"Ding Dong! Will you marry me?"

Bus driver pops question with help of Stagecoach

Romantic Exeter bus driver Chris Oakley proposed to his partner of two years, fellow driver Fiona Smith with a special bus bearing a ‘Will You Marry Me? display. 

Chris and Fiona met driving Stagecoach buses in Exeter; Chris who joined the company in 2016  began dating Fiona after she became a driver at the Exeter depot three years later.

Fiona had been assigned shifts on the Exeter City E and F, but despite rigorous training, she still wasn’t sure about some of the elements of the route.

Chris said: "She had refused to drive the Optares [mini buses] on the Es and Fs and had a bit of tantrum about it." 

So kind Chris stepped in and they swapped shifts for the day.

Later he spent time with her to go over the routes she’d been worried about and they became good friends. Eventually love blossomed.
 
Chris said: "I knew within six months that she was the one!" - and after a recent health scare he couldn’t wait any longer to propose. When thinking about the event he had imagined that he would take Fiona abroad for the special occasion, however with travel restrictions due to covid pandemic,  he dreamed up the idea of getting down on one knee at the place they’d first met- the Stagecoach bus depot based at Matford in Exeter.

As Chris was set to be on holiday on the morning of his planned big day,  he had to arrange a cover story that would explain why he was going into work in uniform. He arranged with Exeter controller Adam Jones, to invent a training course that required him to attend work so Fiona wouldn’t be suspicious. 

And she's said yes.

The story has put a smile on the faces of staff across Stagecoach, with Chris and Fiona receiving lots of messages of congratulations, and many of their work friends stopping them around the depot to wish them well. Fiona said ’We’re so happy that this has brightened everyone’s spirits, particularly as the pandemic has been so hard on us all.’

The newly engaged couple are already planning their big day, Fiona said: "We only got engaged yesterday, but we should have the wedding organised by the weekend!’

They now hope Stagecoach South West’s vintage Routemaster vehicle will be able to play a part in their special day.