Biographies: Velvet Paggett, 1977, Winn Parish, La.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: August 24, 1977 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American

School Bus Driver Has Long Career

by Mike Robinson

There are 43 bus drivers employed by the Winn Parish School Board for the
1977-78 school year.

Of the 43, four have more than 20 years experience.

Velvet Paggett of the Gansville Community is one of the four.

Paggett started driving a school bus in 1955, and for the last 21 years, he
has driven about 374,000 miles bringing students to and from school.

"I was in the pulpwood business before I started driving a bus," Paggett said.
"My father urged me to take a route, so I did."

When Paggett started driving in 1955, he was paid $331 a month on a 10-month
scale.  Now, thanks to the new raise by the state for drivers, Paggett will
make a base salary of $444 a month on a 12 month scale.

Paggett also receives a gas allowance from the state for the number of miles
he drives and the length of his bus.

Paggett said he drives 32.7 miles per run, and he has a 60 passenger bus.

How much does he get paid for this?  Paggett isn't sure.

"We used to get a chart that told us how much we got per mile, but we haven't
gotten one is the last few years," Paggett said.  "I don't know what we get.

The way the system is set up, a driver gets so much per mile and this amount
decreases every ten miles or so miles.  A person who has a large bus like
Paggett's will get more than drivers with smaller vehicles.

According to Everett Thurman, who is in charge of busing for the Winn Parish
School Board, 2,568 students rode the buses during the past school year.

Paggett drives all age groups to school.  He said seventh and eighth graders
usually give him the most trouble.

"I have my own rules like no walking while the bus is moving, no smoking, and
no loud talk," Paggett said.  "But, the seventh and eighth graders are at the
age where they have a lot of energy, and they know everything."

Girls, more than boys seem to give Paggett his problems.

"I sometimes go beyond my limit when I talk to the kids," Paggett said.  "I
am mainly concerned with their welfare, and I think scolding a kid helps."

Paggett said some of his former riders have come back to tell him they
appreciated the things he told them.

Every year, Paggett, like the rest of the bus drivers in the state, has his
bus inspected by a Louisiana state trooper.

"If I know of anything wrong, I get it fixed before anyone tells me to,"
Paggett said.

Paggett said he plans to retire after the 1978-79 school year, because he will
be 65 years old.

Of the 43 drivers in Winn Parish, 14 are women.

When Paggett started in 1955, he made $3,310.  This year he will make a base
salary of $5,327.30, of which $264 comes from parish funds.

Has Paggett enjoyed his 21 years as a bus driver?

"In many ways I've enjoyed it.  It hasn't been too bad at all."