Tranzurban has launched a new campaign to encourage more young bus drivers to get behind the wheel
Tranzurban, which is part of New Zealand family operator Tranzit Group, is combating bus driver shortages in Wellington by rolling out a new recruitment campaign that sees many of its own team stepping up to ‘Put the U in BUS’.
Tranzurban operates part of the Metlink network in Wellington, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Wairarapa. Like many bus operators throughout New Zealand, the company has been impacted by the national bus driver shortage and is currently short 40 full time drivers in Wellington and five full time drivers in Hutt Valley.
While Tranzurban has been recruiting across multiple channels to attract newcomers to the industry, one of the new tools in the company’s recruitment toolbox is attracting new people into the industry, especially a younger demographic.
The operator last week launched its new ‘Put the U in BUS’ social media campaign that features six company drivers.
The campaign also includes radio advertising and posters, while Tranzurban will also visit university campuses and community centres in a bid to attract young bus drivers.
“Tranzurban is investing in and working hard to encourage new talent to come and join us – whether that be as a bus driver earning $28 an hour, working in our operations team, communications centre or workshop,” Tranzurban Wellington general manager Samuel Stairmand says.
“They can then see and learn about the different pathways to careers in the bus and coach industry.
“This new campaign – Put the U in BUS – also has a distinct environmental and societal focus. We are encouraging the next generation of drivers to drive the change they want to see by getting more people to use public transport. By bringing on new drivers to the industry and bolstering our team, we hope to break the current cycle of cancelling bus services due to the severe labour shortage in New Zealand.”
One of the bus drivers featured in the programme is 23-year-old Ethan Hakopa, who recently finished his visual effects degree from Massey University.
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“Being paid $28 an hour helped support me at university. I also drive buses because I want to help reduce the number of cars on the road. I am a cyclist, a film graduate and I love driving buses,” Hakopa says.
Tranzurban anticipates the campaign will attract a number of newcomers to the industry.
It has revised its driver trainer program to accommodate groups – putting them through a four-week training school so they learn and train together.
Supplementing this recruitment campaign, Tranzurban is also working with external immigration agencies in multiple countries to bring in international drivers. Once they have been welcomed into New Zealand and provided with support, they will begin their local driver training.
“It’s great to see Tranzurban, one of our largest operators in the region, investing in this campaign and coming up with creative ways to bring more people into the industry,” Metlink general manager Samantha Gain says.
“Enticing people from diverse backgrounds and across a range of ages will help get more people behind the wheel and give them a flexible and rewarding career in public transport and help them feel connected to their local community.”
Anyone interested in leading the change they want to see can text BUS to 8289 to learn more about working for Tranzurban.