Jacques Duval, from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, has a fitting name—he loves driving cars.
At 77 years old, he also enjoys getting behind the wheel of luxury vehicles.
Mr. Duval works as a driver for Voyager à vélo, in their vehicle transfer service. His job is to move cyclists’ cars from their starting point to their destination. Thanks to this service, once the ride is over, cyclists can pick up their car at a predetermined spot. It’s a well-organized system, handled by experienced drivers like Mr. Duval.
“I’ve been with the company for four years. I first started out transporting luggage for Voyager à vélo’s cycling clients. But for the past two years, I’ve been a vehicle transfer driver,” he explains.
“I really enjoy this job. It lets me meet interesting people. Cyclists are always in a good mood. Plus, I’ve always loved being on the road. For me, it’s no problem at all.”
“Nothing else to think about”
Most vehicle transfers start on the South Shore of Montreal, in places like Brossard. Mr. Duval then drives to destinations such as Sherbrooke, Magog, or Granby—where cyclists finish their two-wheeled adventure.
“It works really well. People pick up their vehicles at a set location. It’s there waiting for them. No stress. It’s freedom,” he sums up.
“They have nothing else to think about except riding their bike.”
Even though he shares a name with a former race car driver, Jacques Duval takes special care with the vehicles he’s entrusted with—there’s no question of driving them like race cars.
A big F-150
He makes a point of taking photos before and after each transfer to show that nothing happened to the vehicle during the trip.
“Of course, we’re careful. Nothing must happen to these cars. And it’s always gone smoothly. Nothing has ever happened to me,” he says proudly.
“Sometimes I get to drive some pretty fancy vehicles—Lexus, Mercedes, BMWs. Soon I’ll be moving a big F-150. Let’s just say it’s a nice perk…”
For the return trip to his starting point, Mr. Duval often rides the bus.
“Perfect timing!”
He recalls one story where quick thinking was needed because of a mix-up.
“One morning, at the Dix/30 in Brossard, the person in charge of departures handed me two sets of keys but told me there was only one vehicle to move. I thought it was odd, but I left with both sets of keys in one of the cars,” he recalls.
“Halfway there, the phone rang. She told me there were actually two vehicles to move. I finished my trip anyway, then took the bus back to the starting point, grabbed the second vehicle, and delivered it. I made it back in time to catch a bus that left at 8 p.m. Perfect timing! I was back home in Saint-Jean by 11 p.m.”
Jacques Duval understands cyclists well—he’s been riding himself for about 60 years, logging between 4,500 and 5,000 kilometres per year. A year and a half ago, he switched to an e-bike for extra support.
He also has solid experience in the cycling world. For about seven years, he served as a commissary with the Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes (FQSC), covering many sanctioned events, including the 1000 km of Pierre Lavoie.
For the past 16 years, he has volunteered with the Charles-Bruneau Foundation as a support driver during the four-day CIBC Charles-Bruneau Tour.
As long as his health allows, Jacques Duval plans to stay active—both on his bike and with Voyager à vélo.
“I’m not 20 anymore, but as long as I can, I’ll keep going,” he says with a smile.