Oxford Bus Group welcomes first all-female trainee bus driver cohort as it marks International Women’s Day

Oxford Bus Group welcomed its first all-female cohort of trainee bus drivers this week, marking a milestone moment in its 140-year history on International Women’s Day.

It is the first time the bus group’s intake of trainee bus drivers has been exclusively all females, in an industry that is typically male-dominated. 

It forms part of a vision by Oxford Bus Group’s parent company, the Go-Ahead Group, to achieve greater gender diversity among its drivers by 2035. 

The new drivers will spend a month learning how to operate vehicles at Oxford Bus Company’s Cowley House depot and carry out essential checks before taking two examinations which must be passed before final training steps can be completed.

Sarah Powell, Relief Instructor at Oxford Bus Group, leads the induction process and reported positive feedback from this week’s first all-female trainee cohort. 

She said: “Almost 90 per-cent of bus drivers in our team are male and we want to ensure all new drivers on our team feel comfortable and supported through their induction. We’re pleased to launch our first all-female cohort. 

“Already, the group has expressed how they feel more inclined to ask key questions by being part of an all-female group which will help them develop key skills attached to the role of being a driver quicker. 

“Breaking down these barriers and empowering more women in our industry to thrive is a positive step forward. All bus drivers are providing an essential service to our communities, without which people would struggle to fulfil their day-to-day responsibilities. 

“It’s an immensely rewarding role, and we are definitely seeing more women take to the roads and help keep our services moving.”    

Oxford Bus Group comprises of Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, Carousel Buses, Pulhams and City Sightseeing Oxford.  

Each operator is continually recruiting drivers, who are required to have held a manual driving licence for 12 months and have experience in providing excellent customer service. 

Oxford Bus Group provides an inclusive working environment to attract more women to a career in the bus industry as part of the Go Ahead Group Women in Bus initiative. 

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Group, said: “International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to showcase the outstanding contributions of our female employees who are critical in delivering a smooth, safe and reliable service to our customers. 

“Launching our first all-female cohort highlights the progress which has already been made to make the role of a bus driver more accessible and appealing to more women.  

“This is a positive step forward in our ambition to achieve a greater ratio of male and female drivers within our workforce in the next decade.”

For further information about becoming a bus driver with Oxford Bus Group please visit here: https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/driving-vacancies