First Bus has marked the career of its longest-serving employee, Kenny Beckers from Port Talbot, who has been employed by the operator or its predecessor for 58 years.
The 76-year-old, who has no plans to retire, joined what was then called South Wales Transport as a bus conductor after just two days’ training.
Then, in 1969, he was able to drive a bus at the age of 21 and he has since driven for five different companies because of take-overs and management buy-outs.
Kenny, who is now in semi-retirement and works two days a week, has transported an estimated seven million passengers and travelled about 800,000 miles.
He fondly recalls driving in the early years from Brunswick Street depot in Swansea, although he says much has changed.
“It was great being a driver in 1969,” he says. “We had so many routes and carried so many passengers, including lots from all the factories, the collieries and British Steel at Port Talbot, but, of course, all that declined in the 1980s.
“I also remember we had double-deckers back then, but passengers were only allowed to smoke on the top deck. Upstairs was like a mist. All the factory girls and everybody else was up there smoking, it was unbelievable.”
Having started off working six days a week on the equivalent of £38 per month, he notes of the moving times: “The loss of commuters has been the biggest change. The reduction in office workers and shop workers, and more people buying cars, means we’ve seen a decline in bus travel.
“However, we are doing a lot more for disabled people now. Back in the day, buses had steps so if you had a pram or a buggy you just had to fold it up and get on with it. We now have buses that lower, pavements that are higher and ramps.
“It’s great to see services increasing again in Swansea, as the key to getting people back on the bus is by putting on more services, but I completely understand that it’s a fine line. But, things are definitely picking up, and that’s great news.”
He says some of his fondest memories are from the 1960s and 1970s when he would regularly pick up members of Swansea City football team en route to their training ground.
Of the future, he says: “Once my body feels like enough is enough then I’ll give up, but I don’t like putting a time on things. I’ve seen people put times on stuff, and then everything goes haywire for a time. I don’t want to put a date on it.
“In all my years working I’ve never really thought about giving up the job, and I can honestly say I’ve never had that moment of ‘I’ve had enough, I’m off’. So long as I feel good and my health’s good, then I’ll keep going.”
