trent barton has bid farewell to one of its longest serving drivers with a special send-off involving family, colleagues and a vintage bus.
When Eric Leverton first got behind the wheel of a bus, England was celebrating its World Cup win.
Since then Eric has won trent barton’s Driver of the Month Award a record nine times.
To mark the occasion, the operator organised a surprise party after his last shift and rolled out a vintage Leyland Leopard to remind him of his early days on the buses.
“It certainly brought back a few memories,” said Eric, who joined Barton Transport in 1974 after eight years as a driver with Midland General. “Things have changed a bit, for a start there was no power steering in those days.”
He added: “I’ve worked on the buses for almost my entire working life and I’ve loved every minute of it.
“I felt particularly proud when I collected my first award. trent barton has been great to work for.”
Through his career Eric has worked on many routes but for the past decade he’s driven a 27 bus, serving the Ilkeston area.
Jeff Counsell, trent barton MD, said: “Eric has set an example for colleagues to follow, winning numerous accolades alongside the Driver of the Month awards. We’ll miss Eric, but wish him a long and happy retirement.”
