School Bus Driver Lauds 3rd Career at Monster Truck Display at Winthrop

A super-sized school bus in the view of Bloomingdale Avenue motorists caught the eye randomly of both a teacher and school bus driver for the Hillsborough County School District.

Paul Bogart said he just had to stop and snap a picture of the bus, to show the kids on his route. The 73-year-old said he has been a school bus driver for 15 years, following five years as the owner of a landscaping business and 30 years as a Tampa police officer.

"I love it, I love this stuff," he said, marveling at his good luck to get such a neat photograph to share with his kids.

As for working through retirement and three jobs, that's "fun," too, he said. "It's better than sitting at home."

Cindy Halferty said she, too, had to stop and snap a picture of the monster school bus, to show the students in her class.

Turns out both Bogart and Halferty had something in common.

"I was passing by and thought I had to take a picture for my kids," said Halferty, a teacher at Ippolito Elementary Schoool. "Then I saw him and said, 'Oh, I've got to take a picture of him for my kids, because they ride his bus."

Small-world coincidences aside — that Bogart's job includes route runs for Ippolito, as well as Spoto High School and the Brandon Alternative School — the monster yellow school bus drew a lot of curious onlookers, who stepped out of their cars to take a closer look.

They were invited to attend the April 28 fundraiser for Lila Grace Ruiz, . The Familly Fundraiser for Lila Ruiz runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes the monster truck, a car show, bounce houses, face-painting, raffle giveaways, a silent auction and food.

Meanwhile, Bogart, a grandfather to six children, talked about his love of driving a school bus for scores of kids, a job he said he took because his grandchildren told him he'd be good at it.

"I love being around kids," he said. "They're a lot of fun and it's a big challenge to take care of them. They keep you young."

As for the kids he drives to and from school, Bogart said he can't wait to show them a picture of him standing before the monster school bus.

"I'm going to tell them I'm getting a new bus," Bogart said. "Oh, they'll get a kick out of it!"