You can't stop there Jeff!

May 30 2005 By Poppy Brady, Evening Mail

BUS driver Jeff Passmore may have celebrated his 65th birthday but he's just so popular with his passengers that they won't let him retire.

When loyal commuters heard that Jeff was thinking about quitting his Birmingham-based 616 route, they sent in petitions to Pete's Travel, begging him to stay on.

So now he's doing just that, picking up and dropping off his mobile fan club three days a week instead of five.

"I just love the job and I know everyone's names," said Jeff, from Tipton, who has been with Pete's Travel for the past ten years. Before that he was with the Midland Red in the Bull Ring for a further ten years.

His 616 route takes in Perry Barr and goes to Handsworth and Winson Green's Black Patch.

"It's very flattering that people want me to stay on and I'm delighted to do so," he added.

His boss Chris Healy, senior quality controller for People's Express said: "We're keeping Jeff on due to popular demand, providing he passes his medical. He drops people off wherever they want and he can't be too helpful.

"He is also our company chaplain and I know that many people have gone to him for advice in complete confidence.

"I've known Jeff for more than 20 years when he had a TV and radio shop in Shell Corner in Blackheath. He used to put up a sign in his shop every Sunday saying 'we may be shut but the church is always open.'" ..SUPL: