Former train driver takes the wheel on disability awareness training

• Melbourne’s newest bus drivers are starting the job with stronger awareness of the challenges faced by people with disability
• Over 50 drivers at Kinetic have now been trained by a specialist with lived experience of disability to enhance their learning before hitting the road
• The initiative is helping to deliver a better customer experience across the city’s bus network

More than 50 of Melbourne’s newest bus drivers are hitting the road with a stronger understanding of the challenges faced by people with disability when using the city’s public transport system.

For the last six months, Kinetic, which operates a third of the metropolitan bus network, has delivered an enhanced driver training program with the appointment of a disability awareness specialist.

As a former train driver who has been using a wheelchair following a motorbike accident, Zsolt Ugrai said he brought a unique perspective which empowers those he trains.

“I’ve been in a wheelchair myself for over 15 years now, so I have a different outlook as a public transport user, and I like to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for everyone,” he says.

“I also have the experience of a train driver, so I can consider the small actions that drivers and customer service teams can do to make the journey more comfortable for everyone.”

Kinetic’s driver training program sets up new drivers for success on the road. It gives trainees who have never driven a heavy vehicle before the confidence to operate a bus, with a particular focus on promoting a customer-first culture.

With Zsolt’s support, the program reinforces the importance of creating a transport experience that is inviting to everyone.

“We provide first-hand experience of some of the challenges people with disability face and it’s a great opportunity for the drivers to be ready to offer help in different situations,” he says.

Cyler, a trainee driver, says that having a better understanding of these unique experiences is something she’ll take on her journey as a new bus driver.

“Being able to sit in a wheelchair and experience what it’s like to find space in the bus and feel what it’s like using the ramp has been valuable,” she says.

1 in 5 Australians live with a disability and can experience various barriers to travelling on public transport.

Justin Rogers, manager for Customer Experience, says that Kinetic is taking meaningful steps towards improving accessibility for all customers.

“We service different communities all over Melbourne and our customers come from different walks of life and have different needs,” he says.

“It only takes one or two bad experiences for people to lose confidence in public transport, so we want every interaction to be a positive one.”

He said the training initiative was a feature of Kinetic’s Accessibility Action Plan, which was developed in consultation with an accessibility reference group.

“By uplifting the voices of people with disability in our community, we’ve been able to set out the steps we can take that will have a meaningful impact on our customers,” he says.

Other initiatives from Kinetic’s AAP include the launch of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, and participation in Try Before You Ride.

Learn more about the AAP here.

Further enquiries

Emmanuelle Brizuela
Specialist - Communications
0460 615 604
emmanuelle.brizuela@wearekinetic.com