Carousel Buses celebrates International Women’s Day

Carousel Buses celebrates its all-female management team as it marks International Women’s Day. 

The business is bucking the trend in a male-dominated industry thanks to its all-female management team that runs the operator’s extensive bus network. 

Carousel Buses created the management team to support its continued growth plans following its successful £2.5M takeover of Arriva’s High Wycombe operation last summer.

Rachel Perkins, Operations Manager, Sally Roycroft, Assistant Operations Manager and Debbie-Ann Smith, Operations and Commercial Assistant, now lead the company.

Together, they run Carousel Buses’ day-to-day operations across multiple counties and its 200 employees. They provide passengers with safe, reliable, and comfortable service for passengers while overseeing further network expansion plans. 

With more than 30 years of combined experience in the bus industry, the trio celebrated the role of women in the sector on International Women’s Day.

During her six years in the sector, Rachel has progressed and joined Carousel Buses’ parent company, Go-Ahead Group’s graduate scheme. 

She said: “It’s a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same, and I’m pleased to be part of Carousel’s growth plans. 

 “As well as providing our usual high standards of service to customers, ensuring each of our departments is supported to deliver a slick operation behind the scenes is just as important, particularly as we expand our network. 

“I think it can be easy for people to stereotype the bus industry as a male-dominated sector where I’ve found it is the exact opposite.” 

Meanwhile, Sally transferred to Carousel Buses from sister company Oxford Bus Company after ten years of service as a driver and in the control room. 

She said: “People stereotype the bus sector as being male-dominated, but that’s far from the reality in my experience. 

“We have a growing number of female drivers, and behind the scenes, many women play a crucial role in keeping our roads moving. The bus sector is a great environment for women to enjoy a varied and rewarding career.”

Debbie-Ann has more than 15 years of experience in the bus industry, having held several operations roles in London.

She said: “Working in the bus industry is fantastic and I’ve enjoyed so much career progression. 

“There are so many career options for women to explore, and the work assigned can make a genuine positive difference in people’s lives.”

Luke Marion, Managing Director of Carousel Buses, added: “We’re proud to have an all-female leadership team at Carousel Buses and their career progression is a shining example of the opportunities that are available for women in the bus sector.  

“International Women’s Day is a fantastic chance to celebrate the huge contribution females make in society. One of our core values is embracing diversity, and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of our passengers and communities. We hope our team’s experiences will serve to inspire more females to join the industry.”