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Dublin Bus Calls for More Mná!
8 February 2024
Dublin Bus Aims To Double the Number of Female Drivers, Again!
New research from Dublin Bus has revealed:
- A quarter of Irish women (25%) revealed they did not apply for a job in the past due to its perception of being a ‘man’s job’.
- A competitive salary has come out on top as the biggest career non-negotiable for women (28%), followed closely by flexibility (27%) and benefits such as health insurance and pension (13%).
- Katie Taylor came out fighting with the majority of respondents (37%) choosing our boxing champion as the Irish woman that inspires them the most, with Dr. Katriona O’Sullivan (Academic, Activist and Bestselling Author of ‘Poor’) and Sonya Lennon (Designer and Founder of WorkEqual) tied in second place with 14% each.
Thursday, February 8th 2024: Dublin Bus, Ireland’s largest public transport provider, has today released new research that gives an important insight into the sentiments of women in the workforce, and the gender roles and stereotypes that still exist. It marks the launch of the Dublin Bus ‘More Mná’ recruitment drive which aims to double the number of female drivers again, having already almost doubled the numbers since the female-focused recruitment drive in 2019 (96% more female drivers in January 2024 vs. August 2019). A series of Open Days will run from March to May 2024 - for further information and to register to attend an Open Day visit our careers page.
Although strides have certainly been made, women's career decisions still seem to be somewhat influenced by gender stereotypes, with the new survey revealing that 25% of Irish women have been deterred from applying for jobs in the past due to certain roles being seen as a ‘man’s job’ historically. While the role of a bus driver may have once had this reputation, the majority of women surveyed view the Dublin Bus driver role as less gender-specific than in the past. When asked if they think driving a Dublin Bus is still seen as a ‘man’s job’, almost half (49%) said yes but less than before, only 13% said yes absolutely, and over a third (38%) said no.
With a plethora of formidable mná hailing from our small but mighty country, it would be difficult to name just one inspirational female. However, when asked which Irish woman inspires them the most, Katie Taylor came out fighting with 37% of respondents choosing our boxing champion, with Dr. Katriona O’Sullivan (Academic, Activist and Bestselling Author of ‘Poor’) and Sonya Lennon (Designer and Founder of WorkEqual, an advocacy group working to achieve gender equality in the workplace), coming in joint second with 14% each.
Across the board, a competitive salary has come out on top as the biggest career non-negotiable for women (28%), followed closely by flexibility (27%) and benefits such as health insurance and pension (13%). The Dublin Bus driver role offers a competitive salary, pension scheme, training and mentoring and paid maternity leave, along with other benefits including access to a gym, GP scheme, employee assistance scheme, and an education support scheme for going back to third level study. Earlier this year, Dublin Bus also released the results of its 2023 Gender Pay Gap Report, which showed that the company has achieved a negative pay gap in favour of women, marking a significant step on Dublin Bus’ journey towards equality, diversity and inclusion.
Speaking about the More Mná recruitment drive, Vivienne Kavanagh, Dublin Bus Talent Development and Diversity Manager, said: “We are so proud to have achieved our previous goal of doubling the number of female drivers at Dublin Bus since our female-recruitment drive in 2019, but we want to double it again! Having seen from the survey that a quarter of women have been deterred from applying for a job because it has historically been seen as a ‘man’s job’, we want to continue to be part of the change and give women the confidence to go for any job they want to. I would urge any woman who is interested to join us at one of our upcoming Open Days to find out more about bus driver career opportunities and competitive packages, and just give it a try - we’re a big family, but we still want more mná!”
With a quarter (25%) of women across the country saying they would like to drive a Dublin Bus if given the chance, and the likelihood of jumping on board being higher in Dublin itself at 32%, the upcoming Open Days are the perfect time to give it a go. On the day, attendees will meet with current female drivers and inspectors who will share their experiences of working with Dublin Bus, and will also get the opportunity to drive a training bus with a Dublin Bus professional driving instructor, get a tour of Dublin Bus’ Central Control Centre, and be taken through the recruitment process for bus drivers and the various benefits of working for the company.
Open Day dates are:
- Saturday, 2nd March
- Saturday, 23rd March
- Saturday, 13th April
- Saturday, 18th May
Customers can also get updates on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @dublinbusnews or call our customer service line on (01) 8734222, lines open from 07:00 - 19:00hrs Monday to Friday and 08:00 – 18:00hrs Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.