June 7, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Former DeKalb County school bus driver Bobby Charles Martin has been inducted into the Tennessee School Bus Driver Hall of Fame.
The addition of Martin to the Hall of Fame was announced Tuesday at the Tennessee Association of Pupil Transportation President’s Awards Dinner in the Symphony Hall at the Music Road Hotel Convention Center in Pigeon Forge.
Martin retired two years ago after driving a school bus for 49 years. He was nominated for the award by Jimmy Sprague, Transportation Supervisor for the DeKalb County School System.
In making the nomination, Sprague said Martin began his bus driver duties with the DeKalb County Board of Education in 1968 on a route that encompassed the Dry Creek area. During almost five decades as a school bus driver, Martin logged 1.6 million miles without having been involved in a single accident.
The TAPT School Bus Driver Hall of Fame was created to recognize and honor Tennessee School Bus Drivers who have made outstanding contributions to their local school transportation department and who, by virtue of those contributions, are considered to be among the industry’s most dedicated individuals.
Induction into the TAPT Hall of Fame represents one of the highest honors that TAPT can bestow on an individual. Honorees must meet the highest standards of personal and professional integrity, including distinguished service to the school children in their school district.
Inductees must have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment of time and energy to the safe transportation of our Tennessee school children.
In addition to his bus driver duties, Martin has been a minister for 33 years. He began his affiliation with the United Methodist Church as a pastor in 1986 and has served many churches over the years. Martin was also manager of the Dowelltown/Liberty Water Department for more than 30 years. Martin is a US Army veteran and served for the Ground Observance Corps of the US Air Force during his teenage years.
He and his wife Audrey reside in Liberty. They have been married for 24 years.
Martin has fond memories as a school bus driver and he made many lasting friendships.
“Over the years of driving, Bobby was proud to tell me that he treated all children equally and built many relationships with the children and their parents,” said Sprague.
“He still has people who tell him they remember him as their bus driver and how they still love him for the kindness and consideration he showed them,” he added.
Martin said he is honored to have been inducted into the Tennessee School Bus Driver Hall of Fame and is thankful to Sprague for nominating him.