Humble hero
Alternative transportation to Yellowknife.


Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 12/98) - Dave Wilson has improved the quality of life and boosted the moral of the citizens of Rae.

That's what his boss, Garry Hubert, says. "I'm just doing my job," claims Wilson.

Every morning the citizens of Rae-Edzo find him behind the wheel of the Friendship Express. As they climb on board, he greets passengers en route to Yellowknife to run errands, pay bills, shop and visit friends and family.

"Everybody in the community has used the bus at one time or another," says Wilson.

Employed by the Rae-Edzo friendship centre, Wilson has been driving the bus since it's first voyage two years ago.

Community-driven, the bus isn't in the business for profit. Funded by the hamlet's friendship centre, it charges passengers just $10 return.

It's "pretty much full every day," says Wilson who hasn't missed a days work.

The bus provides a safe, reliable alternative to people who don't have vehicles, such as seniors and youth, says Wilson. It also offers others the choice to park their cars and ride.

And they have been doing just that. Wilson is pleased with the decrease of traffic on the highway.

"It's not the big trucks you have to worry about," he says. "It's the vehicles travelling too fast."

Ninety minutes on the winding, bumpy, dusty road at least five days a week, he sums up the highway in a single word: "Terrible."

When he isn't driving the bus, Wilson performs regular maintenance on the vehicle. He keeps it clean and ensures the engine is running smoothly. Over the past two months, Wilson has witnessed more than $6,000 damage to the rear end of the bus.

Poor road conditions seem to be his only complaint, though.

After dropping off his passengers, Wilson spends the rest of the day picking up newspapers, groceries and bicycles. Throughout the day, his cell phone rings with customer requests.

At 3:30 or 4:30 p.m., (depending on the bus schedule), Wilson picks up his entourage downtown in front of Extra Foods. Once again Wilson greets passengers as they board the bus, this time sharing stories of their day in the city.

"It's an incredible journey everyday," says Wilson.

Wilson lives in Rae with his wife and three children. He is also a member of the recently formed Rae-Edzo Chamber of Commerce.