"Stewart Newton's buses came down the Milburn straight and they looked so good. I wished I could work for them one day, but I didn't think it would happen," he said.
But happen it did. The 70-year-old bus driver has retired from full-time work after 38 years behind the wheel.
He began working for Stewart Newton and went on to work for Citibus, Otago Road Services and Passenger Transport Citibus, doing charter and service assignments.
It was the people who kept him in the job, and Mr McGregor said he never wanted to do anything else, although he admitted dissatisfaction with how driving had changed.
"There is a lot of responsibility on us now, between the company demands, Government demands and people's demands."
Health and safety rules and regulations had "ruined the atmosphere" of the industry which was once relaxed and full of fun and laughs, he said.
"There is just too much Government interference."
Mr McGregor said he was not cutting all links with the industry. He intended to work as an on-call driver for charters and tours.
