DODT maintenance specialist clocks in for the last time after 67 years of employment

Ronald Babin, 86, was trailed by News 10's Danielle Johnson for his last day on the job as a DOTD Maintenance Specialist.

LAFAYETTE, LA. (KLFY)-- Ronald Babin, 86, was trailed by News 10's Danielle Johnson for his last day on the job as a DOTD Maintenance Specialist. Babin was employed by DOTD for 67 years. He told Danielle Johnson his secret to keeping the same job for nearly seven decades.

Babin walked the same hallways he'd been walking for the last 20 years, but his employment dates back to 1955. He started as a construction worker for DOTD.

"We used to have to all do it ourselves. Now it's a big difference they have the contractors that do all of that," he said.

Babin played a role in some major developments in the Acadiana area like the interstate, the Basin Bridge, and the Thruway. He has journals dating back to the '70s documenting what he did each day at work. The work he did on some of these projects are on those pages.

Babin says his secret to longevity in the workplace is genuinely loving your job and the people you work with. He doesn't remember ever having a negative thing to say about the highway department.

"This is my life. I'm going to miss the people. I don't know what to say. I don't see how anybody can do this and not miss the people you work for."