Each November and December, the streets of Metro Vancouver get a little brighter as TransLink’s fleet of nine Reindeer Buses enter service.

For 37-years TransLink, Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), SkyTrain, Transit Police, West Coast Express, and HandyDART employees have been donating unwrapped toys and cash to the Toys for Tots campaign, benefiting the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.

Crafty CMBC elves work hard behind the scenes each year to bring the magic of the season to nine Reinder Buses across the region. From fabricating and installing antlers, eyes, and a big bouy nose, to stringing lights and tinsel and programming the jolliest of tunes, CMBC staff work tirelessly to ensure each red-nosed Reindeer Bus surprises and delights Metro Vancouverites throughout the season.

“It’s become so much more than just a bus, it’s a symbol of the whole Toys for Tots program,” says John Strachan, Training Instructor, CMBC who’s better known through the holidays as Sparky the Elf.

Customers wanting to donate can bring unwrapped toys to the TransLink Customer Service Centre at Waterfront Station, the SkyTrain Customer Assistance counter at Commercial–Broadway Station, or to SeaBus staff at the Waterfront or Lonsdale Quay terminals. Customers can donate until December 14 when the Reindeer Bus will begin picking up the toys for drop-off at the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.

Reindeer Bus Facts:

• Over the years, 89,735 toys and over $53,000 have been donated
• Each Reindeer Bus is named after a different reindeer guiding Santa’s sleigh
• The routes the Reindeer Bus will travel vary each day based on scheduling by elves at each bus depot
• The buses have been decorated by Santa’s elves at each bus depot

Looking for more ways to get into the holiday spirit this season? Check out the TransLink Store for a festive line of holiday merchandise including Reindeer Bus items, just in time for any transit lover’s holiday festivities.