Riding The Bus - 1928

James Gloyd Childers, 1043 Iroquois Trail, Frankfort, Kentucky, a member of the Breathitt County Historical Society, recalls his early years as the first bus driver from Jackson to Winchester, after construction of Highway 15, in 1928, the the following article.

In the spring or summer of 1928, between my junior and senior years at Jackson City High School, I was recommended to Jim and Tom Swope, of Winchester, who had the franchise for bus line service between Jackson and Winchester. At this time the cars in Jackson were not too numerous, and almost every driver had a reputation regarding his skill. I was recommended by the owner and operator of the garage in the Kash building.

The owner of the garage later told me that Jim Swope had registered concern about me being "awful young," but I was hired when he was told that I was one of the best drivers in town. Don't ask me, because I do not know how or where Jim Swope got the bus driver's chauffeur's badge, which he tossed to me one day in Winchester.

The first bus ran from Jackson to Winchester and returned to Jackson. In a short time a second schedule was begun, starting in, and returning to, Winchester. The other driver's nickname was "Shape;" I do not remember his name.

The first bus was a 1924 Studebaker seven-passenger touring car, with balloon tires and luggage compartments on the front fender wells. This was an open car with window curtains.

Later, while I was driving, the line stepped up to an old 16-passenger bus, which had been used in the Bluegrass area.

As I recall, larger buses periodically were added to the line.

It is my recollection that Breathitt County roads had creek gravel, with numerous mud holes around the north sides of the hills. The roads through Wolfe County were newly built, graded and drained and were very slick and hazardous when wet; the Powell County road had white limestone gravel until it joined a good creek gravel road near Stanton. This creek gravel road was well-maintained and was nice to drive over. From the Clark County line to Winchester the road was blacktop, which was rough in spots.

The passengers were not too numerous, but the bus line owners were very interested in maintaining the daily schedule in order to keep the franchise, which they hoped to sell to the Consolidated Coach lines.

Several citizens in Jackson made the round trip for pleasure and curiosity. Mrs. M. H. Holliday, editor of the Jackson Times, was among the first to make the trip.

Some of the rural people referred to the bus as the "burse" and oftentimes would come out by the side of the road to watch the bus pass.

I was very fortunate, as I recall, that I did not have anything more serious than a low tire during my bus driving experience. Although, there were many thrills playing "Whip Cracker" on the rain-slick roads across Pine Ridge and pulling in low gear through a mud hole on Main Street in Campton. Jim Swope's restaurant in Campton was the most popular rest stop.

I was sometimes concerned as to whether I would have the correct change for the cash fares.

When I informed Jim Swope it was time for me to go back to school, he begged me to continue to drive the bus and said that I would have a great future when they sold the franchise to a large bus company. But, I preferred to continue my education, graduating from high school, Lees Junior College, and the University of Kentucky Law School and have since had a successful career as an attorney in state government.

An amusing incident happened on my final run from Winchester to Jackson. I had the pleasure of transporting a high school teacher, Miss Maxwell, whom I confronted when I entered her schoolroom on the following Monday morning. She was somewhat surprised as she had freely conversed with some of the other passengers.