Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen! And Comet, and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen! The whole gang is joining TransLink’s bus fleet this holiday season with nine Rudolph-themed Reindeer Buses sleighing into service on November 25th.

In addition to spreading cheer and making spirits bright, the red-nosed Reindeer Buses will deliver donated toys to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau where they will be distributed to Metro Vancouver families in need.

The Reindeer Bus is part of a 36-year initiative known as Toys for Tots. Each year, staff at TransLink, Coast Mountain Bus Company, SkyTrain, Transit Police, and West Coast Express donate toys and cash to this important campaign.

“The last two years have been especially challenging for many families in our region and giving back to our community is incredibly important,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. “I’m proud of the contributions made by our employees and hope that these buses and the donations will bring a smile to many faces this holiday season.”

Reindeer facts:

• Over the years, 86,912 toys and over $50,500 have been donated
• Each Reindeer Bus is named after a different reindeer guiding Santa’s sleigh
• The routes the Reindeer Buses will travel on will vary each day based on scheduling by elves in each bus depot
• The buses have been decorated by Santa’s elves at each bus depot, meaning customers in every region will be able to ride a Reindeer Bus

Customers who would like to donate can bring unwrapped toys to the Compass Customer Service Centre outside of Stadium-Chinatown Station, or to SeaBus staff at the Waterfront or Lonsdale Quay terminals. Customers have until December 14 to donate before the toys are delivered to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau by Santa and Mrs. Claus on the Reindeer Bus.

Transit fans and bus spotters are encouraged to snap a picture of any Reindeer buses they find and share them on social media with the hashtag #ReindeerBus!

TransLink has also launched a line of holiday merchandise featuring the Reindeer Bus in our online store, just in time for any transit lover’s holiday festivities.