Meet Ants – The veteran driver with a green thumb
From driving large, armoured vehicles up the east coast of the South Island to driving taxis in Nelson, Ants is a senior driver for Metlink operator Uzabus with a wealth of experience on the road.
Responsible for training many of the new drivers at the company, Ants says he always gets great satisfaction when another of his students is out on the road by themselves.
“I tell people, I trained them! I trained them! I trained them!” As he points out his many graduates.
Ants has been driving buses in Kāpiti and Porirua for 27 years and says the interaction with passengers is his favourite part of the job.
He knows many of his regular’s names and enjoys their conversation as the day goes by.
Sometimes if someone isn’t at their usual stop I might wait a moment to see if they’re late, and sure enough, they often turn up.
In his spare time, Ants is usually tending to his veggie garden and lilies.
“My father was a big gardener, so I guess that’s where I got it from. I love the colour of the lilies and the oriental variety that I’ve got do really well – they’re large and have such a nice perfume.”
Last year his cucumbers were thriving, and over Labour Weekend this year the tomatoes and beans were planted.
Ants puts the bounty down to his fertiliser.
“I do my own compost. It’s only grass and leaves but everything really thrives.”
The temperate Kāpiti weather helps the crop as well. He moved there from Nelson and said he finds the climate pretty similar between the two.
“I’m always baiting my brother in Nelson, saying “oh it’s so beautiful over here today! Bet it’s not as nice there…” We get quite competitive.”
“The places are quite similar though, we’ve both got the beaches and the older folks,” he laughs.
The EV buses that are his favourite to drive are also great for the older passengers.
“They kneel very low, which makes it much easier for people to get on and off. I can do a full day shift in one of the electrics and they’re so great to drive that you don’t really feel it!”
Ngā mihi nui Ants for all your mahi!