Bus drivers take passengers to and from destinations, locally, nationally and overseas. They travel regular routes, with scheduled stops along the way to pick up and drop off passengers.

On local routes, for example in a town or city, drivers take fares, issue tickets, check transport passes and give timetable or route information. They also assist elderly or disabled passengers who are having difficulty getting on or off the vehicle.

On longer journeys, for instance between cities, they help to load and unload luggage, check tickets and passes and make sure that all passengers are back onboard after service station stops.

Some drivers take coaches overseas, crossing to Europe by ferry or rail. They carry out all the duties above but also keep passengers up to date with travel information and deal with foreign authorities, for example when going through border controls. Drivers taking coach parties on holiday, often provide a running commentary on points of interest, as they pass through countries.

Bus drivers also work in community transport, ferrying schoolchildren, hospital patients and the elderly to their destinations.

Other duties include making basic vehicle checks before taking their bus or coach out and reporting any incidents that occur during their shift to inspectors back at the depot.

Hours and Environment

There are strict regulations governing weekly maximum driving hours and how long drivers can drive between breaks. This usually means working up to 48 hours a week, which can include evening and weekend shifts. Local buses normally start about 6am and finish around midnight. Coach drivers' shifts depend on route timetables.

If you work as a coach driver taking holiday tours, you can be away from home for several days at a time. This kind of work may be seasonal, depending on your employer.

You spend most of your time sitting at the wheel of your vehicle.

Skills and Interests

To be a bus driver, you need:

• excellent driving skills
• a patient manner and responsible attitude
• the ability to read traffic signs and instructions
• cash handling skills
• good customer service skills
• an assertive but polite approach to unruly passengers
• some basic knowledge of other languages if driving overseas.

Entry

You do not need any particular qualifications to become a bus or coach driver but you will need a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence before you can carry passengers.

You can get a PCV licence by passing the test and meeting the necessary medical, eyesight and health requirements. You must hold a full EU driving licence and be at least 21 (or 18 to drive minibuses and on certain bus routes). See the Training section for more details.

Some people start as volunteers, driving for community transport, which they combine with another job, for example as a teacher or care assistant. To do this for non-profit-making community organisations, you need to have held a full EU driving licence for two years and be aged at least 21.

Driver CPC
A new EU Directive comes into force on 10th September 2008, which states that  new PCV drivers will need to gain a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) as well as the PCV licence. It is known as the Driver CPC. Existing PCV drivers will be able to gain the CPC through periodic training. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has details on its website about the Driver CPC training and test.

See the GoSkills website in Further Information for more details about bus and coach driving as a career.

Training

Most bus and coach companies will take on people with a driving licence and train them to achieve the PCV licence.

PCV driver training normally lasts between one and six weeks. You have to pass a practical and theoretical driving test and a medical examination. You can obtain details of the PCV test from the Driving Standards Agency (or from Driver and Vehicle Licensing in Northern Ireland).

All recruits receive induction training, which includes learning to operate ticket machines, route familiarisation, customer care, and health and safety matters.

You can arrange and pay for your own lessons and test. Application forms for licences can be obtained from Post Offices, and details of driving schools and test centres can be found in local telephone directories. If you are unemployed, you may be able to train and obtain a PCV licence through the New Deal Scheme – contact your local Jobcentre Plus office for details.

Once in a job, you can work towards NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in Road Passenger Transport and specialise in bus, coach, community transport, passenger support or customer service.

You can take the Edexcel (BTEC) Certificate in Transporting Passengers by Bus and Coach, which is a short programme designed to support and enhance the knowledge of prospective or existing drivers. It is suitable for new entrants, for drivers who want to take continuing professional development, or for drivers who want to update their qualifications after an absence from driving.

For more information about training and qualifications for bus and coach drivers see the GoSkills website in Further Information.

Opportunities

There are over 130,000 drivers working in over 6,000 bus and coach companies.

You can work for organisations ranging from large companies, with a fleet of vehicles to very small firms, with just a few. You can also choose between companies running local bus services, those with long distance operations or holiday tour companies in the UK or overseas.

You can move into roles, such as service controller or inspector, depot manager or driver training instructor. Some drivers opt for self-employment. In this case, you will need to obtain an operator’s Certificate of Professional Competence (Passenger Transport).

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Trainee and new drivers usually earn between £10,000 and £14,000 a year.
Experienced bus and coach drivers earn £15,000 to £18,000 a year.
Some specialist tour coach drivers earn up to £22,000 a year.

Further information

Concorde House
Trinity Park
Solihull
Birmingham
B37 7UQ
Tel: 0121 635 5520 Customer Service Team
One90 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7BH
Tel: 0870 240 9800 County Hall
Castlerock Road
Coleraine
BT51 3TB
Tel: 0845 402 4000 Stanley House
56 Talbot Street
Nottingham
NG1 5GU
Tel: 0115 901 2500