Sidney Hout loved to tell the story about how, at age 14, he stole his father's car and learned to drive. While his father might not have been pleased, the youthful indiscretion was a smart career move.

In five decades as a professional driver for Greyhound and Central Cab Co., Mr. Hout ferried musicians and athletes, as well as ordinary people, on regular trips to Washington, D.C.

Sidney Hout

In his 35 years with Greyhound, he logged nearly 4 million miles without a single safety blemish.

"He took a lot of pride in his work," said his son, Michael, of Oakland, Calif., who is a sociology professor at the University of California, Berkeley. "He set a high standard for us."

Mr. Hout, of Whitehall, died Saturday from complications following a stroke. He was 84.

He was born in Burgettstown and grew up in various regional coal towns. After graduating from Ebensburg Cambria High School and serving in the Army during World War II, he took a job with Greyhound in 1948.

He was a meticulous observer of the road, said his son, and passed on to his children not just driving basics but also lessons on using mirrors, judging distances, and identifying and avoiding other drivers likely to cause problems.

"He would say, 'Drive all the cars on the road,' " said Michael Hout. "From all those driving lessons, that's one of the ones that's stuck with me, and that I've passed down to my sons."

Mr. Hout's pristine safety record drew recognition, and in 1958, he was tapped to drive the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on tour. He continued to drive the symphony for two decades.

Even on his off days, Mr. Hout would fill his hours driving, said his son, often taking his motorcycle to Somerset. Once, a planned Mother's Day outing to South Park turned into a trip to Washington, D.C., to see the cherry blossoms, as Mr. Hout just kept on driving.

After retiring from Greyhound in 1983, Mr. Hout took a job with Morgantown, W.Va.-based Central Cab and regularly drove the West Virginia University football team on road trips.

A sports fan, Mr. Hout considered the football gig to be an honor. Team members called him "Whitey" for his gleaming white hair, and the school flew him to a bowl game and gave him a seat at the end of the bench.

In addition to his son, Mr. Hout is survived by another son, Craig, of Mount Washington; two daughters, Erin Scott of Jefferson Hills and Kristina Martinez of Peters; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral prayer will be at 9:15 a.m. today at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin in Whitehall, followed by Mass at 10.