Until last Christmas, bus driver James Wallace was a regular face on the First bus services in Musselburgh, Scotland, and regularly dressed up as Santa over the festive period, much to the delight of his passengers. However after suffering a health scare, the 44-year-old had to call an end to his driving days.
However he wasn’t about to let this Christmas go by without donning the red and white suit and beard and getting back on the bus to bring some Christmas cheer to passengers, and also raise some money for charity.
This year James has had some help from a fellow Santa and an elf who have also been riding on the number 13 First bus route to help raise fund for the Down’s Syndrome charity, CHAS, as the 44-year-old bus driver’s daughter is affected by the condition as so it is a cause which is very close to his heart.
The Christmas crew alternate between the number 13 service and the Megabus route between Edinburgh and Dundee and Edinburgh and Perth. James has been driving his bus dressed as Santa for four years now, and since making a full recovery from his health scare, he saw no point in not carrying out his annual fundraiser.
The group are hoping to beat last year’s total when they raised £700 for the charity, and with several days still to go until Christmas and £500 already in the pot, the bus driving Santa’s look likely to exceed their target.
National Express have reported a rise in revenue in the last three months to September of 6% boosted by the transport operator’s successful summer promotional campaign of £9 coach fares.
Transport groups in Scotland are calling for government intervention to set plans in motion to introduce smart card technology for use on public transport systems.
A female bus passenger was injured after yobs dropped a paving stone onto the roof of a passing Lothian bus in Scotland this week.
It’s been announced that Greyhound will launch coach travel to Glasgow, Scotland, from the start of next year.
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