Employee Recruitment Campaign Photoshoot at Reading Buses, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom on Tuesday 01 March 2022. Photo: Philip J.A Benton
A Berkshire bus operator is hoping to celebrate International Women’s Day tomorrow (Tuesday) by increasing its percentage of female employees.
Already bucking the industry trend, Reading Buses are currently recruiting for bus drivers across the company to be based in Bracknell, Newbury and Reading.
“There’s an opportunity for anyone – particularly female – to apply through our latest recruitment campaign,” said Caroline Anscombe, Reading Buses HR Director.
“Many have taken the leap and are loving their job as a result. Overall, 17% of our employees and 14% of our drivers are female.
“This is certainly bucking the trend from the ‘normal’ where our research suggests that female bus drivers make up just 8% of the bus industry workforce nationally,” said Caroline.
Reading Buses’ longest serving woman driver has been with the company for twenty eight and a half years – becoming a mum and a grandma during her time as a bus driver.
While their newest recruit is female having just passed her test and now route learning, at the other end of the scale, Reading Buses’ longest serving employee – male or female – is a woman with forty-seven and a half years’ service to her name.
She met her husband at Reading Buses and has had two children during her employment.
One female driver said that when people ask what she does for a job their response is ‘wow, that’s an unusual job for a woman.’
Said Caroline: “She figured that if you don’t try, you’ll never know. She tried and it has changed her outlook and given her a career that she loves and is proud of.”
The most recent gender pay gap at Reading Buses – April 2021 – is 2% compared with the UK average of 7.9%.
Another of the women drivers told Caroline: “The pay is great with the opportunity to earn more with overtime. Plus, I’ve made so many great friends at Reading Buses.
“It makes you feel great being responsible for getting people to where they want to go. One little boy called me hero which I will always remember.”
Anyone interested in becoming a bus driver can find more information at www.reading-buses.co.uk.