Unlock all articles by subscribing to this international offer

All-Access + BusinessDesk Weekly

Herald Premium, Viva Premium, The Listener & BusinessDesk
Pay just
$10
$2
per week
See all offers
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Or
NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Bus driver, Stagecoach

6 Sep, 2005 11:00 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

Name: Mary-Ann Pange
Age: 31
Role: Bus driver, Stagecoach, Wiri, Auckland
Working hours: 40-45 hours a week
Average pay: $12.69 to $16 an hour depending on service and experience
Qualifications: Heavy transport licence, passenger endorsement

Describe how you got this job?

I saw an advertisement in the paper. You have to do a maths quiz as
we use maths on the job, plus an English competency test, and then an interview with a depot manager. I have been in the job for four years.

Describe what you do?


I drive buses around South Auckland. I work a broken shift. I start most days at 6am, then come off the road between 9am and 11am. I come back about 2.30pm and finish about 6pm. Because I am a tutor operator, I train new drivers, taking them through the South Auckland routes we cover. Otherwise, I drive whatever route needs to be done. You get a run cover in the morning and it tells you what runs you are doing and what time you have to be at a specific place.

What have you had to do to succeed at this job?


You have to have great people skills and great time management and customer service skills.

What sort of training or experience do you need?


You need to know how to drive a bus. Once you have qualified for a job the company sends you to the training school for three weeks. Then drivers are allocated a depot and that's where my job as a tutor operator comes in. Some people are fast learners and it takes them two weeks to get familiar with all the routes. It's good to have a good knowledge of Auckland. You have to have held a full New Zealand driver's licence for two years.

What skills do you need?


You have to be a people person. You need time management skills, as you have to make sure you are here on time to run the trips. If you can't get up in the morning, this job would not be so good for you. You need patience because sometimes passengers are out of the ordinary and you need to know how to deal with them without being rude. You have to learn to deal with stress - traffic, passengers, everything.

Best part of the job?


I love my job, I enjoy it. The best part is meeting lots of new people.

Most challenging part?


It is the passengers not the traffic. Sometimes there is a language barrier. With the diversity in Auckland it can be hard to understand what a customer is trying to say about where they want to go. Normally I write it down and show it to them. You have to accept the traffic as there is nothing you can do about it. If you are running late, the company says "claim the overtime".

How do you define success?


When you get compliments from passengers on your driving and customer service. That always makes it a really good day.

What are your career hopes?


I plan to do midwifery but money to pay for the studies is a key factor.

If I wanted a job like yours, how would I go about it, and what qualifications would I need?


First, ring 0800 Stagecoach and talk to the recruitment section. They normally ask age, driving history and whether you have had a licence for two years. You can get a heavy transport licence yourself, otherwise the company puts you through the training.

What advice would you have for someone contemplating a career like yours?


If you want to think about bus driving, you have got to love driving, have great customer-service skills and be able to deal with difficult passengers and be patient. Without those things you wouldn't last.

Unlock all articles by subscribing to this international offer

All-Access + BusinessDesk Weekly

Herald Premium, Viva Premium, The Listener & BusinessDesk
Pay just
$10
$2
per week
See all offers
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Or
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'I have never stolen from you': Payout for bakery worker questioned over missing money

New Zealand

Afternoon quiz: What was the shortest war in history, lasting about 38 minutes?

New Zealand

'Honouring this little baby': Community gathers for Anahera's funeral


Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

'I have never stolen from you': Payout for bakery worker questioned over missing money
New Zealand

'I have never stolen from you': Payout for bakery worker questioned over missing money

Afternoon quiz: What was the shortest war in history, lasting about 38 minutes?
New Zealand

Afternoon quiz: What was the shortest war in history, lasting about 38 minutes?

Violent home invasion in Melbourne caught on camera
World

Violent home invasion in Melbourne caught on camera

'Honouring this little baby': Community gathers for Anahera's funeral
New Zealand

'Honouring this little baby': Community gathers for Anahera's funeral

Phoenix coach admits losing self as team faltered in A-League
Wellington Phoenix

Phoenix coach admits losing self as team faltered in A-League

Why tinned tomatoes are the unsung hero of your pantry
Lifestyle

Why tinned tomatoes are the unsung hero of your pantry



Latest from New Zealand

'I have never stolen from you': Payout for bakery worker questioned over missing money
New Zealand

'I have never stolen from you': Payout for bakery worker questioned over missing money

'It would be counter-productive of me to steal from people who pay my wages'.

16 Aug 03:00 AM
Afternoon quiz: What was the shortest war in history, lasting about 38 minutes?
New Zealand

Afternoon quiz: What was the shortest war in history, lasting about 38 minutes?

16 Aug 03:00 AM
'Honouring this little baby': Community gathers for Anahera's funeral
New Zealand

'Honouring this little baby': Community gathers for Anahera's funeral

16 Aug 02:17 AM


Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet
Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

10 Aug 09:12 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
Unlock all articles by subscribing to this international offer

All-Access + BusinessDesk Weekly

Herald Premium, Viva Premium, The Listener & BusinessDesk
Pay just
$10
$2
per week
See all offers
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Or
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search