3 minute read
Driver Spotlight: Steve Chamberlin 2022 Travel Destinations:
Moving towards retirement, after a 33-year product engineer career with John Deere, Waterloo IA, Steve was looking for a position that offered him a way to do the things he enjoyed - driving, meeting new people, and traveling to new places. In starting his driving career with Hawkeye Stages in April of 2009, Steve stated “I could get paid doing the things I’ve always enjoyed!” All tours are different due to the tour travelers. When asked for a sampling of some of his unique tour experiences, Steve cited a fond memory of driving the Western Homes Community (a senior living community in Cedar Falls, IA) on a Mackinac Island custom tour. During this tour, he stayed with the group at the Grand Hotel and had the opportunity to enjoy a five-course gourmet meal where it was mandatory to dress for dinner. He also experienced taking the motorcoach across Lake Michigan on the Badger Ferry and a behind-the-scenes tour of Lambeau Field. A second memorable event came when he was the lead motorcoach driver for the Wartburg College (Waverly, IA) football team during their undefeated season. When arriving back to their college home, after their final undefeated game, the Wartburg coach asked the players to congratulate Steve on his own undefeated season as their lead driver. As you can most likely imagine, tour travelers have a number of questions regarding motorcoach operation. Steve stated that one of his most frequently asked questions by travelers is: “How do you know exactly where you are going when you’ve not been there before?” Steve’s response is “Planning. Planning. Planning.” He explains that GPS routes do not take the size and shape of motorcoaches into consideration when providing directions. Prior to a tour, Steve spends many hours creating and double checking the driving route, checking for low underpasses, and looking for construction delay notifications. He also researches the tour venues – the best route to get to the venue, where the motorcoach can be parked, where traveler drop-offs are located, and many other trip-specific items. (Author’s note: I contend that it takes a special person to meet head-on the challenges of navigating a motorcoach through all the different scenarios that may come their way while on tour.) To sum up why Steve enjoys driving motorcoach for Hawkeye Stages, he stated “The feeling of joy when seeing travelers truly enjoy their tour… seeing their smiles … hearing their laughs… hearing them share their experiences with other travelers. In a small part, I’m enabling that joy. It’s a rewarding experience.” Steve stated that he continues to be amazed at the “small world experience” he encounters as a Hawkeye Stages driver. It seems no matter where his travels take him, he always finds someone who either sees the Hawkeye Stages motorcoach with Iowa plates (a billboard on-wheels) or he meets someone when walking through a city/ venue that he knows or who knows someone he knows.
Steve is looking forward to the return of motorcoach travel and being able to visit new places, meet new travelers and reconnect with past travelers and tour managers. Steve stated that he, along with the other Hawkeye Stages drivers, truly appreciate being involved in the tour activities – visiting sites as well as getting to know our travelers through their shared experiences.
Steve underscores that he truly enjoys being a part of the Hawkeye Stages and Legacy
Tour & Travel team where the drivers, planners, tour managers, mechanics, motorcoach cleaners, and logistics staff all work together to create a memorable tour experience for travelers. He invites you to travel with the professional and safety conscious Hawkeye
Stages drivers and experience the ease and comfort of motorcoach travel again - or - for your first time!
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