ZARA Kruger began her schooling journey at the young age of four at Tarrington Primary School; climbing aboard the number 14 bus on Trotters’ Hamilton school bus service for 13 years.

Zara, now in the middle of her Year 12 VCE exams at Monivae College, can reflect back on those who have supported her educational journey over that time, not the least of them being John Champ.

Fondly known as ‘Champy’ to Zara and her family, he has been the bus driver for the entirety of Zara’s schooling, having never missed a run since he began driving for Campes Coaches (later Trotters Coaches) in March 2008.

As Zara took the bus to school nearly every single day, she and Champy used to joke, wondering if Zara would have travelled more kilometres in the bus than she would have travelled with her family over the years. 

“He’s always been awesome,” Zara said.

“From the time I broke my arm in Prep and he left an easter egg for me in my mailbox, to the time when I fell over getting my bag on the first day of high school because it was so full of books, he made sure I was alright.”

Champy has played a monumental part of Zara’s life growing up, and he has also had to deal with her bringing an assortment of bizarre items onto the bus. 

This included a glockenspiel, which Zara used to play in Monivae’s Cadet Band, and copious amounts of cupcakes for bake sales.

“Champy is one of the sweetest people I know, and I’m so incredibly grateful that he’s managed to put up with driving me and a bunch of others to and from school every day,” she said.

Speaking to Zara’s mum, Nicole, it is clear that her family hold a lot of gratitude for Champy having watched over her throughout the years and he has become a special friend of the family.

“Champy has seen Zara grow up – we always joked she would have him (as a bus driver) for a long time, and she is the only one he has seen through the whole (schooling journey),” she said.

A fond memory that Champy recalled was around his birthday one year, which happens to be just after Zara’s dad’s birthday.

One school morning in anticipation for the celebrations, Champy asked Zara’s dad, Jason, what he expected for his birthday.

Jason explained that he always enjoyed the birthday cake, his favourite being a good-old chocolate.

With this information, Champy went to the supermarket and picked up a packet of chocolate cake mix and concealed it in a brown paper bag to give to Jason later that morning.

Not knowing what was in the birthday parcel, Jason humbly accepted the gift.

Soon after on the morning of Champy’s birthday, Zara was waiting for the bus at the end of her driveway with some of the chocolate cupcakes that her family had made of out the cake mix to give to Champy.

“On (Zara’s) last day, we took him a bottle of champagne to celebrate and say thank you very much for the years you’ve driven her,” Nicole said.

As Zara’s schooling is coming to an end, Champy is still driving Zara’s younger brother, Harry.

With a few years left of school, Harry may become the second person that Champy has driven to school for the entirety of their 13 years.