How Wing became Melbourne’s most famous tram driver online
Behind the gentle hum and hum of trams clattering and scraping on rails on Melbourne’s streets is one of the city’s coolest drivers, sharing his journey through the bustling city with his devoted online fans.
It’s only been three years since Wing got behind the wheel of the famous Melbourne transport, but becoming a Yarra Tram driver was always part of his plan.
Wing, who worked as a flight attendant for five years, had to rethink her career path after all flights were canceled during the pandemic.
“When my cabin crew career came to an unexpected end, I wasn’t planning on going back,” he told NewsWire.
That’s when he decided to make his breakthrough as a tram driver.
“I missed out on a lot of things in life when I was a (member of) cabin crew,” he explained.
“I remember going through some old stuff and I found a book where I wrote down about 50 things I wanted to do in this lifetime.
“Being a tram driver was one of them.”
It took two rounds and two years of applications before he was given the green light to become a tram driver and began training immediately.
“This is an extremely competitive business,” he said.
Meanwhile, he was sharing his trolley driving journey on a private Instagram account, Wing-A-Ding-Ding.
He said life as a tram driver can be quite lonely at times, inspiring him to create an account where he can connect with his passengers.
“Some of my first videos were just waving at the camera and saying hello and good morning,” he said.
“In a way, it feels like I’m saying hello to someone and someone is right there with me.”
As time went on, Wing began filming funny incidents on the tram and daily video diaries (vlogs); These recordings showed his lunch and his route for the day, which he was eager to share with his followers.
“I can only show so much of how things work (driving the trams) for safety reasons,” he said.
Other video ideas started popping up in his head, such as showing “the importance of pressing the buzzer before stopping.”
“I want to be as creative as possible,” Wing said.
“I don’t have a box to lock myself in.”
Then things started to snowball and the number of followers started to increase rapidly.
Wing, who has 13,000 followers, has Instagram posts full of selfies on and off the tram and offers advice to travellers.
The ‘tram goer’ also filmed himself decorating the tram with Christmas decorations and Halloween decorations.
Other videos offer followers a brief glimpse into the life of a tram driver.
“The thought process is fun, it’s something that makes people laugh, it shows people things they don’t know,” Wing said.
“I’m just a tram driver sharing my day with friends.”
As her follower count grew, so did her real-life interactions with her fans.
“Just today there were a few people on my tram and they recognized me,” he laughed.
“I went to a cafe (and) the barista recognized me. Even the police!”
It’s not just ordinary Melburnians who watch his content; Even his colleagues know about his viral account and it surprises him.
“I was in head office and just people who were working would come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed my social media,” Wing said.
“And I’d say: ‘Wow, you’re watching too, so thank you.'”
Despite his growing popularity on the internet, Wing does his best to stay grounded.
“It’s a nice feeling, but having a lot of followers was never the goal,” he said.
“What I really, really appreciate is people who always comment. They always encourage me, they always show me how much they appreciate the content I make.”
At the end of the day, while Wing has become one of Yarra Trams’ most recognizable faces, his greatest passion is his job itself.
“Using the tram feels right to me,” he said.
“I’m a great driver. I pride myself on being on time most of the time (and) avoiding accidents.”
“(Being a tram driver) suits me, it suits my personality.”
Being a tram driver is not easy at all, but that doesn’t stop Wing’s fans from asking him for advice so they can sit behind the tram’s control panel, just like him.
“It’s a fast job, but it’s also a very interesting job,” he said.
He said the salary was also a welcome bonus.
“Personally, I think this is a very well-paying job,” he said.
Accordingly Your careerThe average streetcar driver earns about $2,500 per week, or $131,000 per year.
But before they can pocket the money, successful candidates must undergo six to 10 weeks of training.
They are then given a trainee salary for 12 months.
The training is completed on the road with a combination of tram simulator and under the supervision of the instructor.
Those wishing to become tram drivers in Melbourne must have a full Victorian driver’s license with no criminal record, no more than three penalty points in the last 12 months or no more than six penalty points in the last three years.
Although the job is highly competitive and in high demand, Wing has some advice for those who want to learn how to use modes of transportation on their own: “Don’t give up.”
