VANCOUVER -- With the transit strike well over, a beloved festive tradition was able to roll into Metro Vancouver streets Wednesday.
Outfitted with over 2,000 lights, a Christmas tree and a flashing red nose, TransLink's reindeer bus is now out spreading holiday cheer to transit users. The bus will also play carols and have an inflatable Santa delivering season's greetings.
"The reindeer bus is one of our proud traditions," said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond in a news release.
"Whether it's the volunteer decorators, the operators behind the wheel, the passengers in the seats, or the kids on Christmas Day – the reindeer bus brings us all together and brings a smile to every street corner."
But the bus doesn't just deliver Christmas cheer. On Dec. 20, it'll take gifts donated through the local Toys for Tots initiative to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.
This is Toys for Tots' 34th year running and in nearly 82,000 toys have been donated in the program's history.
Leading up to Dec. 20, toys will be collected from TransLink offices throughout Metro Vancouver. Others who wish to donate can contribute at the TransLink Customer Service Centre at Stadium-Chinatown SkyTrain Station.
The reindeer bus doesn't just run on one route, so transit users throughout Metro Vancouver just might spot it during their peak hour trips.
