Eyes full of wonder and delight like a child on Christmas morning, rookie bus operator Erika Jensen’s face lights up no differently each and every time she spots a Reindeer Bus on the road.

It was love at first sleigh. Erika recalls seeing the Reindeer Bus as a child, long before she ever considered stepping aboard a transit vehicle as an operator. Once she became a fully fledged transit operator less than a year ago, taking the reins of the Reindeer Bus was at the top of her bucket list.

In a Dear Santa letter, penned to “the amazing track guy” responsible for assigning operators to their buses each shift, Erika writes:

“I have seen the Reindeer Buses since I was a small child (Let’s pretend they have been around 30+ years)

It has been MY DREAM to drive one, one day.

I have been the best junior operator all season, and hope that you could make my wish come true?! ?

Sincerely,

(Hopeful Reindeer) Operator Jensen”

Turns out Santa checked his list twice, and Hopeful Reindeer Operator Jensen was in fact on the nice list this year.

Before she knew it, Erika was pre-tripping her very own Reindeer Bus, and her excitement for the shift couldn’t be anymore wholesome!

When asked if her shift at the helm of the Reindeer Bus lived up to her expectations, Erika giggled excitedly and said it was way better than she ever could have imagined.

“I couldn’t believe it! While laying over the 19 Metrotown, customers asked where the bus went. I told them Stanley Park and they shrugged and said – I guess we can go to Stanley Park! before paying their fare and hopping onboard for a scenic ride.”

So keep your eyes peeled for Erika out on the roads, perhaps behind the wheel of a Reindeer Bus to really feel the pride she has for her job.

Want to drive the Reindeer Bus one day? Check out our careers at translink.ca/careers and maybe next year Erika will show you the reins.