Transportation driver finds fulfillment in job
Ricky Duncan of Mitchell County Transportation smiles after a chat with rider Brian Westveer. Duncan drove a dump truck and a delivery truck before coming on to drive for Mitchell Transportation, which he now loves.
Fred Rogers, the man known to generations as Mr. Rogers of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, famously said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Who are the helpers in our community? Where can we find them? How can we each be a helper in our own way?
Ricky Duncan drove a dump truck for 16 years. Then he drove a bread delivery truck for 21 years.
When his employers said he’d have to be an independent contractor he just didn’t want to do that, so he quit.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do when I didn’t have a job,” he said.
But a friend said he should talk to Sheila Blalock at Mitchell Transportation.
“I remember it well,” Duncan said. “I called Sheila when I was driving up the interstate.”
Now Duncan delivers people all over Mitchell County.
“I hope this is my last job,” he says eight years later. “I love it. I love the people I work with and the people we serve. It’s like a family here.”
Even if you’ve never ridden a Mitchell Transportation van, you might recognize Duncan’s name or his voice.
He’s lived in Mitchell County his whole life and been the voice of high school sports in Mitchell County on WTOE for 35 years.
Duncan says he doesn’t think enough people in Mitchell County understand everything Mitchell Transportation does and the wide range of people they serve.
“We haul from three weeks old to 100 years old,” he said. “We take people to doctor’s appointments, or on day trips, we take all kinds of people back and forth to the airport. Now with The Pine Line, every day we are taking people to work, to eat, shopping. I don’t know what would happen now if The Pine Line ever shut down.”
Duncan said there’s a lot of training that goes into being a rural transportation driver, and drivers are all skilled in all the driving and safety measures. But there are “soft skills” for a good driver, as well.
“You have to be a little bit of a psychiatrist, a doctor, a little bit of everything,” Duncan said. “Some folks will talk your ear off. I enjoy that.”
Mitchell Transportation Director Shelia Blalock says the helpers who work there work for all citizens of Mitchell County. They serve all ages, educational backgrounds, and financial statuses.
Not only do they take senior citizens to the Senior Center, but they take all kinds of folks to human service agencies, food pantries or any kind of shopping, including on The Pine Line. Medical transportation is provided as far away as Duke University Medical Center.
They go to Asheville twice daily, have airport shuttles to Asheville and Charlotte and regularly provide transportation to cancer patients who need chemotherapy and radiation.
They serve some after-school programs, bringing students home at the end of the day and provide shuttle service for special events and festivals. If you need personal transportation or your program struggles with transportation issues call 688-4715 and talk with the friendly office staff.
Want to know how you can become a driver or have questions? Email the director at sheila.blalock@mitchellcountync.gov for more information.