FAMILY and workmates say that once Shane McKoy was given the opportunity to drive number 58 of the Bendigo Coachlines fleet, there was no getting him out of the seat.
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The 65-seater double-decker Austral bus, just one of five of its kind in Australia and the first ever built, was Mr McKoy’s pride and joy.
He was in the process of overseeing its refurbishment when he tragically passed away from a heart condition two years ago at the age of just 42.
But his colleagues at the bus company have made sure the vehicle’s facelift was completed to their mate’s exacting standards and even added a little tribute – his name and “The Real McKoy” are printed by the door.
“I think he would have been pretty proud,” workshop manager Damien Harris said, who added that in Mr McKoy’s hands, the bus “probably always had the best of everything”.
Mr McKoy started at Bendigo Coachlines as a mechanic in January 1998 and lay claim to the number 58 bus about 13 years ago.
“He used to say he melted his spanners into a bus,” his wife Jane said.
His family and friends remember his love of his job and his bus.
“He did have a passion for the place and the vehicles, he had pride in the fleet,” driver David Cunnington said.
“He wanted everyone to take pride in their coach and the company.”
Mr McKoy’s dry sense of humour, his fondness for practical jokes and his willingness to lend a helping hand also stick in the minds of those who knew him.
“He liked jokes and he was a fun character to have around,” Mr Cunnington said.
The bus was a family affair – Mrs McKoy said their kids Isabella, now 13, and Joe, almost 12, spent a lot of time at the depot and on the coach, helping clean it.
The family also holidayed in the coach, she said, which her husband considered to be among his most rewarding times.
Mrs McKoy said her husband was also known for taking the time to chat to fellow drivers from other coach companies when he took tours in the double-decker throughout eastern and central Australia.
The bus recently returned from its first trip since its makeover, when it took a group of students to Darwin.
Mr Harris said the number 58 had been passed down to Darren Hay, who shared its former driver’s enthusiasm.
“He’s very excited about it too, there’s Armor All everywhere,” Mr Harris said.
Mr McKoy’s workmates also paid a touching tribute to him at his funeral.
Mrs McKoy said the drivers were asked by former company owner David Dawson to form a guard of honour, wearing the yellow shirts of their uniform, which Mr McKoy had favoured.
The family were driven to the funeral by Mr Harris in number 58 and following the funeral, the bus, hearse and private cars stopped by Bendigo Coachlines before taking the route Mr McKoy used to drive home.