Kapil’s in the driver’s seat (and you could be too)
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Before Kapilpreet (Kapil) Kaur decided she wanted to become a bus driver for Transport Canberra, she’d never actually driven a bus before. In fact, back where she’s from in India, it would be unheard of for a woman to be a bus driver.
After immigrating to Canberra back in 2013 with her husband, she worked in childcare for a number of years, while she had her two kids. Then last year, looking for a change, she saw a Transport Canberra ad calling for bus drivers.
“I discussed it with my husband, and he said, ‘I think you’re going to be a good driver, you need to give it a go’,” says Kapil.
“So I thought it’s something a bit different because we usually see a male bus driver. I felt it was a bit of a challenge for me, and I wanted to prove my husband right.”
Applications have just opened for casual and part-time bus drivers to work across the Canberra community. It’s a role that offers both flexible hours, and great pay. To be eligible you just need to have had a standard Australian driver’s licence for a minimum of five years—you’ll be upgraded to a Medium Rigid licence as part of your training—and also need a good level of fitness, good standard of literacy and numeracy, a high standard of driving skills, and a love for working with people.
For successful applicants, becoming a bus driver starts with four weeks of paid training. The first two weeks are in the classroom, where you learn from experienced bus drivers. Then you get to get behind the wheel with a trainer and head out on the road.
“I really felt the structure of the training was so good. It just trained your brain so beautifully to be a bus driver in the four weeks,” said Kapil.
“I was nervous the first time I drove the bus, but there was the trainer with me who had confidence in me, and was with me the whole way. It was different to a car, but it was more exciting to drive a bus than a car.”
Kapil had never thought about being a bus driver in the past, and it’s a big career change from when she worked as a chemistry lecturer back in India. But she’s been out on the road driving for a few weeks, and absolutely loves her new role.
“Every day is a different day, and I feel more confident. It’s so relaxing and rewarding at the same time,” she says.
In Canberra, Kapil is only the second female in the local Sikh community to take on the role as a bus driver; a fact she’s very proud of. And she said she’s blown away by how the community of bus drivers has welcomed her.
“I love the way the bus drivers interact with each other. Even on the roads, they wave to each other. I felt really welcomed and respected being in this industry. No one looks at you like, ‘oh, you’re a newbie’. They don’t ignore you—they value and respect you,” she says.
Interested in becoming a bus driver? Applications are open now, and close on Sunday 24 July. Visit transport.act.gov.au to find out more or start your application.
