When Petrina turned 24, she followed her dad’s footsteps and became a bus driver!
“I started in 2005 as a bus driver. I was looking for job security at that stage and I liked a job that provided me with maternity leave down the track. When I first started in my mid-20s. This was very much in my background as my father is also a bus driver. It was just a job in the beginning, but overtime, it’s the community that I care about. Particularity, there are some vulnerable people in our community really rely on us. I feel like it’s my responsibility to take care of them,” said Petrina.
Petrina’s partner is also a bus driver. When their kids were very little, they worked in opposite shifts – a day and a night alternatively, weeks in or weeks out for years. As a family, they worked hard to juggle between childcare and the day-to-day work.
“Now that my kids are 9 and 11 years old, they are old enough to understand that this is our job, they don’t complain. When I’m driving, I like the customer service aspect. I love picking up the old people, the little kids and occasionally getting to hold the baby. There is a hundred times of kindness in every day. Even though they are just the little things, I could have the opportunity to have a big impact on a person’s day and I think that is really cool.”
Petrina also works at the field team and the communications centre. By working with Transport Canberra, Petrina has found herself learning new things and growing as a person. She said she is definitely not the same person as when she first started.
“In the last 5 years, there are a lot more women coming through. I’d like to see them go a bit further, put their hand up for those great opportunities. I’ve also noticed that we are bringing multiple backgrounds of people to our workforce. It’s great to have them onboard so we can provide different dimensions of customer services to the community.”
Petrina, an individual who prioritises the team and the community before herself - thank you, Petrina!
