Calgary’s annual Bus Pull sees teams heave, laugh, and pull together for charity
Posted Oct 31, 2025 9:12 am.
Last Updated Oct 31, 2025 9:13 am.
You’ve heard of horsepower… but what about people power? At Calgary Transit’s 13th annual Bus Pull, 24 teams made up of various city of Calgary departments put their muscles and their teamwork to the test — all in the name of charity.
“We talk about the big winners of the bus pull being the pullers, but it’s actually the United Way and all the people the United Way support,” said Calgary Transit director Sharon Fleming.
The crowd cheered as teams pushed themselves to the limit. Some crossed the line faster than others, and this year, the stakes were higher than ever. A record-breaking 240 participants faced off against a 40-foot, 13-tonne bus, racing to pull it 100 feet across the finish line.
“We’re trying to raise as much, if not more, as we did last year. Last year we raised over 50 million. So that’s our target again,” said Kathleen MacPherson, CDO, United Way of Calgary and Area.
And when the dust settled, the champions emerged: the Water Boys, claiming victory in the men’s category; the Wonder Women of Water once again winning in the women’s category; and for the ultimate mixed team triumph… Team Pulling Weeds and Buses, ecstatic with their big win.
“We had a blast supporting the United Way. Oh, it was, it was pretty hard. It was harder than I expected, but we had a lot of fun. It was hard. I am… I’m still breathing hard,” they said.
From sweat and effort to cheers and celebration — next year, Calgary Transit hopes to make this even bigger, raising more funds and more smiles for the United Way of Calgary and Area.
