Oxford Bus Company radio controller celebrates International Women’s Day

As Sally Roycroft marks a decade at Oxford Bus Company she spoke of her pride at being a female in the industry to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Sally, who has spent her entire professional life in the transport industry, is encouraging more women to pursue a career in the coach and bus sector.

After many years working as an international HGV operator, Sally joined Oxford Bus Company in 2014 as a bus driver.

In the following decade, she has progressed through the company, serving as a mentor to train new drivers, and now works in the radio control room at Cowley House managing drivers on Oxfordshire’s roads.

This International Women’s Day, she is encouraging more women to enter a career in the bus industry at Oxford Bus Company.

She said: “This is a great industry to be in and a fantastic company to work for and I see every day as an exciting challenge.

“In this industry, we have a role delivering a service to the community, keeping people connected with loved ones and getting them to school and work.

“For many people, a bus driver may be the only person they see in a day, and it is rewarding knowing the difference you can make to lives locally.”

Celebrated annually on 8th March, International Women’s Day is dedicated to celebrating the social, economic and cultural achievements of women.

Sally is passionate about encouraging more females to join the bus industry and has played a key role in training and mentoring new women into the team.

“In my time at the company, there have been plenty of opportunities to progress,” she said.

“Within twelve months of my driver training, I moved to the airline service and subsequently joined the Training Department where I had the opportunity to mentor new drivers, including many women.

“It has been brilliant to pass on my learning and knowledge about the business and our operations to new recruits.

“There is absolutely nothing that is holding women back from succeeding in the company.

“Everyone is treated equally and given the same opportunities to progress and explore new roles, whether that be in driver training, control operations or other areas of the business.

“I would highly recommend Oxford Bus Company to any women considering starting their career in public transport.”

Oxford Bus Company is owned by parent company Go-Ahead Group, which is running a Women in Bus initiative, aimed at improving gender diversity in the public transport industry.

It hopes to increase female representation across its workforce to 15% by 2025.

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “Sally’s career progression is a clear demonstration of the opportunities available for women at Oxford Bus Company.

“She has progressed based on her skill and dedication and has had the opportunity to support our efforts to recruit and train more female drivers through her work as a mentor.

“International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the huge contribution women make to society.

“One of our key values is to embrace diversity and to ensure our workforce is representative of the communities we serve.

“However, there is still work to be done to encourage better gender balance in the coach and bus industry.

“We hope Sally’s positive experience working with us over the last decade will serve to inspire women to pursue a career in the bus industry.”