As the bus doors open at the Chieftain Centre Mall bus stop, driver Hardip Johal’s bright smile welcomes each passenger as they step aboard. The smile doesn’t lose any wattage even for passengers who don’t greet him back.
Johal, 50, drives for the Squamish-based PWTransit Canada, an operator of BC Transit, which sees 320,000 passengers a year in the Sea to Sky Corridor.
The Squamish Chief sat down with Johal for a talk about the job and his unique view of Squamish. What follows is an edited version of that conversation.
Q: How long have you been a bus driver?
A: I have been working for PWT since 2000. I was born and raised in India until the age of 18. I moved to Canada in 1989.
Q: You have seen a lot of changes in Squamish since ’89 I imagine?
A: I have seen a lot of changes since I moved to Squamish and it is still happening, it is getting bigger and bigger. It is great, just great.
Q: What is your typical shift like as a driver?
A: I start from the bus depot in the Industrial Park. I have three morning shifts and two afternoon shifts.
Q: What do you most often hear from the public?
A: When we pick up and drop off our passengers, a lot of them tell us they want more service, for sure. And also some of the bus stops, they want them to be covered. I think the city is working on that, which is good. Most are concerned about the amount of service they are getting in Squamish right now. That is the complaint we mostly get from our passengers. They like the buses and the friendliness of the buses, they like the drivers.
Q: Do any passengers stand out for you?
A: I have a lot of favourite riders. There is a lady from Valleycliffe who takes our bus and always goes to Hilltop House. The other day her niece was visiting her and she introduced me saying, “This is my favourite driver.” By doing that she showed us that we are a very important part of her life. That is really nice.
Q: Do you have a favourite route?
A: I love going up to the Highlands. It is a nice view and I pick up a lot of Quest University students and I get to know them and they get to know me. But all of Squamish is nice, especially with the snow on the mountains – it is incredible. We live in heaven.
Q: Have you noticed a big change in the amount of traffic on the roads in Squamish over the last few years?
A: Oh yeah, a big change. Those changes are happening with all the people moving to Squamish. Through Brackendale and the Highlands area more houses are being built, on Tantalus road too – Squamish is growing rapidly. There are more people on buses and more people on the roads. We aren’t like Vancouver yet; we are still far from that.
Q: You drove in Whistler for a time. What were the differences driving in that community compared to Squamish?
A: In Whistler you see people seasonally. Working in Squamish the advantage is you get to see the local riders every day, you get to talk to them. It is more personalized. In Whistler people aren’t there forever, in Squamish people are there, local. For us, we love people and that is what the job is all about.
Q: What type of person makes a good bus driver? I would think a patient person?
A: You have to be patient and courteous. You have to give them a smile when they come on board, even when they are in a bad mood. If you talk to them nicely sometimes you get them out of their bad mood. Make them smile and make them laugh, that is what it is all about.
Q: What do you do outside of work for fun?
A: In the winter months I just go walking. In the summer I play soccer. I love gardening, I love to grow my own stuff in the garden – I am a backyard farmer. I go for swims, go out for long walks with my wife and two kids. They aren’t kids anymore, though, as they are 17 and 22 years old.
