Falkirk area bus operator highlights driver diversity

Bus and coach operator Stagecoach is driving home the importance of diversity among its employees.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The firm stated it had recruited over 2500 new drivers since May 2021 and used the recent Bus and Coach Driver Recruitment Week to celebrate its diverse range of drivers – which include a mum to 17 children, a couple of commercial pilots, some police officers and even a circus ringmaster.

Stagecoach driver Katie Roden is a single mother, who was also a part-time archaeologist, travelling across Scotland on various sites before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She noticed Stagecoach advertising for part-time trainee drivers and she joined the team, taking advantage of the flexibility the company offers to allow her to continue to look after her young child, while also restarting her work as an archaeologist.

Stagecoach bus driver Katie RodenStagecoach bus driver Katie Roden
Stagecoach bus driver Katie Roden
Read More
Grangemouth teenagers gear up for their annual Easter egg hunt

Katie said: “I saw 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.

"They said they would even work round my family commitments and would allow me to 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 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.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jamie Reid, Stagecoach traffic manager, said: “Katie’s story is not only really inspiring in terms of someone from a non-driving background being retrained due to the Covid 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.”

Mihai-Emil Morosanu, originally from Bucharest, has just completed his driver training after a difficult upbringing and many challenges.

He was born and raised in a poor area of Bucharest and, due to his lack of education, had to learn English by watching cartoons.

After four years doing various factory work, he passed his LGV test to become a lorry driver and, with this experience under his belt, he decided to work for Stagecoach.

Visit the website for more information.

Thank you for reading this article on our free-to-read website. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a subscription to our print newspaper to help fund our trusted, fact-checked journalism.