University Bus Driver Logs 700,000 Miles Transporting Students and Guests Safely Staff From todctle rs to jun io r h igh basketball team s. from co ll ege s ing ing g roups to facult y members. Elderhostel and the board o f directors . Guilfo rd Rice has transport ed people all over tl1e country in the Harding Uni versit y bus . Rice came to Harcl ing wiill his wife. Pal. and ciaugll1er. Laura. almos t 20 years ago from Continen tal Trailways. where l1e was trained as a comme rc ial bus d ri ver. He had previously <:1ttencJec.l Davici Lipscomb College ancl UT/ aslwille w l1ere l1e majored in social scicn .e ancl m inored in geograpl1y. His o ffi c ial ti tle. transpo nation officer. inc ludes duties bcsicles driving. He prepare the transport ation budget. scl1edules chart e r ser\'i ·es fo r large groups and l1ires anci tra ins new drivers. It takes several l1ours of maintenanc and care fo r eve ry hour the bus spends on 111e road . Rice o ft en goes 10 tl1e main t nance shop to w atc l1 and lea rn from the mechani cs so 1lla1 he can pe rform mo re repairs l1imself. Tl1ose who t1ave ridden witll l1im have li ke ly no ticecl the immaculat e condition tl1e bus was in . After 22 years. any vehi c le w ill s tart 10 sl1ow s igns o f aging. bu t Rice l1as spen t many ho urs making sure that Harcling tudent s trave l in safe ty and comfort. A few years ago. he comple t ly reupho ls te red the bus and added ex tra padding to 111e sea ts and re inforcement 10 1l1c suppo rt s anct armrests. New Orl eans and finall y to Searcy "This was. w ithout doubt. til e mos t inte res ting g ro up I ha, ·e tra\'eleci with. " he saici. Since tl1e re was so mucl1 s uspicion and conflic t between the Eas t ancl tl1e West. SC\ 'erci l Communis t Part y mC'mlJcrs came along on the Irip as "s ingers" to watch over the group. Rice was tl1e ambassador and represen tative o f Harding ancl tl1e Uni ted States 10 1l1cse gues ts fo r 1l1c U. S. Much o f 1l1 e ir impression o f America. Cl1ris 1iani1 y ancl 11arc ling came rrom l1im. Oft en . Rice is the first person 10 g ree t s tudents . v isito rs and o thers wl10 come to I larding. I le feels 111a t l1is position offers him a unique opportunit y to show these people what I larding is about and o ft en what Chris tians are like. He mee ts all kinds or people witl1 \'Cry di\'erse backgrouncls. from p rospec ti\ 'e s1uden1s here fo r the Texas Ro undup to tl1 e Wa l1 o n Scholars from Centra l America. As l1e he lps tl1em load the ir suitcases and li, ·es ont o a bus that will take them far from l1ome. he tri es to e21se tl1e ir fe21rs and make 1l1c m feel a t home. Rice feels tl1at tl1is is par t o f ll iS mission and ser\ 'ice to God. Tl1ose who travel regul arl y wi th Rice are tl1e ones wllo most apprecia te l1is congeni al manner and all itude of service. Recently, tl1e I larding Univers ity Cho rus gave llirn an Hono rary Doc to ra te for llis service 10 1ilcm on the ir frequent tours. Rice has trave led with Harding s tudent s mo re 1l121n 700 .000 accidentfree mi les throug l1 4G sta tes . earning him tile Sa fe ty Award from the National Safety Counc il. One an eas ily see Rice·s strong sense of service and w o rk e tl1i c in tl1e wayhe performshisjob. always g reeting peop le w ith a smile and an o ffer to he lp . This has been the e21s ies t part o f lliSjob. c;ui/jorcl Hin· insm1c1s Cl iris 11 'c1<1/q; on /Jow 10 lorn/ ris<'rs lw/ore u C/1o ir 1rip. Hin · urrw1<1<·</ 1mnspon<11ionj(>r lllWl!J f) l'O ll/)S Oil CWllflllS. / '/JOIO l>!J .IC/SOil Hlll'I . After traveling wit l1 someone fo r bu t some of Rice·s expe riences on the bus ilave been challenging. one of tl1ese experi ences l1appened in I 9 7G when Rice bussed til e Po lish Meclica l Choir . comple te w ith undercover Communist Party membe rs . from ew Yo rk Ci ty tl1roug l1 Florida. so many mi les and trus ting h is abilit y to transport tl1em safely to tl1e ir destination . passengers l1ave come to know Rice as a true Chris tian ser\'ant. dedicated to them and to his Lo rd . D<1rl cnc ,\11clcrs011. ' '"' '"' c 11·ri... L<tll(l BCl\VC'Offl . ""'('<11·1;1n ....,1udt·r1t'-.(·r\i<<'.., 13cl\ 'C1 13c llcock . 11oohk<·<· 1x·r '-' '""" Cole Bcnne11. ,<1,1:--.t·r \chrn-..-..11111-.. 13ob l:3ou1c ll . c""'"'"·" ' i\lc recti1J1 Bou1e ll <...t«n:1.m 1-1urnl\cmc1c·o11..,11111er'"><t<·11<c..... H<icliel 13rac ll o rcl. " ""'"' '"' ' '"" 11.N rrg \\' illia111 Briclgcs. """"g,·r '""'""""" Chris Broacl<:l\Vrt)' . 11m·rhll1"1' 1.0.iri , ...,~ ..-1 1.11)1w\ Sue Buc y . l h1 ...1rn·...... c ·11·rk_ 111 11n•111 H<' ...ouwc· ... Teresa Huss . St.'< 11·1 .."· 1. 11Jr;ir' Tonl f-3u1crl>c1ug l1 . ,....,_,.. .-1 1>1wc1111 1•uhlu 1<t'l<111on-.. J<lllC C C:l\ 'itt. n111u· ,..,..,., Ht•g1-.,1r;11 ClarCl Clcn1cn1s. st1ipp1ng < krk < ;1e1<1u<1w sc1100 1 P.rn1f..:-.1orf' Doris COV\'drcl. \ ... ...,, r>m·c 1rn \lumni Ht'l.1 11011 .... Lori Currie . ..., t·nc·11ln \lurrn11 1w11111om... Cincly Cuni s. 1·0""' c:'"'' Dons Dalton . no1111...,111 x~r\l'·•or s 1 u I I - Phillip Sl1ero 43 A c Cl Ci <' Ill i c .s
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