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Cast Member Interview

Interview with Tyler, AKA Chip 'n Dale Express, a WDW Bus Driver

How long have you been a WDW Cast Member?
I have been with Disney Transport for about 3 years now. I started off in Monorails, and then midway through my tenure, I transferred into Bus Operations for a new challenge.

What does your job involve?
My job involves providing Magic In Motion, of course! My primary function is to transport guests in a safe, and timely manner. As drivers, we are responsible for completing daily DOT safety checks of the buses, as well as a bit of paperwork. In addition to all that, I try and create a little magic for people every now and then.

Do you always drive the same bus route?
We have a dynamic dispatching system that is based on demand. Anytime I enter a theme park hub, I get dispatched to a new location. Very rarely do we have fixed routes, anymore.

Do you have a favourite bus route?
I've always liked Old Key West. It started out because it was fun to drive through. No straight lines, just challenging turns and narrow roads. The All-Stars are fun as well, because they usually have large crowds. When I have a large crowd on my bus, I can do my little comedy routine that people seem to enjoy.

What's the best thing about the job?
Creating magical guest moments. There's nothing greater than making someone's day.

What's the funniest thing that has ever happened to you, or been said to you by a passenger?
Unfortunately, for the privacy of my guests, that's top secret. But, I can tell you that I had a Celebrity on my bus once. That was definitely fun.

Do you have any tips for our readers?
READ THE SIGNS!!! I'm serious about that too. You'd be surprised at how many folks get on the wrong bus simply because they failed to read the sign. Remember, if it doesn't say it -- it doesn't go there. The "Read the Signs" thing can really be applied to all throughout the park, as well.

How many buses does Disney have at WDW?
We have 287 buses. However, not all of them are in service. All of the Purple Stripers have been retired, and some of the older RTS buses are temporarily removed from service.

We currently use two different types of buses. The primary type is called the RTS. The RTS is one of the most popular transit buses in the US, and can be found in major cities such as Boston, NYC, and Los Angeles. They are known for their ruggedness, durability, and reliability. True to the GM, they are "Like a ROCK." They were originally designed and built by GMC from 1977-1987. In 1987, production was bought out by Transportation Manufacturing Corporation. Production shifted from Pontiac, Michigan to Roswell, New Mexico. TMC produced the RTS until late 1994, when NovaBUS bought out the production rights. Here at Disney, we have GMC and TMC branded RTS buses. The last bunch of RTS's that we got were right as NovaBUS took over.

2650-2663, 2680-2684, 2689 - Nicknamed "Purple Stripers." These buses were bought used, and used exclusively for Cast Shuttles and Training buses. All of these buses have been retired. 3 of these buses were converted to be used for the Character Caravan.
2664 & 2665 - Nicknamed "Pluto Shuttles" because they run the manager shuttle service to the Pluto parking lot. These buses were bought used, and originate from Reno, NV. They are the only 35 footers in the 2600 series. All the rest are 40' in length. Seating capacity ranges from 41-45 on a typical 40 footer.

2701-2743 - GMC RTS buses bought new. 1980-1987 (2708-2720 are 35 footers)
2744 - 1980 GMC RTS. Bought used. Former production test bus.
2745-2780 - Nicknamed the "Widebodies" because they are the only RTS's in our fleet (plus 2744) that are 102" wide. All other RTS buses are standard width of 96". These buses were bought used in 1998, and fully rebuilt. They are 1979-1981 models, and originally ran in Dayton, Ohio, Detroit, Michigan, and Miami, Florida.
4701-4814 - TMC RTS buses bought new in 1988-1994.

4815-4885 - NovaBUS LFS low-floor buses. Leased new in 2000-2002. Buses are 40' in length, and 102" wide. They feature a full low floor all the way to the back of the bus. They have perimeter seating on the lower deck, and standard seating on the rear deck. Seating capacity is 35, full capacity is 80.

A bit of trivia - some of our older buses have driven over 2 million miles!

Which type of bus do you prefer to drive? Do you have a favorite bus?
I personally prefer the older RTS buses. The LFS may be more ergonomically friendly, but the RTS is more fun to drive. Also, the RTS is built more rugged, and despite being an older bus, it's more reliable. The LFS is good for guests, since it has the wide aisles and low floor, but nothing can beat the RTS. As for my favorite bus, it would have to be 4805. It's a 1994 TMC RTS, with a Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine. Only 14 of our buses have this type of engine. They purr very nicely, and have lots of power. It also was the only bus in our fleet for a while that could display Mickey Ears on the destination sign.

Do you have a particular magical memory that sticks in your mind, from working at WDW?
It's not a specific one... but when my bus is full, I'll often do a comedy routine that gets the whole bus roaring with laughter. The jokes are corny, and would feel right at home on the Jungle Cruise, but people love them.

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