Manatee County Employee of the Year forms relationships with MCAT passengers

MANATEE -- After driving Manatee County Area Transit buses for almost 19 years, David Simpson was supposed to retire at the end of the year.

But when he was thinking about retiring in the past, the 68-year-old was sick. For three years, the lifelong Manatee County resident would go to get dialysis treatment then would drive the bus for eight hours. In 2008, Simpson received a kidney transplant and has felt better even since.

"God has been good to me. Still is good to me," Simpson said. "Keeps on blessing me everyday. I'm so thankful for it. ... I'm going to go a little longer. I'll know when it's time."

This month Simpson received another blessing when he was named Manatee County government's Employee of the Year. Chad Butzow, the county's deputy director of public works, told Simpson, who was the March Employee of the Month, that he won at work.

"I was very happy," Simpson said. "I didn't think I was going to get it."

The commission honored Simpson with a proclamation at the Dec. 1 meeting, designating the day as David Simpson Day in the county. Simpson has been married to Sherrye, a retired schoolteacher, for 45 years and they have a son Keith, who has been in the military for 18 years.

But the award was not only one Simpson received in 2015. Simpson was named the Florida Public Transit Association's Operator of the Year Award, which more than 6,000 drivers across the state compete for. Simpson came in second for the award in 2012.

"I was real surprised for that one," Simpson said, adding that his coworkers knew he won ahead of time. "That was a great honor."

But for Simpson, it's not about the recognition.

"I really love it," he said. "I'm enjoying it more now than ever. I guess that's why I didn't retire at the end of this year."

Relationships formed with riders

For the past seven months, Bradenton resident Anna Hensgen has traveled on the Route 8 bus everyday.

"I've never seen him have a bad day at all," Hensgen said of Simpson. "I look forward to riding the bus."

When Hensgen heard that Simpson was named Employee of the Year, she said she was so happy. Hensgen said Simpson always waits until the new passengers are seated before he leaves a stop.

"He's always smiling," she said. "I was so happy when I saw that. He definitely deserves it. He's good to everyone. Somebody can have a bad day and he can usually turn it around. He's pretty good to people."

As Bradenton resident Leonar Ortega boarded the Route 8 bus on a Monday morning, she handed a gift to Simpson.

"Buena persona. Excellente," said Ortega, who didn't speak English. "Good person. Excellent."

It is these riders and the relationships he's formed with them over the years that Simpson says keeps him going.

"It's just a relationship I formed with my passengers," Simpson said. "We enjoy each other. It is very seldom that some passenger won't bring me something. That's their way of showing their appreciation. It's just their way of giving back. I try to do my best to make the bus ride as enjoyable as possible."

Simpson drives the Route 8 bus, which goes through Oneco, from 6:05 a.m. to 1:05 p.m. He has driven the Route 8 bus for the past 17 years.

As Simpson traveled down Fifth Street East on a Monday morning, he waved to workers with Waste Management as he drove past.

"Every day is a different challenge, every trip," he said. "There is nothing routine about it."

While considered a difficult route due to traffic, number of shopping carts, wheelchairs and strollers and being "real tight for time," Simpson said he has no trouble on his route.

"I like the people," he said. "It's just like second hand now. I never liked jumping routes. You form a bond with people. You look forward to seeing them the next day."

When Simpson gets to certain stops on the route, he knows who is supposed to board the bus at that stop and if they are not there, he said he tries to wait for them if he can.

"You try to look out for people because they need the bus," he said. "I try to do my best to let them get on."

Jim Egbert, the county's transit operations superintendent, said Simpson is a special employee.

"You never see a complaint" Egbert said. "His passengers will actually wait to ride his bus."

With 98 percent of the riders friendly, Simpson said that's what keeps him coming.

"Every route is different," he said. "People are people. People want to be treated with dignity and respect. I try to treat everybody the same way they want to treat me. Treat people the way you want to be treated and everything will work out fine."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 5:02 PM with the headline "Manatee County Employee of the Year forms relationships with MCAT passengers ."