Donald Helledrung started his 35-year career at Metro Transit as a part-time weekend operator.

When he was offered full-time, he quit his job in sales and worked towards the retirement he envisioned.

“I’m a workaholic and I took advantage of every opportunity I could,” he said. “However, I never sought another position as I knew I could maximize my pension by being a bus operator.”

He’d often elect to work 16-hour days, seven days a week to reach his goals, even as he gained seniority within the union. Many operators have tried his schedule and don’t understand how he was able to do it. His strategy was simple, but effective.

“I always remember to not take the little things to heart and let things roll off me and focus on safe bus operations,” Helledrung said.

For 33 of those years, he called Nicollet Garage home and his coworkers, family. After a recent medical issue, however, he did six months of soul searching that led the 67-year-old to retire. He sees it as a farewell, however, and not a goodbye.

“We all keep in touch, even the retirees,” he said. “It’s been a fabulous ride that went by in a blink of an eye, but now it’s time for me to go.”

In retirement, he plans to spend more time with his wife, another retired bus operator, at their cabin in Minnesota and vacation home in Arizona.