Kinetic is putting women up front to drive diversity in Tasmania’s bus industry
Expect to see more women behind the wheel of Tasmania’s bus network with Kinetic running an innovative new program to drive diversity within its workforce and across the industry.
A cohort of 12 talented women are the first wave of new recruits changing the face of public transport across the state with bus operator Kinetic launching its first local Women Up Front trainee bus driver program.
The recruits will soon be greeting students across Hobart, Launceston and the North-West coast as part of Kinetic’s team of passionate and committed school bus drivers.
The Women Up Front program aims to attract more women into the bus lane by empowering people from diverse work backgrounds with the right attitude and community focus to get behind the wheel.
It is the first time the flagship program has landed in Tasmania since Kinetic introduced it in Queensland in 2021.
Among the driver trainees is Kinetic’s sales manager in Tasmania, Liana Seadon, who has jumped at the opportunity to learn to drive a bus. Liana is also President of the Launceston Tamar Valley Tourism Association.
“It’s great to participate in our first program and help welcome new faces to an industry which is incredibly exciting, and which plays such an important part in keeping the state connected and tourism thriving,” Ms Seadon said.
"When young girls see women successfully working in diverse industries, it inspires them to pursue their own career aspirations without limitations.
“By increasing the visibility of women in the bus industry, we can serve as role models for future generations, encouraging young women to challenge stereotypes and consider new careers.”
This year alone the initiative has attracted over 100 women into Kinetic’s workforce across Australia, as it gains momentum encouraging people to kick off a career in transport.
Recruits are provided with the necessary skills to become licensed bus drivers with Kinetic covering the cost of the licence upgrade, making it more accessible for women to enter the profession.
Kinetic GM - Tasmania, Drew Freeman, says it is important the industry welcomed more female bus drivers.
“We are proud of our responsibility keeping communities connected, and we are taking deliberate steps to drive diversity among our team reflective of the people who travel with us every day to get to school or work and to connect with essential services.
“We’re proud that today women make up almost a third of our workforce in Tasmania, however our ambition is to have that rise to 50 per cent across our entire business by 2030. We know this is not going to be easy, but we are deeply committed to it.”
The program kicked off with information days providing women with the opportunity to learn more about the role and a driving assessment.
With successful candidates paid from the get-go, over the course of six weeks Tasmania's first Women Up Front cohort will undergo comprehensive training, becoming fully qualified and confident bus drivers.
The training includes a mix of classroom and on-road training. Participants have the opportunity to acquire a Medium Rigid (MR) licence and State Driving Authority, and are enrolled in a 12-month training program to obtain a nationally recognised qualification, Certificate III in Driving Operations - Bus.
"We’re not looking for average candidates. Whether you have previous bus driving experience or not, we hire based on attitude and train for skill. All you need is a car driver's licence and a good attitude; we will handle the rest with our hands-on training program," said Mr Freeman.
For more information visit: wearekinetic.com.au/women-up-front.
Further enquiries
Justin Rogers
Manager Communication, Stakeholder and Customer – NSW/VIC/TAS
0419 230 242
justin.rogers@wearekinetic.com.au