AMBOY (WIFR) -- Velma Quest has been helping kids get to school for nearly 50 years, and now just two days before she turns 80, she's handing in her keys. The Amboy School District threw quest a retirement party this morning. She started driving that big yellow bus back in 1963, and has literally driven hundreds of kids thousands of miles.

Quest tells us she never even considered becoming a bus driver, until Amboy's superintendent handed her an application. She says she's going to miss seeing all her "grandchildren", but she knows it’s time to say goodbye.

"I'll miss coming in here and having coffee in the morning, and my co-workers, yeah, I'll miss that a lot,” Quest said.

Quest plans to spend time with her 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.