Darrell Poole has stepped off the bus.
After 45 years of driving generations of people and schoolchildren, the Pearsons Coachlines bus driver retired this week.
Mr Poole has covered all sorts of driving work — school runs, tour driving, InterCity bus routes and charters — he even once drove a famous passenger.
Reflecting on his job, at 66, he said it had been “really great”.
“I’ve really enjoyed it, I would recommend it to anybody, especially if they’re a bit younger than me, or in their 50’s and thinking about changing their jobs, it’s a really good job,” he said.
Mr Poole’s started his career with Ritchies, one of New Zealand’s leading transportation companies and then drove for Pearsons Coachlines, a member of the Ritchies Transport Group, in 2021, providing bus and coach services throughout the Oamaru region.
Pearsons Coachlines operation manager Trelise Gibson said Mr Poole had an “incredible” 45 years of service with Ritchies and Pearsons.
“His dedication, professionalism and care have made a lasting difference — not only to our team, but to the wider community and the many students he has supported along the way,” she said.
As he steps into retirement, his presence, experience and steady support will be truly missed by colleagues and customers alike, Ms Gibson said.
Oamaru parent Catherine Wilson said Mr Poole had been the bus driver for all of her children.
“I always gave him a wave, he’s a very friendly and affable guy,” she said.
Navigating the highways and byways came naturally to Mr Poole, who was inspired by his bus driver father.
“I’d always wanted to be a truck driver and dad said this is the same, but your passengers will speak to you,” he said.
He said his father instilled in him that the old adage “children should be seen and not heard” did not apply.
“I’ve probably had thousands and thousands of young people on my bus, and when each one gets on I’ve always said how are you this morning and when they get off, see you later.
“I’ve had six marriages eventuate from kids that were on my bus, they’ve come up and said they met on my bus and they got married.”
Mr Poole said the thing he would miss most about the job was the young people.
He said he was not a “limelight person” and was much like his father.
“I’m here in the background to help you to get through to do whatever you do,” he said.
Once he drove New Zealand radio personality Selwyn Toogood on an “emergency run” from Dunedin to Christchurch after his flight was cancelled due to fog at Dunedin Airport.
“He was a great fella, a real people person,” Mr Poole said.
He plans to be Darrell “the Tool Man” Taylor in retirement and focus on home improvements as well as spending more time with his daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.
Mr Poole said the Pearsons staff were “a great bunch” to work with and joked he was not sure if he would be missed by them that much.
“I said to them, ‘what would you do if a young Italian guy, bronzed, muscular, with a six-pack, well-tanned and dark hair, took over my run?’.
“Some of the girls said, I hope that happens,” he said.