If you take a ride on a Kingsport Area Transit Service bus, you might find yourself in the
company of Bill Bledsoe, a rather unique driver with a particular set of skills.

Not only is Bill able to navigate the streets of Kingsport safely and efficiently and engage with
passengers on a variety of topics, he’s also able to create beautiful works of art using all
manner of pencil, pen and brush.

Because of this talent, some of riders have dubbed him “the Professor.”

“I was a working artist and college art professor for 34 years before coming to KATS,” Bledsoe
explains. “After retirement, I was home working in my studio for three months and I was
missing people…and I like driving. That’s it in a nutshell on why I came to work for KATS.”
Bledsoe, 62, was born in Johnson City and was raised in Jonesborough. He earned his
undergraduate and graduate degrees from East Tennessee State University and served in the
U.S. Air Force as an artist and crew chief.

He first taught at Providence Academy overseeing its secondary art program; then was hired by
ETSU to work in the digital animation department. Finally, he oversaw the art program at
Tusculum University until his retirement a few years ago.

Bledsoe and his wife have three grown children, four grandchildren with a fifth one on its way.
“I met my wife Jennifer at ETSU, she’s a Kingsport native and we lived in Kingsport the first 10
years of our marriage,” Bledsoe said. “We raised our kids here and that’s when I became
connected to Kingsport and really fell in love with the town.”

From the community to the gridiron

Bledsoe’s creative talents extend to a wide variety of instruments (pen, pencil and paint) and
styles, including landscapes, portraits, landmarks, logos and album designs. He’s done
commissions for local businesses, community organizations and non-profits.

His work can be seen with the United Way, the National Storytelling Festival and the State of
Tennessee. And for the past three years, Bledsoe has worked on a major project on Eastman
Chemical Company. However, one of his most noteworthy projects involved the potential
naming of a professional football team.

“I worked on the Tennessee Copperheads project for three years and it all revolved around the
artwork. I had to show people what the team would look like playing other teams,” Bledsoe
said. “I made uniforms, helmets, promotional materials and paintings. It got a lot of people
fired up about a name change.”

While the team ultimately chose "Titans" as its name (inheriting it from the historic Titans of
New Jersey franchise), Bill’s three-year "Copperheads" blitz served as a masterclass in
community organizing through the power of art.

“Kingsport was really supportive of me during the name change. Really the whole city was
supportive,” Bledsoe said.

AKA - The Professor of Kingsport
Bledsoe has worked at KATS for approximately 18 months as both a driver and a dispatcher,
rotating from position to position as needed. When the rubber meets the road, so to speak,
everyone does what needs to be done to get the job done, he said.

Part of the appeal of the transit service has been the friendship between he and his co-workers.
The genuine nature of the drivers gave him a feeling of camaraderie he hadn't experienced
since his days in the Air Force.

“I came in here and I felt so comfortable and everyone was just so nice. All of the drivers were
genuine,” Bledsoe said. “KATS is full of great people, very supportive and I have no intention of
leaving anytime soon.”

During his time at KATS, Bledsoe has driven folks to grocery stores, doctor appointments, big
box stores and everywhere else in between.

Many of these loyal riders he’s become attached to and become friends with. Oftentimes riders
just need someone to talk to.

“Some of them call me ‘the Professor’ and ask me questions about my past and why I came to
KATS. Another rider is a retired pastor who loves to philosophize with me,” Bledsoe said.
“Talking with folks, that’s the best part of the job, absolutely. It can be funny, sad and real.
Something about it is just quintessential American. There’s nothing like it.”