Eight new ACTION Bus drivers ready for the road

[Buzz Killington]

Eight new ACTION bus drivers are on the roads after graduating from their 19-day training program, Chief Minister and Minister for Transport, Jon Stanhope, said today.

"I am pleased to announce the graduation of these new ACTION bus drivers," Mr Stanhope said.

"We now have an additional seven males and one female joining our ACTION team as a result of the October 2010 recruitment drive.

"The new drivers began work in time for the start of the new school term and will be operating from both the Belconnen and Tuggeranong bus depots."

During their training program, the new drivers were trained and tested in every aspect of bus operations including heavy vehicle defensive driving, customer service, route navigation, ticketing, assisting passengers with special needs, safety, security and emergency procedures.

The candidates had to possess strong customer service skills, have a full motor vehicle licence, be over 20 years of age and available to work within a seven-day week including night shifts.

During 2010, ACTION recruited and trained 59 drivers and will continue recruiting in 2011 to fulfil network delivery requirements.

Mr Stanhope said ACTION provided Canberra with a safe, effective and accessible passenger transport service.

"ACTION is currently seeking applications from eligible persons until 15 February 2011 for part-time bus driver positions," Mr Stanhope said.

"I'd encourage anyone interested in joining to visit the ACTION website athttp://www.action.act.gov.au/."

Operating 365 days of the year, ACTION carries approximately 16.9 million passengers over 23 million kilometres per year, utilising an operational fleet of 427 route buses.

[belcodriver]

The Canberra Times, it's either slanders against ACTION drivers or pathetic puff pieces like this which was most likely cut and pasted from a press release.

[Buzz Killington]

The Canberra Times, it's either slanders against ACTION drivers or pathetic puff pieces like this which was most likely cut and pasted from a press release.

That wasn't from the CT - it's a copy & paste of the press release

[p_stampy]

8 people doesn't *seem* like many - is that the usual amount?

[Barry Drive]

8 is the usual number. The training room fits 8 comfortably and they only have a limited number of trainer/assessors. My intake had 8 - 7 male & 1 female.

[CNG]

most of them will be sent to tuggers I assume, because don't they have a shortage of drivers.

[belcodriver]

That wasn't from the CT - it's a copy & paste of the press release

I think I saw the same story in the CT.

Stampy, sometimes they have 10 trainees in a class but I've never heard of there being more than that.