Meet The Drivers.

  • When Shirley Strachan came into her local WINZ centre, she had no idea her life was about to change. Coming from a hospitality background, having spent time as a steward on the Interislander, she spotted an advert for a seminar about driving for Tranzurban. She attended, asked a lot of questions and found herself in the driver’s seat not long after.

    “She had the right attitude that we look for,” says Helen Tickner, Tranzit Group’s Acquisition Manager, “She was positive, and we could tell she was a real people person.”

    At first, Shirley was nervous to be driving a bus and often let other trainees go first, but her training helped her grow in confidence.

    “My driver trainers, Barb and Colin were great,” she says, “Patient and calm. I always felt supported out on the road.”

    Thanks to Tranzurban’s thorough in-house paid training programme, Shirley progressed at a comfortable pace and really enjoyed it. She likes the camaraderie in the depot and feels comfortable asking all sorts of questions and she always waves to her colleagues out on the road.

    Shirley likes dealing with people and driving route 110 in the Hutt is her favourite. “I enjoy helping people get safely to their destination and make sure I give a helping hand to those that need it. One time, I was at a bus stop and the people across the road came over to me and said I had a lovely smile. That really made my day.”

    When she’s not behind the wheel, Shirley likes to spend time with her family, supporting them on the sporting sideline and going bush walking. “I think my car driving has improved since becoming a bus driver. You gain a new outlook when you’re out on the roads. I’m really glad I went to that seminar.”

  • Although Nazia Bi has a Master’s degree in Accounting and spent several happy years at the University of Fiji as a grant assessor, when she saw an advert for bus driving, she knew it was time for a change. Now, both her and her husband drive for Tranzurban in Wellington.

    “I grew up around buses because my father was a driver in Fiji and I would help him with cleaning and care of the coaches,” she says. “For me, being around buses reminds me of him.”

    Nazia liked the fact her driver training with Tranzurban was more practical based than theory thanks to Wellington’s challenging roads. There was always someone with her when she was out on the road and she never felt rushed. Because of this, she now has her class two and four licences and when she is driving, she always makes sure she is in an alert and active mode.

    Nazia enjoys working alongside her great colleagues at Tranzurban. Driving route 23 along Houghton Bay is her favourite because on a clear day you can see the Cook Straight and the South Island. Being the eldest girl in her family, Nazia likes to think she is making them proud and hopes she can inspire other women to try a new career pathway.

    “Passengers are always smiling and telling me how nice it is to see more female drivers on the road.”

    In her spare time, she gardens, does yoga and Zumba and enjoys spending time with her family. “I would encourage any woman out there and give driving a go. That advert changed my life.”

  • Nine years ago, Prem Singh came out from India to start a new life in New Zealand. He managed a retail store for over six years - too long for me he says - as he found it to be stressful and he didn’t enjoy having to manage staff. Needing a change of scenery, a friend asked him why he wasn’t driving.

    “He already worked for Tranzurban and said to me to come and drive. All Punjabi’s like to drive!” Prem says, laughing. “So, I applied and here I am.”

    Prem says his training was great and he liked the style of the trainers Colin, Barb and Michelle who were brilliant. They helped him with the practical and theory aspects of driving, and he now has his class 2 licence and is working towards his class 4.

    “One nice thing about the training is that Tranzurban paid for it as well as all my licences.”

    He enjoys working for Tranzurban because of the good collegial vibe within the depot and the decent pay of $30 an hour. He drives in the Hutt where Route 110 is a favourite, because it goes up and down the valley taking up to an hour one way … he never gets bored.

    “The view from my seat is great. I get to meet different people and see different things.”

    On this particular route there is a regular who travels with him in the afternoon, and she always comments on how nice he is and thanks him every time for driving.

    “That really makes my day when I can help people and they notice it.”

    Earlier this year Prem got married and when he is not spending time with family, he hangs with friends and goes tramping to see the magnificent views and cycling along the tracks.

  • For his first ten years in Wellington, Ashley Edge used buses as a means of transportation because he chose not to own a car. He was always impressed with the driving skills of the Wellington bus drivers, noting how relaxed and capable they appeared and wanted to know their secret.

    After working in Canada for five years for a firewood company, on his return to Wellington he joined Tranzurban and hasn’t looked back.

    “The training is what helped me make it through. It was intense but practical and it took me to parts of Wellington I’d never really driven before,” he says. “It gave me a better understanding of the coverage Tranzurban has.”

    One thing he particularly liked was that the training was inhouse and he didn’t have to go outside the company for it. He believes this was a big part of him growing in confidence as a driver. He says he enjoys working for Tranzurban because of a sense of continuing innovation and the willingness to try new procedures and processes.

    “They always seem to find a new way of doing things and it always feels as though they’re on the move, not just in terms of buses.”

    Ashley likes route 24 because of the views of Wellington.

    “Sometimes you’re above the city looking down, other times in the heart of the region – it changes all the time. One time we saw a whale in the harbour, which was metres from our stop so I lingered for a few minutes so we could all watch it.”

    A challenge he sets himself is to try and get his passengers to crack a smile, especially if they’ve had a long day. The transformation in their faces is something quite beautiful.

    Ashley loves Wellington and you’ll often find him walking the zig-zag tracks in the hills, cycling the roads or spending time with his family.