While riding Route 5 in high school to his job, Bob Little decided that he wanted to work at Metro Transit.

“College didn’t interest me, and I knew that Metro Transit had good job opportunities,” Little said.

Throughout his career, he was able to move around not only job locations but job titles. Forty-three years ago, he began his career as a cleaner at the Old Snelling Garage, followed by Shingle Creek Garage (Ruter), Old Northside, and Old Nicollet. But his goal was to advance into a mechanic role.

“I’ve always been mechanically minded,” he said. “I used to scare my mother by taking apart things – she worried I wouldn’t get them back together – but I always did.”

Little became a mechanic at the Old Snelling and South garages, but that’s just the beginning of his career journey filled with new skills he’d acquire. Next, he learned to weld and welded new frames on buses at the Overhaul Base. Then, he grew an interest in HVAC and became certified to fix those system at the “new” Nicollet Garage.

Then he learned that Public Facilities needed people and became licensed in boiler repair. From there he moved to the opening of the Blue Line facility and took care of all the rail platforms at that facility. Next, he worked at the Old Public Facilities building on Hoover and East Hennepin as a senior mechanic. In 2011, he made his final career stop at South Garage as a facilities technician for Public Facilities.

“I never really wanted to become a manager or supervisor,” Little said. “I was always more interested in doing the work.”

And what kept him here all these years was the ability to move around, learn new skills, and work with people who were always willing to help.

"This is a place you can grow into,” he said. “And the people care about you.”

This experience made all times he worked through extreme weather, including the coldest day on record (-35 degrees), and the blizzards of 1981 and 1991 worthwhile. He proud of the fact that he never missed a day due to weather. In retirement, however, he’ll be happy to sit them out.

“I won’t miss driving to work before the plows hit the highways!” he joked.

In retirement, Little plans to spend more time with his wife who recently retired and travel the world. As he’s 100% Irish, Ireland is at the top of the list followed by a trip to see the Andes.