Dublin Bus is making a push for women drivers to join their ranks and even let Newstalk behind the wheel.
Reporter Stephanie Rohan this week took lessons on how to drive a Dublin Bus, after a campaign was launched last month to encourage more women into a career as a bus driver.
She met instructor Sandra McDermott on a sunny but showery morning.
"Driving a bus is something I've never really thought about as a career," Stephanie told Moncrieff.
@newstalkfm 'We have to be gentle on the brakes!' As Dublin Bus aim to recruit more female drivers, Newstalk's Steph Rohan gave it a go - she got the bus driver wave down to an art... Would you give it a go? #dublin #ireland #irishtiktok #dublintiktok #dublinbus #irish #dublinvids ♬ original sound - Newstalk
"I guess, rightly or wrongly, I associate it with being mainly a man's job.
"I'm not the only one, as just 195 of Dublin Bus's 3,000 drivers are women.
"The company now wants to double that figure and they invited me to give it a go."
Stephanie was a natural as she took instruction to release the handbrake, put the bus in gear and get moving.
"I feel really powerful or something," she said.
"I forgot to look in my mirrors - my indicator is still on, oops.
"Would you usually be this warm or is just because I'm nervous?" Stephanie asked, before being told the heater was on.
Newstalk's Stephanie Rohan gets ready to drive a Dublin Bus. Image: Newstalk/Rory WalshStephanie said she was happy with her first time.
"I have to say I surprised myself; despite the squeals I actually wasn't too bad at it and it was easier than I thought it was going to be," she said.
"It helped that the bus is automatic".
Dublin Bus Talent Development and Diversity Manager Vivienne Kavanagh said the lack of female drivers could be down to old-fashioned views.
"I think there's a lot of perceptions around the role of bus drivers that people have," she said.
"They might think that it's physically difficult to drive a bus, which you've now discovered that it's not.
"They might have concerns around safety or that it's so male dominated.
"That's why we're encouraging women to come to the open day so they can talk to our female drivers about their experiences.
"They can try and drive the bus themselves".
Newstalk's Stephanie Rohan conquers driving a Dublin Bus. Image: Newstalk/Rory WalshDublin Bus driver Carla Redmond said she needed a steady income after her husband became ill.
"While he was receiving treatment, I was out on the northside of Dublin and noticed a driving school," she said.
"I applied by doing my learner permit theory test and everything, I got my learner permit and, in the meantime, I'd applied for an open day.
"Thankfully he's a lot better now, he's back walking, so I'm delighted about that.
"I haven't looked back since, and I was kind of saying to myself, 'I don't know why I didn't do this years ago'".
Asked if traffic is an issue, she said: "I get paid to sit in the traffic and look at people who are getting annoyed in the traffic.
"It doesn't matter - I'm not under pressure - because my job is to get you to work safely, not as fast as I can," she added.
'It's really relaxing'
Ciara Pender became a driver after a career as the director of a hair salon.
"I just got to the stage where I just needed a big change," she said.
"I'm much more relaxed, you're basically still you're own boss.
"I love the shift work - it's really, really relaxing, you just get on with your little duties in your day," she added.
Dublin Bus is holding a series of open days between now and May. The closing date for applications is May 18th.
More information can be found here
Listen back here:
