Maria
Employed at Cardiff bus for 12 years and nine months
Previous employment: Office Manager for an Electric wholesalers
Did you always want to be a bus driver?
No, I never would have dreamed of being a bus driver. To be honest it was not a job I saw myself doing.
Did you receive training at Cardiff bus?
I came to Cardiff bus with just my driving licence. I was told by friends that I would need to learn to drive a bus and obtain my PCV licence, and to be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect. Other people who were in the same position as me began on the same day and we became friends. My first day started with being shown around, filling out relevant forms, then being introduced to our trainers and being taken up to St Mellons to learn to drive the bus. The whole training process took about six weeks which included having a test and learning the routes.
What are your favourite parts of the job?
No two days are the same. I love driving and I get to see the whole of Cardiff and the Vale while doing what I love. I enjoy meeting new people and because I have been doing this job for such a long time I have made a few friends. It’s a good feeling getting to know and chatting to people.
Is driving a bus difficult?
When you first get into the driver seat and look around it can be quite daunting but with the training that is provided here you soon overcome that feeling and gradually its like driving a car, except you have to remember the length and width of the vehicle but that comes with experience too.
What does a typical day as a bus driver consist of?
My typical day consists of signing on about 5:30am, collecting my running pad for the bus I am driving so I know where I'm going and at what time, then I do my first user check to make sure the bus is road worthy. The first user check involves looking at lights, water levels, tyres etc. I drive for approximately five hours, then I have a break. At present I am the chairperson for Unite the union at Cardiff bus and so the second part of my day is office based where I conduct union duties such as attending meetings with the management, sickness meetings, disciplinary meetings and branch meetings. I am also involved in policy making, wage negotiations, contracts and so on.
Is there a sense of community within Cardiff bus? Is it all work and no play?
Because Cardiff bus has such a wide community of people there is always someone to talk to and it’s easy to make friends. We have a sports section within the company which is run by some of the drivers and covers all sections of sports from football to fishing etc. We also get together outside of working hours to socialise and meet up for nights out on special occasions like birthdays, bank holidays or Christmas. There is a great sense of family community within Cardiff bus, we look after each other and help each other out. It’s the people within Cardiff bus that makes it the company to work for!