OC Transpo driver Jerome Watters retires after 50 years on the road

Watters saw Ottawa change before his eyes from behind the wheel of a bus. Here's what he learned along the way.

Published Jan 10, 2025  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Jerome Watters has just retired as OC Transpo driver after 50 years behind the wheel. Photo by Tony Caldwell /POSTMEDIA

Over 50 years behind the wheel of an OC Transpo bus, Jerome Watters witnessed a changing Ottawa through his windshield.

Watters said areas like Orléans catch his eye as neighbourhoods that have changed the most, what used to be “all open fields” are now filled with new buildings, stores and houses.

But change doesn’t bother Watters.

“I just like seeing different things … and things change so quickly,” he said. “We have drivers that never change. We’ve had guys over the years that have spent 20 or 30 years driving the same run. I couldn’t do that. I like the variety.”

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Watters estimates that he’s driven “a few million” miles in OC Transpo vehicles. Now, with his retirement, that’s come to an end.

Throughout his career he drove express routes, regular routes and even Tele Transpo in the 1970s — which provided on-demand services to smaller communities that didn’t already have established bus routes. He was also one of the first 30 drivers to pilot the O-Train between Bayview and Greenboro stations when it first opened in 2001.

Watters says he doesn’t have a specific route or area that stands out as a favourite, having done so many variations through suburbs and downtown neighbourhoods during his tenure. However, what kept him going for 50 years, he said, was his love for driving and his love for people.

“Over the years I’ve had some really, really interesting conversations,” he said, recalling a particular discussion about travel with a Life Magazine photojournalist. “Stories like that one that you remember sort of stick with you.”

Jerome Watters has just retired as OC Transpo driver after 50 years behind the wheel. Photo by Tony Caldwell /POSTMEDIA

Watters officially retired on Dec. 31, 2024. While reflecting on his time as a driver, he said he would remember the stories he’d heard and the people he’d met.

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He also remembers stories of “near-misses,” like when he was in training.

“It was on Bronson (Avenue) and Clemow (Avenue) … and the guy in front of me stopped, and it was a snowstorm, and I remember putting the bus into the snowbank on the sidewalk.

“The guy that was training me said, ‘Oh, wow, good job!’” he said with a laugh.

On his last OC Transpo drive on Dec. 1, 2023, Watters said he hit a truck and two cars after passing out behind the wheel due to a heart condition. His doctor has since told him to stop his bus driving, which triggered his decision to retire.

“It’s not like I’ll be able to go back to work,” he said, “I might as well just retire.”

Watters said he had fewer than five driving accidents over his 50 years. His time taught him to always leave an extra few seconds of space between him and the vehicle in front of him — wisdom he says he’s passed along to fellow drivers.

But Watters has also learned to “let things slide” when the odd passenger encounter turned less pleasant than he would’ve liked.

“One of the things that I’ve found over the years is that when somebody tries to tear a strip off of you, you don’t take it personally,” he said. “Put your Teflon coating on in the morning and let it wash off.”

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Jerome Watters has just retired as OC Transpo driver after 50 years behind the wheel. Photo by Tony Caldwell /POSTMEDIA

He said he also avoided unpleasant confrontations by being “very friendly.”

“I would say, ‘Good morning,’ ‘Goodbye,’ and ‘Have a nice day.’ It’s hard to yell and scream at somebody that says ‘good morning’ to you.”

Watters has driven plenty of early morning trips during his tenure. He said his average day started at 4 a.m., and he was no stranger to 12- or 13-hour shifts, often choosing to work overtime.

“You make some really good money,” he said of the overtime pay. “It’s not terribly difficult to get up to 80 thousand or 100 thousand a year.”

He said the extra money allowed him to take his wife, Mary-Lou Watters, on regular trips to Florida. He plans to continue those trips into retirement, in addition to visiting Alberta to see his son, and Thailand to visit his daughter.

“I love travelling,” he said. “I like just being able to go and see something different.”

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