December 27th 2023.
Coy Dumas has been a symbol of commitment and service after 51 years and 3 months of driving a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) bus. During his long career, Dumas estimates to have transported nearly 3 million passengers and covered an equivalent number of miles.
The Austell, Georgia resident's home is adorned with plaques and proclamations honoring his work. Among the cherished mementos is a MARTA uniform, signed and framed by his coworkers and presented during a November retirement party.
"I've been blessed to serve MARTA and Atlanta and the State of Georgia," Dumas said. A highlight in Dumas' living room captures a framed photo depicting his face adorning the side of a MARTA bus to celebrate his 50 years of service.
Dumas further stated, “I’ve always said, 'We carry the most valuable cargo you can imagine, and that’s human life, and everybody cannot do what we do.' To do what we do, you have to have a special kind of spirit and understand the responsibility. We have people that rely on us to go to the grocery store, to go to the doctor, to go to work, to go to school.”
Though his days of driving a MARTA bus have come to an end, Dumas will still be connected to the organization. In January, he will return to mentor and train new drivers, passing on his passion and dedication to the next generation.
In his free time, Dumas is now focusing on his "honey-do list" for retirement, which he joked should be about 50 years long.
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