About this webinar 

Join us for this free lunchtime webinar to hear about the great work of the Winner of the 2024 CIHT Equality Diversity and Inclusion Award: Women in Bus and Coach. 

Women in Bus and Coach was established in 2023 to encourage more women to work in the bus and coach industry at every level, including drivers, mechanics, engineers and managers, and to support them to remain in the industry. 

Women in Bus and Coach aims to bring the industry together to drive change by:

• Providing a forum for discussion, knowledge and experience sharing.
• Leading research into issues facing women in the industry.
• Developing policies to encourage and support women.
• Developing training and guidance for companies and managers.

Why attend 

• Learn about the cross-industry network for supporting and promoting women’s participation
• Hear more about the barriers that women face which affects recruitment, retention and the inclusivity of the industry
• Free for all and perfect CPD opportunity 
• Interactive Q&A with experts 

Who is this webinar for 

This webinar is perfect for everyone who is interested in enhancing the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the transportation sector. It will be of particular interest for those wanting to learn more about cross- industry collaboration within the bus sector. 

Abut the speakers

Kerri Cheek, Director, Women in Bus and Coach 

Kerri is the Senior Bus Safety Development Manager at Transport for London, leading the bus safety development strategic change programme. The innovative and world-leading Bus Safety Programme delivers effective and measurable safety change in London and is successfully challenging the inertia across the bus industry both in the UK and internationally.
Kerri has worked at TfL since 2006 when she joined the Transport Planning Graduate Scheme and has worked in a variety of roles. Since joining the Bus Operations team, Kerri has led the development and delivery of the multi award-winning Bus Safety Standard, London’s bus driver fatigue programme, and recently the publication of TfL’s Bus Safety Strategy.
In 2023, Kerri was instrumental in launching Women in Bus and Coach. Kerri is a founding Director, the strategic lead and also the London Region Chair. Kerri won the Bus Centre of Excellence ‘Bus Person of the Year’ 2024 Award in recognition of her collaborative approach in bringing people together to effect positive change on safety and equality in the bus industry.

Laurence Jenkins, Finance Director at Reading Buses 

Laurence started his career in transport at the age of 16 working for National Express Coaches, starting as a sales advisor at Birmingham Coach Station and working up to Customer Experience Manager in Yorkshire following completion of his degree in Management and Transport Studies.  Laurence then moved to Transport for London (TfL), joining the Finance Graduate scheme where he worked across the business whist gaining his Chartered Management Accountant qualification.  He progressed through various Finance roles into Senior Management supporting London Underground’s Chief Operating Officer a number of the TfL Professional Services Managing Directors.
After 11 years at TfL, Laurence joined the construction industry providing finance support for a number of large rail and property projects and then joined Reading Buses as Finance Director, a position he has held for almost 5 years.  Laurence is passionate about equality and diversity in the workplace and beyond and sat on the committee of OUTBound, TfL’s award-winning LGBT staff network group, for several years and is now excited to be a part of the Women in Bus & Coach Board.  He is also a Trustee of SupportU, Berkshire’s LGBT charity.

Paul Sainthouse, Hon. FCILT, Managing Director of Dawsongroup bus and coach limited

Paul is Managing Director of Dawsongroup bus and coach limited, a position that he has held since 2002, is a member of the Dawsongroup plc Advisory Board and has a career in transport spanning 40 years. From an operational background in distribution and logistics Paul joined Dawsongroup Truck and Trailer as a management trainee in 1987, held a variety of leadership positions with the company and was appointed Fleet Operations Director in 1997, before finally moving permanently into passenger vehicles in 1998. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in 2024 and is a member of the Institute of Directors.

Paul has recently concluded his 2 year term as Global President of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and is a past-President, and still a Vice-President, of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK). He is a Board member of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, Chair of their Suppliers Commission and member of their Governance Committee. Paul is both Secretary and Advisory Board member of the ‘All-Party Parliamentary Group for Bus and Coach’, a Board Director of ‘The Institute of Couriers’ and of the ‘Women in Bus and Coach’ initiative. He was previously the Judge of the Transport and Infrastructure section of the ‘We are the City - Rising Stars’ Awards which recognises outstanding performance within the female talent pipeline.