TEMPLE HILLS, Md. Bob Beard, who spent 30 years driving for Trailways and Greyhound and then became one of the industrys best-known personalities, has announced his fifth and final retirement.

"As I gingerly approach my 76th birthday, I just have to try again (to retire)," Beard said in an e-mail to friends and colleagues.

During the nearly 20 years since his first retirement from the industry in 1990, after spending 27 years at Trailways and 3 more at Greyhound, Beard created several new careers for himself.

He wrote a book, Square Wheels on the Interstate; he became curator for bus collectibles and artifacts displayed at the headquarters of Trailways Transportation System in Fairfax, Va.; he wrote articles and took countless photographs for industry publications (including Bus & Motorcoach News); he became a tireless worker for and promoter of the Museum of Bus Transportation, which named him to its board; he co-founded an association of interstate bus drivers and edited its magazine; he served as chairman and convention staff member of the Trailways Retirees Association; he became a member of the editorial advisory board of BusRide, and he functioned as an internet watchdog for many individuals in the industry.

As he often observed, "I need to find a job so I can rest up from this retirement."

In recent months Beard came to realize his busy schedule and the 300-mile roundtrip drive from his suburban Washington, D.C., home to the Museum of Bus Transportation in Hershey, Pa., was getting to be "a bit much for me."

"It has been a great bus ride because I do not believe there is another retired driver in North America who has come to know so many fine bus people, and have so many of you know me by name," said Beard.

"As I fade into the background, if a 300-pounder can actually fade, I beg to remind you to care for that bus museum. Its . . . a real showcase display for the public and its an all-volunteer endeavor. . . . Without you, it cant and wont be."

Tom Collins, president of the museum, said the museum directors accepted Beards retirement announcement "with great reluctance."

Collins noted that during most of the past 10 years Beard had, almost solely, been responsible for all museum news releases and communications. Additionally, he had written many articles about the museum that raised its visibility and increased participation at its events.

"We will miss Bob greatly," Collins added.

For information about the Museum of Bus Transportation, go to www.busmuseum.org. To contact Bob Beard, e-mail him at squarewheels@verizon.net.