The Women in Bus and Coach “Spotlight On” initiative shines a light on the incredible contributions of women in all roles across the bus, coach, and community transport sector. From professional drivers and engineers to human resources experts and CEO’s, ‘Spotlight On’ will highlight the diverse talents and achievements of women in this dynamic industry.
Today we focus on and find out about:
Sarah Fisher
iBus Hub Administrator
Go Ahead London
How did you get to where you are today?
Previously worked for another bus company which was my first introduction to the bus industry before moving to Go-Ahead where I have been for 8 years.
Did you experience any challenges getting to where you are today?
Previously studied dance at university due to injury I had to leave that industry and find a new career path. Starting in this Bus industry seemed a little intimidating at first due to it being a male dominated environment. But I had no need to feel intimated, as I joined a great team with a wonderful manager who is very respectful of every team member no matter their gender, ethnicity or background.
What do you like about the sector?
We all work as one team and ideas and suggestions are welcomed. If you have a suggestion that can benefit the team and workload, you are listened to and not shut down because of your position. There is also the potential to learn and develop your career.
What does a typical day look like?
First things first is to check all of our email inboxes and updating anything that has been sent. This includes updating the rota, T&A system, Open people. Ensuring the rota is covered is a priority and we aim to cover up to 3- 4 weeks ahead so we can ensure we can cover all the duties. Mondays are always the busiest as we will also need to approve all of the time sheets for our department, we have three hubs so that is around 150-time sheets to be approved. We would then move on to updating any NOE’s for the screens, driver complaints, public complaints and booking TSG. We also deal with constant staff queries whether this be booking holidays, swapping shifts or any pay queries or questions for updating their time sheets or rota. Some days you will be needed for taking notes for meetings or assisting with any ad hoc tasks that come up. It is a very busy role, but this makes the day go fast and you are never bored as there is always something to do.
What advice would you give to women thinking about a career in the bus and coach sector?
Not to be intimidated by it being a predominantly male dominated environment. From my experience I have never felt that it has been an issue. As a woman I have never felt anything but respect from my colleagues and Managers. If anything, being a woman in this industry I felt that I am more cared for. My male colleagues have a lot of care towards the women in this industry. In the winter months when I am leaving and it is dark, they ask if I am ok walking to the station or tell me to not have my ear pods in, so I am alert to what is going on around me. If it is busy, they always remind me to make sure I take time to grab some lunch. There is also the development and opportunities available to women, it is not just men in management there is also women.
What has been your bus or coach sector career highlight?
Joining Go-Ahead with the new management team in performance and helping to set up the new systems we use now, to create a better structure of how tasks are completed. It is a highlight as over time you see how the new ways of working implemented make a difference to the every day workload, and you have a sense of pride in knowing how it has changed for the better from how it used to be.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I really enjoy my role and working with my current manager, in five years’ time I hope to be in the same role with the same team, building on all the hard work that has been put into our department.
Thank you for sharing Sarah — your journey is a real source of inspiration!
To find out more about who Sarah works for, and career opportunities visit: https://www.goaheadlondon.com/careers.
