You’d take people from one spot to another, whether it was only a few streets, between towns and cities, or on vacation.
It’s a serious job; people will rely on you to safely transport them to their destination.
You would travel along predefined routes, stopping regularly to pick up and drop off passengers.
Responsibilities
Throughout your apprenticeship, you may help:
- take fares
- check tickets and passes
- give timetable or route information
- help passengers who are having difficulty getting on or off the vehicle
- drive safely and keep to timetables.
Salary
- Starting salaries for an apprentice is £18,000 per year.
- Experienced bus drivers can earn up to £34,000 per year.
Working hours
There are weekly driving time limits. Local services may need you to work up to 48 hours a week on shifts ranging from 6 a.m. to midnight, including evenings and weekends.
Working environment
You could work from a vehicle.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Qualifications
Qualifications you can achieve as an apprentice bus driver include:
- Level 2 Passenger Transport Driver – Entry requirements for this level include some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship typically takes 12 months to complete as a mix of workplace learning and off-the-job study.
Skills
On a bus driver apprenticeship, you’ll learn:
- customer service skills
- knowledge of public safety and security
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to operate and control equipment
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device.
Career path and progression
You might rise to the role of service controller or inspector, depot manager, or driver training instructor with time and experience.
You could even start your own business. For this, you’ll need the Transport Manager CPC in Passenger Transport. This might be accomplished with the assistance of a local training provider.