More women than ever are challenging gender stereotypes by making a career as a bus driver with Stagecoach.
Nationally, only 11% of bus and coach drivers are female.
The proportion is slightly higher at Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire and the company is keen to recruit more women as drivers and engineers.
It is using International Women’s Day today to highlight the stories of women who have made successful careers as bus drivers.
Marie Armstrong, 43, joined Stagecoach at Workington last year. She had been stacking shelves in a supermarket, but had previously worked as a bus driver in Yorkshire and missed the freedom of life behind the wheel.
She said: “It was a job I knew I could do and I’m enjoying it more than I thought.
“It’s the people I work with and the passengers I pick up that make the difference. I’d always driven buses in Yorkshire, not as many people spoke to me on a shift, but here people are more friendly.
“The management are really good, very supportive. I like the fact you’re able to get on and do the job, but they’re there if you need them.”
Marie is so positive about the role that her 20-year-old daughter, Chloe-Lea, chose to follow in her footsteps. She now also drives for Stagecoach.
Marie added: “My male colleagues are good too. I’m not just saying that. I wouldn’t have encouraged Chloe-Lea to come on board if that wasn’t the case.”
Melissa McGuire, 26, used to run her own business making cakes and desserts but after selling it and trying other jobs she joined Stagecoach in Workington in 2022 and now works mostly on Sellafield contracts.
She said: “My dad suggested it. I went for an interview and ended up loving it. I don’t actually feel like I’m at work sometimes.
“The great thing about the Sellafield contracts is that I get weekends off. My partner and I live apart and only get to see each other at weekends.
“The other drivers are great. We have a laugh and they treat me like one of the lads. Driving a bus is a lot less stressful than running your own business.”
Jade Quayle, 33, joined Stagecoach at Workington two years ago, having previously worked in a restaurant kitchen.
She said: “A family member said, ‘You’re a good driver, why not?’. I never looked back. The training was great. Three weeks in the classroom and three weeks on the road, then I passed my PCV test first time.
“I like the freedom. You go in, pick your bus up and you’re off. I enjoy meeting people and I’ve made new friends since starting at Stagecoach.
“I mainly do the town services in Workington and Whitehaven and people are lovely, you get to know the same faces.”
Jade has three children, the youngest now 12, but never struggled to fit childcare around the job.
She said: “They are good at Stagecoach, if I say I need these days off they swap my rest days so I can have time with the children.”
Her advice to women thinking about becoming a bus driver is to go for it.
She added: “I was unsure at first. Driving a big bus is daunting. Now I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else and I’ll probably be here until I retire.”
Tom Waterhouse, managing director of Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, said: “We have made progress in recruiting more women. We have 80 female drivers and 26 female engineers across our five depots.
“All our staff, male and female, do a fantastic job but it is important that we reinforce that it’s a great job for men and women, not just men!
“Drivers like Marie, Melissa and Jade are great role models and show that women can have a fulfilling career in what has been a male preserve.”
