Bus Operators Looking to Draw More Women to PCV Training

We talk a lot about the driver shortage within the haulage industry, and rightfully so. But the transport industry is in an equally dire situation. They are also short tens of thousands of drivers in a day and age in which public transport could be struggling to survive in its current form. Bus and coach operators around the country are looking at every solution they can find, including drawing more women to PCV training.

One case in point is Stagecoach, the largest bus and coach operator in the UK. It has been aggressively marketing to female drivers as of late, including taking advantage of media campaigns designed specifically to attract younger women looking for new careers. One of their more recent campaigns involved television personality Ferne McCann.

McCann agreed to undergo a PCV training programme through Stagecoach in Swindon in order to earn her licence. And earn it she did. McCann was both delighted and surprised to find out she had what it takes to be a bus driver after completing the programme. Not that she has to, but she could now drive a bus for a living if she wanted to.

McCann was duly impressed by how much work it takes to be a safe and productive bus driver. She told the Swindon Advertiser that she hoped her experience would encourage other women to pursue PCV training and an eventual career in driving.

“I had no idea how much work goes into running buses,” she said. “I take my hat off to the drivers I’ve met, and I really hope my involvement has made more women think about bus driving as a career option.”

Plenty of Room for Everyone

McCann’s experience with Stagecoach demonstrates a couple of things. First, there is plenty of room for everyone who wants to get a PCV licence in order to become a bus or coach driver. There are so many available jobs right now that it would be difficult to fill them in a short amount of time even under the best of circumstances. That said, the shortage is expected to continue well into the future.

Second, what McCann accomplished demonstrates that just about anyone willing to work hard and apply him or herself can succeed in PCV training. A typical training programme involves taking and passing the PCV theory test, undergoing a week or so of classroom training and, finally, undergoing about 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training before taking the practical demonstration and driving skills tests.

Anyone who might be interested in PCV training can contact the HGV Training Centre for more information. We offer training for bus and coach drivers at more than four dozen facilities throughout the UK. In a matter of just a few weeks, new drivers can complete their training, take their final tests, and start looking for work as professional drivers. As Ferne McCann found out, it is a great opportunity for women looking for a new career.

Sources:

Swindon Advertiser – http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/14373204.TOWIE_star_proves_the_only_way_is_by_bus/