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Show Burdell Porter retires from Greyhound Lines After 40 years of driving with the Greyhound Bus Lines Burdell Porter of Las Vegas "turned over the driving to others" recently following his retirement. His last run was made from Cedar City to Las Vegas, Nev. and represented 40 years behind the wheel. Burdell is well known to residents of this area. He began his career in driving while at tending BAC and driving for the Utah Parks during the summer months. While at the college he was prominent in athletics participating in both football and basketball. As he returned to Vegas on his final run a writer for the "Sun" newspaper, Sharon Spigelmyer, did a feature story on Burdell. The report pointed out that Porter, 64, had only one accident during his career and had traveled about three million miles. Joking as he turned in the last of his papers, he said, "Well I guess they can't fire me, can they?" At the same time his w ife, Ina Porter, retired from her job as a recreational director at the Jewish Center. Porter graduated from Utah State University with a degree in physical education but found that he could make more money as a bus driver than a school teacher. He worked with Greyhound ever since. His first run was a tour bus from Boulder Dam to Las Vegas. Since 1937 he has driven the Cedar City route four days a week. He reported his most memorable experience during his career was when "the stork arrived during a run. "Right near Glendale, the stork started to arrive," he said. "We called a doctor and nurse and they met us in the depot there. The baby was born in the back seat," he reported. During his 40 year career buses made some drastic changes. He started driving a small 15 passenger bus with no air conditioning. His final run was made on a 43 passenger delux bus with full air conditioning. con-ditioning. Long associated with Cedar City he became a familiar figure at the "Cedar Drug" and other points where his run brought him. He also has many family members residing in the area. |