Bratislava city tram driver Pavel Durec welcomed passengers onboard his tram this week with sweets and chocolates hanging from the handrails and signs saying, “Help yourself, it’s my birthday!”. Durec has worked for the Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) for more than 30 years and has spent the last four years making rides a little sweeter for the public on his birthdays.
“I'm happy that I can put real smiles on people's faces at least for a short moment. When I see people getting off my tram all lit up with smiles, it makes me smile, too. So, we all made each others' day that way”, said Durec. Passengers reciprocated this good mood too, with some wishing the driver happy birthday to the cab, while others wrote messages on his birthday notices. The Bratislava Transport Company spokesperson Adriana Volfova explained that this is not the only activity Durec uses to spread goodwill among passengers. “As soon as the first snow falls, he makes a snowman, and puts him on the front of the tram and rides with him through the whole day. Bratislava passengers have been aware of this tradition for 25 years now”.
