Saskatoon man turns passion for buses into full-time job

Trevor McNally has turned his passion for buses into a full-time job with Saskatoon Transit.

Trevor McNally can hear the bus coming from a mile away. He can hear the make. He can hear the model.

The Saskatoon Transit employee and Special Olympian can even tell which month of which year the bus was made just by listening to the engine.

“An MCI classic,” he tells CTV’s Jeff Rogstad from inside the Saskatoon Transit garage.

Rogstad had challenged McNally to name the bus that was running in the background. McNally didn’t even have to look at the bus to determine it was made in 1990, in the month of September.

“Its engine is 6B92TA. It was made in 1990, so it’s 23 years old,” McNally said.

McNally landed at Saskatoon Transit in 2008 when the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living facilitated a trial project with the City of Saskatoon.

He’s since turned the gig into a full-time job cleaning buses.

“It’s kind of a tedious job but it’s one that is very important to our customers, very important to our operators. When we looked at what the possibilities were and Trevor’s enthusiasm, it kind of seemed like a natural fit,” said Bob Howe, Saskatoon’s transit manager.

Rogstad tried his hand at McNally’s job while visiting the garage, but he couldn’t keep up. He left streaks and smears on the bus windows.

“I think you missed some stuff,” McNally told Rogstad. “I’ll help you get rid of them.”

McNally’s mother said the job has had a huge impact on her son’s life.

“It’s really opened doors for him financially, but it’s not just financially, it’s enriched his life,” said Dawn McNally. “He really just loves being here, and being in the bus and actually working.”

Rogstad, on the other hand, shouldn’t quit his day job.