all these kids are mine because I tell them, ‘Once I get you in the morning, you belong to me, and I drop you back off to your parents,” Diggs said.

Gabriel Thomas, News 3.

Zoe Surratt, a junior at Grassfield High School, said seeing Diggs every morning is the highlight of her day.

“I didn’t use to talk to my bus drivers, but I guess when I talk to her it’s like pretty fun,” said Surratt.

Surratt said sometimes the bus even arrives at the school early which gives her time to get ready for class.

“You don’t have to worry about if the bus driver coming or did, we miss the bus? It’s always on time,” said Surratt.

Gabriel Thomas, News 3.

Diggs said she has never been in an accident and makes sure that each student is in good hands when they ride bus 414.

“When you are hauling other people’s kids, you have got to keep everybody safe,” said Diggs.

Diggs said that after 47 years of serving the Chesapeake school district is is not ready to retire, but plans to make it to 50 years as a school bus driver.