Driven to Run: Megan Veitch's road to running glory
From behind the wheel to the finish line, meet Melbourne’s bus driver taking on the World Marathon Majors.
- Women Up Front graduate Megan Veitch took on the challenge of a new career as she embarked on a challenge to take on six major world marathons.
- The program has been successful in attracting more women into driving roles; since Kinetic took over the operation of the Metropolitan Bus Franchise in January 2022 the number of women in driving roles has doubled.
- Twelve months into the role and she has hit the ground running and reckons more women should follow in her footsteps.
Megan Veitch never thought she'd be behind the wheel of buses, let alone jet-setting around the globe to conquer marathons. But the challenge of both worlds hasn't phased her one bit.
Megan joined Kinetic 12 months ago through the Women Up Front program, after more than two decades working in the retail sector.
She says she motivated to apply to become a bus driver after learning about Kinetic’s commitment to employing more women.
“I like driving and I thought I’d give it a go. So that’s what I did. Since day one everyone has been really helpful and friendly. Even on the road passengers are happy to see a woman behind the wheel.
“It’s all been quite encouraging. Twelve months on and I am loving every minute,” she says.
The Women Up Front trainee bus driver program is part of Kinetic’s commitment to encourage more women to pursue careers in the transport industry.
It includes a mix of classroom and on-road training ensuring candidates have the skills, capability and confidence to become a professional bus driver.
The program has been successful in attracting more women into driving roles; since Kinetic took over the operation of the Metropolitan Bus Franchise in January 2022 the number of women in driving roles has doubled.
Last year more than 270 women joined Kinetic in driving roles around Australia, with more than 80 women already getting behind the wheel since January 2024.
Megan says that during her first year on the job she has noticed a number of similarities between her new career and her passion for long distance running, saying both pastimes require mental resilience and focus, training and preparation and come with a sense of achievement and personal growth.
“Trying something new is always a challenge. I’ve found the same type of support and inspiration from my colleagues in the depot as I found in my running group.
“Having the right crew around you and just going for it can make any intimidating experience a lot easier to take on,” says Megan.
Megan first began running 18 years ago when her sister invited her along for a seemingly easy run around Albert Park Lake. After 100 metres, Megan quickly figured out it wasn’t going to be as easy as she thought, but she wasn’t discouraged. She later joined her local running group and now has a strong support network and travels the world running.
Megan’s goal is to run all six Abbott World Marathon Majors by 2027 before her 50th birthday. She is already well on the way, completing the New York Marathon last year and already pounding the pavement in preparation for the Berlin Marathon in September this year.
Running has also proven to be a great de-stressor after a long day behind the wheel saying, “I go for a run and it makes my world better,” she says, “it’s great to see what you can actually achieve if you put your mind to it.”
To find out more visit wearekinetic.com/women-up-front.
Further enquiries
Justin Rogers
Manager, Media and Communication
0419 230 242
Justin.rogers@wearekinetic.com