Philly Trolley Driver Retires After 40 Years of Valentine's Day Decorations

Gary Mason has been delighting passengers with his festive trolley decor since the 1990s.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After 40 years of service, Gary Mason, a SEPTA trolley driver in Philadelphia, is retiring later this year. Mason has been decorating his trolley for Valentine's Day since the early 1990s, starting with Christmas decorations and later adding decor for Halloween and the Philadelphia Flower Show. With the help of his son, Mason plans to keep his current Valentine's Day decorations up for about a week on trolley #9053 before his retirement.

Why it matters

Mason's annual Valentine's Day trolley decorations have become a beloved tradition in Philadelphia, bringing joy and festivity to commuters for over 30 years. His retirement marks the end of an era for this unique community celebration.

The details

Gary Mason was first hired by SEPTA in 1986 and started decorating his trolley in the early 1990s, inspired by a co-worker. He has decorated for various holidays over the years, including Christmas, Halloween, and the Philadelphia Flower Show. Mason decorates the trolley in his downtime with the help of his son, and the current decorated trolley is #9053 on the T1 line (formerly Route 10).

  • Gary Mason was first hired by SEPTA in 1986.
  • Mason started decorating his trolley in the early 1990s.
  • Mason plans to keep his current Valentine's Day decorations up for about a week.
  • Mason is retiring later this year.

The players

Gary Mason

A SEPTA trolley driver in Philadelphia who has been decorating his trolley for Valentine's Day since the early 1990s.

SEPTA

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, the public transportation agency serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

Gary Mason's annual Valentine's Day trolley decorations have become a beloved tradition in Philadelphia, bringing joy and festivity to commuters for over 30 years. His retirement marks the end of an era for this unique community celebration, but his legacy of spreading holiday cheer will be remembered fondly by those who rode his decorated trolley over the decades.