Eloy Collazo drives the Holland Shuttle, May 1, 2023, in San Marcos.

Eloy Collazo, a 61-year-old Texas State shuttle driver, has touched students’ lives by offering an uplifting smile, friendly conversation and consistent support on his route every single day.
Collazo, who is nearing his sixth year with the shuttle service, retired from 31 years of teaching P.E. and health, coaching track and cross country in the San Marcos Independent Consolidated School District and decided to pick up shuttle driving in his free time.
“I look forward to getting up and going to work every day,” Collazo said. “And at the end of my teaching career it wasn’t always that way. But it is now, and I really like it.”
In the later years of his teaching career, class sizes became bigger, students lost interest and Collazo felt it was time to retire. Now, being a shuttle driver offers him a piece of what he loved most about his former job: talking with the students.
Collazo decided he wanted to find a way to fill his free time after one year of retirement.
“I would drive by the garage over there on Posey Road, and that sign was always there hiring and I just decided to walk in one day and see what it was all about,” Collazo said. “They hired me that day.”
Nearly six years later, students know Collazo well and are impacted by his positive attitude every day.
Amanda Xavier, business management senior, has ridden on Collazo’s bus route for three years. She cherishes the relationship they have built and appreciates his unwavering kindness.
“Oh, he’s just such a genuine person,” Xavier said. “He’s just so passionate about what he does.”
Collazo always greets Xavier with a smile that has the ability to ensure a great day. Like most college students, Xavier has her rough days, but she said seeing Collazo puts her in a happier more sociable mood.
“I use the shuttle every day, so I see him every day,” Xavier said. “And honestly it just like makes my day so much better.”
Xavier is set to graduate this month, and although she is excited to finish her college education, she said she is going to miss seeing Collazo every day on her way to school.
“There’s going to be one day where I have, like, my last bus ride,” Xavier said. “I honestly think I’m going to be really sad. He has impacted me so much and has like, brightened my day every day.”
Sydney Patterson, psychology sophomore, agrees with Xavier that Collazo offers a bright spot in her day-to-day life.
“He’s just like, easy to talk to,” Patterson said. “He literally makes my day every time I see him.”
Patterson is grateful that Collazo is one of her shuttle drivers because he offers students a sense of calmness. Patterson believes he makes every student feel safe and comfortable riding with him.
For college students, life can be stressful, especially when it’s nearing finals week and the end of the semester. Patterson values her conversations with Collazo during stressful times because he is always someone she enjoys talking to.
Collazo drives countless students to campus on a daily basis, yet he remembers the individual students and the different conversations he has with them.
“He’s great about like picking up a conversation six hours later after he like dropped you off and picked you back up,” Patterson said.
Collazo’s job is to get students to and from school safely and efficiently, but he goes above and beyond to always be there for the students.
“I just try to, you know, be there if they need anything, if they have a question, if they need help,” Collazo said. “I want them to know they can ask me anything. I just want to be that steady person that when they see me they know everything’s [going to] be okay.”
Not only does Collazo love his job and the students he drives, but he has proven to be an essential part to the community. Initially wanting to drive just five hours a day, Collazo voluntarily spends 9-10 hours driving to help out with the shuttle service while they are short on drivers.
“Even though this is a business, a company, I feel like I’m part of a team and I want to help wherever I can,” Collazo said. “It’s the way I was brought up.”
Collazo has won Bus Driver of the Year twices, once in 2017 and again in 2019. His award is due to his safe driving, hard work and the helping hand he is always willing to offer.
He has driven various routes, but his favorite is Holland. The short loop allows him time to get up and stretch his legs, and the students on the route treat him with kindness and respect.
“I like it mainly because of the people on this route. There’s a lot of good kids,” Collazo said. “Everybody is nice, polite, respectful. I’ve never had any issues.”
Born and raised in San Antonio, Collazo went to Ranger Junior College for two years and Southwest Texas State for two years, where he graduated. During his time at Southwest Texas State, Collazo ran cross country in the fall and track in the spring.
When he isn’t driving, Collazo likes to spend his time running, working out and playing golf.
He hopes to continue driving the Holland route and has no plans of stopping his shuttle driving career anytime soon.
“I want to drive for as long as I can,” Collazo said. “Everything is really good and great right now, and there’s nothing I can think of that bums me.”