With over 2,500 new drivers since May 2021 and driver applications up by 32% since before the pandemic, Stagecoach celebrated its diverse range of drivers as part of the CPT’s Bus and Coach Driver Recruitment Week. One of the campaign’s aims was to bust some of the myths on the unique backgrounds that make up driving teams at operators throughout the UK.
Katie Roden, a driver from Stagecoach Highlands, is a single mother who was also a part-time archaeologist, travelling across Scotland to work on various sites before the pandemic. Katie explained that she noticed Stagecoach was advertising for part-time trainee drivers, and joined the team in Inverness where she said the flexibility offered allows her to continue to look after her young child whilst also restarting her work as an archaeologist.
Katie said: “I saw that Stagecoach was looking for part-time bus drivers and thought I could try that. I went along for the interview and was really surprised to be offered a position in the training school and that they would even work round my family commitments and allow me work part-time to continue in my archaeologist role when things returned to normal.
“The training I received from all the team was brilliant and my instructor Mike was very professional and approachable during the training. Becoming a PCV driver was daunting at first as everything was new to me but after a few months I feel I began to settle into the role and I cannot recommend it enough.”
Stagecoach Traffic Manager Jamie Reid said: “Katie’s story is not only really inspiring in terms of someone from a non-driving background being retrained due to the Covid-19 crisis, but also shows the flexibility we can offer to help people get back into work whilst also having the time to do the things they enjoy.”
The operator is also celebrating the diverse background of other new drivers across the country who have recently joined the business including a mum to 17 children, commercial pilots, police officers and even a circus ringmaster.
