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Willie Carter Jr., longtime ECAT driver, celebrated for more than 50 years of service
Summary
At a Rosa Parks Complex ceremony, Escambia County Area Transit and local officials honored Willie Carter Jr. ("Rushmo") for roughly 51–52 years driving buses, praising his mentorship, daily reliability and safety record; colleagues urged him to enjoy retirement.
Willie Carter Jr., known to many riders as "Rushmo," was honored Friday at the Rosa Parks Complex in Pensacola for more than five decades of service as a bus operator with Escambia County Area Transit.
Carter opened the event by recalling his start with ECAT in 1974 and describing his work helping elderly riders and others across Pensacola. "They called me a living legend, a transit operator," Carter said, adding that driving and making passengers happy was his favorite work. He said he has "52 years" of service.
Loomin May, Escambia County commissioner for District 3, led tributes to Carter, calling his work "a ministry" and noting what May described as 52 years of driving with no accidents. "He had a ministry. He had a service to this community," May said, praising Carter's role as a mentor to young people from neighborhoods including Morris Court and Englewood.
Union leaders and colleagues also spoke. Michael Lawrie, president and business agent of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1395 and a 31-year ECAT operator, said Carter "connected with passengers" and taught customer service. "He was a mentor to teach me how to provide good customer service," Lawrie said.
Fellow operators recounted Carter's on-the-job support and off-duty mentoring. Dewitt S. Stallworth said Carter trained him on routes and organized a softball team to mentor youth. Janet Pittman, who worked with Carter for 29 years, described him as hardworking and always ready to help, and Sharon Purifoy, an ECAT dispatch supervisor, highlighted his near-perfect attendance and dedication even at an advanced age.
Thaddeus Davenport, mass transit director for Escambia County Area Transit, called Carter an "icon in this community" and urged him to rest, travel and enjoy retirement after decades of service.
Speakers framed Carter’s career as both public service and community mentorship, citing examples of riders who went on to jobs and residents whom Carter helped reach medical appointments and workplaces. Attendees included family members, ECAT coworkers and agency leadership.
The ceremony concluded with colleagues urging Carter to enjoy his retirement and visit ECAT; no formal actions or policy decisions were recorded at the event.
