Daily commute on Wairarapa train line leads to new career

Last year Dave Yeates was a regular commuter on the Wairarapa train line, traveling to Wellington for work – now he is among the latest graduates of Metlink’s driver training school.

“I was looking for a change – something different. I wish I had found this job 10 years ago.”

Dave says his time spent commuting on the train every day revealed to him the possibility of a career in rail, so he decided to apply for a spot in the driver training school run by Metlink’s operator for Wellington’s railway – Transdev.

“The camaraderie while we were training was good, we helped each other get through. Being the oldest in the group it was hard to get back into the study side of it but the other guys were a big help.”

Dave’s new role as a locomotive engineer has also opened a door for his son Steve. After seeing advertisements for vacancies in train control, Dave encouraged his son to apply. Steve is now in training and is excited to begin a career in the same industry as his dad.

Dave says he is looking forward to putting his new skills to use, driving across the Wellington regional rail network.

“Every line has its own identities and challenges, I really enjoy the variety each one offers.”