Thanks a Million! 49-year Dist. 300 bus driver Lillian Rains retires

In over four decades as a newspaperman there isn't a lot that impresses you.

Then, there's Lillian Rains.

Lillian stepped down from her 73-passenger Du Quoin Community Unit District 300 school bus at 4 p.m. Thursday on the east parking lot at the Du Quoin Middle School for the last time.

She is retiring after a 49-year accident free career from a job that began when the late, great transportation supervisor Joe Green asked her to drive for him.

Daughter Tracy Taylor--the district's current transportation superintendent--has done the math and in nearly a half century of service to the school district and its families she has transported over 1 million children safely to and from school.

Years ago her work included a lot of out-of-town field trips, but a driving snowstorm on one of those road trips contributed to the decision not to drive those anymore.

Her kids ride the "Lion Bus" along a route that extends from the school to an area west of Du Quoin.

She has a meticulous work ethic, pulling off the lot at 6:30 a.m. and pulling back up to the school at 7:30 a.m. During the day she buses Pre-K students and prepares for her afternoon route around 2:30 p.m. and is back on the parking lot at 4 p.m.

When she began, all of the buses had "stick shift" manual transmissions that over four decades later have evolved into automatic transmissions with child safety stop arms on the front and radio or cell phone communications to the school and other drivers.

Another important law that has been in effect in Illinois for several years is that you cannot pass a stopped bus with its stop arm out and its lights flashing.

The penalties are tough for doing that and it is unthinkable to pass a stopped school bus for any reason.

"Driving a school bus is a great job for mothers," said Tracy. You work when your kids are in school and you are off summers when your children are out of school.

Lillian is a member of a District 300 transportation staff of 23 that includes regular drivers, substitute drivers and aides that chaperone many of the rides carrying special education students.

Driving a vehicle that weighs approximately 15 tons and navigating it through every traffic condition imaginable is extraordinary.

Add to that one lane or nearly impassable road conditions in snow and heavy rainfall and the idea of driving 49 years without one single accident is unimagineable.

When the district's "bus barns" were located on the southeast corner of the Du Quoin High School property along Line Street it was a sight to see these skilled drivers back their buses into the garages with no more than six inches of clearance on either side of the mirrors.

Every day, these drivers are the guardians of our children and provide safe passage throughout the school district, and on long athletic and extracurricular field trips. You have no idea of the responsibility, but they make it look easy.

Praying for her safe return every day over all those years are husband Lamoyne Rains, daughters Tracy and Lisa and their families that include six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. They came from three states Thursday afternoon to welcome Lillian home.

Thanks a million!