‘The bus depot is like a family and everyone looks out for everyone’
Cassie Mcneill began working as a Translink bus driver 14 months ago after deciding she wanted a change following nine years in corporate communications.
One motivation was contact with the public — ironically the aspect impacted most by the coronavirus control measures.
While Cassie, who is based at Great Victoria Street station in Belfast, recognises the danger she is exposing herself to by being in direct contact with the public, she acknowledges the safety measures her employer has put in place to protect her.
“The company has provided us with gloves, masks and everything else,” she says.
“When you are speaking to your regulars — and for some of them, you might be the only person they do speak to — you don’t want to be rude.
“So when I see them coming, I get out of the cab and stand away from them rather than ask them to stand away, but if people are too close to either me or to each other in the bus, I do ask them to space themselves out.
“Generally the majority do this automatically and very few are paying with cash, which is good, but some people still don’t seem to get the message. Still, the reality is that when someone gets on the bus, I have no idea if they have coronavirus or if they have been in contact with coronavirus. That does worry me and a lot of the drivers but we know a lot of people rely on us.
“Without us, a lot of elderly people wouldn’t get to the shops and a lot of NHS workers use us to get to and from work.
“So we just keep saying to ourselves ‘clean our bus bays, wear gloves and change them often’, but of course there is still a fear there.”
The risks of the job weighs heavily but sharing concerns with colleagues helps.
“While it might sound corny, inside the depot it is like a big family and everybody looks out for everybody else,” says Cassie.
“Bus drivers love their tea and banter and that is especially needed now in a way no one would have imagined. It keeps the spirits up.”
❝ Without us a lot of elderly people wouldn’t get to the shop and a lot of NHS workers use us