Former Olympian proudly behind the wheel of Tasmania’s school buses

• Max started cycling when he was seventeen and quickly found himself winning local and national competitions, securing a spot on the Australian Olympic team in 1984
• Forty years later, Max is embarking on a new journey as a school bus driver in Tasmania’s north
• His experience as an athlete has given him strong focus and fitness to excel in a career behind the wheel

Forty years ago, Max Rainsford was preparing for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Today, he buckles up his seatbelt and hits the road to drive young Tasmanians to school.

Max began cycling at seventeen when the local bike shop owner encouraged him to take up racing.

He quickly rose to prominence, winning local and national titles – however, Max’s journey wasn’t always so smooth.

“In my first year I came third in the 1000 metres at the National Championships, and I thought I was great,” he says, “but the following year I only came seventh and then I didn’t do too well at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games trials.”

Despite the setbacks, Max trained with the support of a local coach to improve his skills. His efforts paid off when he won his first national title in 1983 and after success at the Olympic trials secured a spot on the Australian team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Max placed 14^th at the games with illness affecting his performance, and two years later he won bronze at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games.

“Only about 400 people represented Australia in the Olympics, which is not very many out of our country of over 20 million. I look back on it now and I’m proud to have achieved that and been part of it,” he says.

While Max continued to race professionally, he embarked on a career in sales in the motor industry.

Twenty-two years later, he was looking for a fresh start.

When the unexpected opportunity to become a bus driver came his way, he embraced it.

“Kinetic has supported me to go from a car licence to a bus licence,” he says, “now I have my licence and I absolutely love it.”

As a school bus driver in Tasmania’s north, Max now relishes his role in the local community.

“I really enjoy driving the bus and getting to take the kids around,” he says.

“I’m a people person so I have a way of talking to the kids and staying friendly with them so they’re all good on-board.”

As he reminisces on his time as a cyclist, Max says that staying fit and on the move over the years has helped him stay focused in anything he chooses to do.

“I’m watching the Olympics coming along and this year it’s forty years since I went. I don’t like each Olympics ticking over because it’s another four years of my life passing but I’m the youngest 61-year-old you’ll ever meet!”

Further enquiries

Emmanuelle Brizuela
Specialist - Communications
0460 615 604
emmanuelle.brizuela@wearekinetic.com