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Driver Transforms Port Authority Bus Into Christmas Wonderland

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The ride to and from work can be boring, even monotonous at times, but one local bus driver is doing a little something special to celebrate the season.

And his plan is a big hit with riders.

From the music, to the lights, to the life-sized Santa Claus, there is no shortage of holiday happiness on this Port Authority bus. It's all thanks to driver Bill Sanfilippo, who is also known as "The Candyman."

"I used to bring a big bucket of candy and I used to hang it on the rails and everybody used to eat candy on all my routes," says Sanfilippo.

There are plenty of candy canes for riders to enjoy, but the decorations are the main attraction.

Sanfilippo, who's been a driver with the Port Authority of Allegheny County for 10 years has always loved Christmas.

He's decorated his bus for the past decade, but this year, there are more lights and gadgets than ever before. Sanfilippo looks for decorations at stores and flea markets all year long.

He spends months getting everything ready to go.

It's a lot work, and although he puts a lot of detail into the layout and design, Sanfilippo says the overall mission is simple.

"There's a lot of bad things going on around the world, so if they get into the spirit, it gets their mind off all the bad things, that's what I see, its only once a year, so hopefully they celebrate it," he says.

Sanfilippo says he has no intentions of stopping this tradition. In fact, he's already working on some new ideas for the front of the bus for next year.

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