IN A MOVE TO ATTRACT more women bus drivers, Transdev Melbourne will pilot an all-female driving school so they can consider careers as bus drivers and help the company reach its goal to have 40 per cent female bus drivers by 2030, Transdev reports.
The first intake for the all-female driving school commenced on Tuesday, 9 March, and offer a tailored program for women who hold car licences to become bus drivers in a safe, supportive environment designed to increase the number of female bus drivers at Transdev Melbourne.
Head of Customer Experience and Communication, Transdev Melbourne, Jane Murray said: “We believe our organisation should reflect the communities we serve. Our experience tells us women don’t consider careers in the transport industry because they may not be aware of the opportunities that exist.”
“However, many women have experience in customer service and community-based roles, which makes them the ideal candidate to become a bus driver.
“At a time when Covid-19 has seen many people lose their employment, the transport industry offers secure, ongoing employment opportunities and competitive salaries,” she explained.
The all-female driving school is a tailored version of Transdev’s Journey Maker Academy, an initiative developed to help people from outside the transport industry to become a bus driver, the company explains.
The program is particularly targeted at people with car licences and strong customer service backgrounds, who are supported in gaining a heavy vehicle licence required to drive a bus, it adds.
PROGRAM SUCCESS
Since 2018, Transdev Melbourne has recruited 132 bus drivers via its Journey Maker Academy program. As part of the initiative to attract and retain female bus drivers, Transdev will also launch a female drivers’ network, designed to create a support network of female drivers across Transdev Melbourne’s six depots, it states. The network will promote development opportunities for women and be a platform for female drivers to connect and support each other and discuss solutions to some of the issues female drivers face once they have entered the industry.
Transdev is also working closely with partners on industry-wide initiatives to recruit more women into bus driving roles, including working with the Transport Workers Union to identify women from the aviation industry who have lost jobs as a result of Covid-19 to retrain as bus drivers.
ABOUT TRANSDEV
Transdev believes public transport plays an important part in how a city comes to life, it states. Its day-to-day work influences families, friends and future generations where they live, work and play, it adds.
In Australasia Transdev has 5,704 people passionate about operating its 2,150 vehicles and vessels, which deliver more than 145 million customer journeys each year.
Photography: courtesy Transdev Melbourne