Say "tram" to them and they - ever so politely - reply "light rail vehicle" or, even less romantically, LRV. LRV!

The other thing they seem united on is the thrill of the upcoming task.

The light rail system on which the trams run opens fully to the public on Saturday - for free, initially, as a kind of celebration of such a major inauguration for the city.

The stations were due to have their official designation as construction sites removed by Thursday. The network is already running in test mode, with trains leaving each terminus every ten minutes through the day, though that varies according to likely demand - they'll be more frequent at the two peak commuting periods.

There have been teething problems, like a pedestrian and a tram bumping into each other. There will no doubt be more brushes between human and machine - it happens frequently in Melbourne.

But at the depot in Mitchell, drivers said they were well trained.

And keen.

The newest recruit to Canberra's tram-driving force, Rodney Turner, said he was constantly alert to people on the edge of the rails, about to cross or not.

"You've got a tiny master-control lever and you're operating radios, watching out for all the pedestrians, following the rules," he said.

He is a self-confessed train enthusiast (what some call a train nut), so he is about to start his dream job for real.

He was so keen to get nearer the rails that he joined Transport Canberra's customer service team - the public servants in the line of fire when things go wrong (and, no doubt, those who listen to praise from happy travelers.)

"I've been interested in the railways since watching Thomas the Tank Engine," he said.

He said he had been involved in "heritage rail" - the old railways kept going by enthusiasts around NSW - and "living here in Canberra, I thought, well, there's an obvious progression: let's go and drive some light rail vehicles."

So he signed up for customer service with the part of Transport Canberra which runs the light rail system, Metro Operations. "An opportunity arose where I was able to get my driving as well," he said.

"So here I am - driving."

And it's fair to say he's thrilled. "Not a single moment is boring."

He likes the variety, the way the city changes through the day as he sees it from his prime viewing position at the front of the glistening red vehicle.

"Everything changes, minute by minute. We have early-morning drivers, early-morning lights, early-morning sunrise. You've got fog. During the middle of the day, you've got a lot of different customers that you're carrying.

"It's like driving a 64-tonne truck. It's heavy. It's wonderful. It's empowering.

"It's exciting."

The main trainer is equally enthusiastic. Nicholas Mills has been driving for 13 years. He worked on the system in Sydney and moved to Canberra about 18 months ago.

When he left school he was a barber but today he has a topknot. He said the driver's job was "brilliant".

But does he drive a tram or an LRV?

"An LRV!", he said, with utter conviction.

Will the passengers agree?