FORTY years on the buses might seem a long time to some, but Thomas Kee is still on the road.

Thomas, Preston Bus' assistant chief inspector, received a long service award from his bosses on Tuesday to mark 40 years dedication to the town's public transport network.

He first took to the buses in 1960 as a conductor and became a driver three years later.

In the days when it was rare to see privately-owned cars, being a bus driver made him an invaluable member of the community, and came with perks as well.

Life-long PNE fan Thomas said: "We used to lay on lots of extra buses during the football season and the drivers of the football specials were allowed in to watch the games, sitting on the touchline. "They were the best seats in the house and we got to see some of the greats play."

But while he may have enjoyed watching his heroes, there have been several times when Thomas has become the hero.

He added: "On several occasions injured people have got on my bus and I have to dash them to hospital so they could get treatment. It was exciting at time."

Over the years, Thomas has worked on every route in the town, and was one of the first drivers in the country to work without a conductor.

He has also seen a lot of changes in the town, including the creation of the new bus station.

He said: "I can remember when we could drive both ways in Fishergate, and could turn right into Lune Street. It used to be really easy to get out of town.

"I have made a lot of friends on the buses, and still see a lot of familiar faces. My favourite route was the old inner circle service, which ran through Deepdale to Fulwood, past PNE."

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