Sara Khosrav

5.45 AM

My alarm goes off. I am not a morning person. I set my alarm as late as possible and so I have 15min to get ready. I get up, get changed, grab my meals that I prepped the night before (The usual: Chicken, Brown rice and Veggies- I’m all about the gains) and I am out the door! Ready for the 1 hour and 45min commute where I either listen to podcasts, stream my favorite series on Netflix or watch the English Premier League- Any Arsenal fans out there?

7.45 AM - 8.15 AM

Since I have a long commute, my Manager lets me start work earlier and therefore finish earlier too-the flexibility here at Transdev is amazing! I get into the depot and start my day with a long black coffee. I catchup with some of my colleagues, they tell me about some exciting news that happened overnight: our Light Rail has successfully reached Circular Quay for the first time!

8.15 AM - 9.00 AM

I get to my office, turn my computer on and catch up on my emails and all the news that happened over night by reading the latest events and articles. I find out that it has been over 60 years since a Light Rail has travelled down George Street- what a historical moment! It is awesome to be a part of such a huge project. I then plan my day out by checking my calendar and writing a list of to do’s for the day. Bring it on!

9.00 AM - 10.30 AM

First on the agenda: a meeting with the Training, Operations and Rail Safety Panel. Because of this interaction and exposure to various departments, I have found the area that interests me most: Rail Safety. Today in our meeting, we are discussing the Training Program for our future Drivers. Together, we read through the presentations, modules and manuals. We come to an agreement on what is crucial to include in the Training Program and what should and shouldn’t be included in the manuals. In this meeting, my Supervisor has asked me to help with a Route Familiarization document called the Line Manual. The purpose of this manual is to highlight key risk areas and potential hazards for our new drivers along the alignment.

10.30 AM - 1.00 PM

Safety First! I put on my Hard Hat, get changed into my PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and take my engineering drawings with me to complete a site walk. Along the walk, I take photos and note down the location of the rail signals, road traffic signals and speed signs. I also have the chance to hop on board the Light Rail to view things from the driver’s perspective. I mark areas on my drawings where there may be blind spots, high risk pedestrian crossings, gradients in the track and any other areas of concern.

1.00 PM - 1.30 PM

It’s lunch time! I head back to the depot and heat up my chicken, brown rice and veggies and walk over to the park down the road. Perks of this Park? It’s a dog park. If I’m lucky, a dog will make my day by coming up to me and saying hello. Other days, a couple of my colleagues and I will head over to the local swimming pool and fit in a few laps during our lunch break. This gives us a chance to take a break from work, be social and active- important when having an office job!

1.30 PM - 3.30 PM

I spend the afternoon taking my recordings from the walk/ride, and updating them onto the Line Manual. I show my progress to my supervisor and ask for his feedback to ensure I am on the right track (No pun intended).

3.30 PM - 4.15 PM

I spend the rest of the afternoon checking things off my to do list and responding to any emails I had missed throughout the day. I check tomorrow’s calendar and see that I have a meeting in the Pyrmont Offices. I take this opportunity to organize a catch up with my mentor who is based there and talk to her about my transition from student to full time worker- she gives great advice and support!

4.15 PM - 5.30 PM

Time to relax and watch some Netflix/listen to some music as I make my way home.

5.30 PM - 7.30 PM

I’m home and I’m tired after a busy day. But it is time to head to the gym and make those gains!

7.30 PM - 8.30 PM

I get home, shower and change into my pajamas (finally!) and start preparing my meals for the next day.

9.30 PM

It's past my bedtime. Time to sleep.