PEACH COUNTY, Ga. — More school districts are returning to in-person instruction across the state, which means bus drivers are back at work despite the risk of COVID-19 exposure.
75-year-old Charles Rumph enjoys being a bus driver, because he likes to interact with the students.
"I like for them to be in school because it gives me a chance not to be at home, and I like to be around them and it gives me the experience to learn more about them," Rumph said.
He's been driving for Peach County Schools since 2007, but his routine changed when schools closed in spring because of COVID-19.
"I missed driving, and when schools shutdown then I had to try to find something else to do to stay busy, so I was kind of glad when they did open up," he said.
The Centers for Disease Control says eight out of 10 COVID-19 deaths reported in the United States are adults over the age of 65, but that didn't stop Rumph from getting back to work.
"I thought about it, but as long as I kept myself protected and with my kids, I make sure they are protected," he said.
The district trained drivers on their safety guidelines. Rumph says he follows them every time students ride the bus.
"The guidelines that were laid out to us was to make sure that the kids have the masks, that we have our masks on, and at the end of each route we would spray the bus down and wipe it down to make sure it's clean of any germs before we head to our other route and it's been working pretty good," Rumph said.
Peach County bus drivers are working part-time for now. Rumph hopes to return back full-time after Christmas break.