Calgary’s longest-running transit operator says riders make his job a gem
Posted Mar 17, 2023 11:56 am.
Last Updated Mar 17, 2023 3:01 pm.
Syd Banks began his Calgary Transit career driving an electric street trolley bus.
And nearly 50 years later, as Transit’s longest-serving driver, he is still shuttling Calgarians around the city, only now he does it on a CTrain.
“It doesn’t seem like work,” he says. “I can hardly wait to go to work sometimes, and on a long weekend, I actually miss work.”
Some passengers, no doubt, miss him back.
While automated information gives riders updates on destinations, when they travel on Banks’ train, they get commentary, too.
It always includes the time and weather, and sometimes he shares personal details, like recently telling passengers about celebrating his 55th wedding anniversary or upcoming travels.
“Yesterday, I announced I’m tired of the cold weather and consequently going to help everybody out. I talked my wife into going to the Caribbean for three weeks,” Banks says. “When I got to Somerset/Bridlewood, lots of people came up and thanked me because if I go away, the weather gets good.”
That sort of interaction is what Banks loves about his job.
And he gets lots of feedback assuring him his announcements on the loudspeaker and optimistic tidbits are appreciated.
“Lots of people either text, email or phone Calgary Transit. I think I’m up over 750 commendations from people,” he says. “And lots of people will come up at the end of the line and wave and thank me for my announcements and say it made their day.
“I’ve always appreciated ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’ and, boy, there are a lot of people who do that on the train.”
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Recently, a regular knocked on his cab door when she stepped off the train at Brentwood and gave him a “universal hot chocolate/coffee card” with a $5 bill tucked inside.
Others tuck little notes into the side of his door, and a university student once gave him a hand-made card filled with kind words.
A few days before Christmas, he pulled into a station where two ladies who rode his train for years gave him holiday greetings. And on another holiday train, Banks was thrilled to help out two riders who managed to get a sofa on the train after their truck broke down.
“I think the thing is, they appreciate it’s not automated,” Banks said. “They like to hear that personal voice, and they get dependent on finding out what the weather and the time is. And if I can get something a little newsy or something personal like my anniversary, then they really like that.”
City transit operator has no signs of slowing down
Banks drives the red line taking him from Somerset/Bridlewood to Tuscany, and figures he picks up about 4,000 passengers per shift.
The Transit operator and great-grandpa marks his half-century on the job next November.
“I’m looking forward to the 50-year mark. I always told my wife I would retire in November. I just never told her what year,” he said.
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Banks is just one of about 2,000 bus, CTrain, shuttle and Access operators who will be honoured on March 18, which marks international Thank Your Driver Day.
To thank your driver, you can;
Use the hashtag #ThanksCT on Twitter @CalgaryTransit.
Call Customer Information at 403-262-1000 and leave a commendation for a transit worker.
Or if you have a story, Submit it here.
