Bus or coach driver
Bus and coach drivers transport passengers on local, national or overseas journeys.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
As a bus driver, you could:
- 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
If you're a coach driver, you may also:
- greet passengers and check travel documents
- load and unload luggage
- make announcements during the journey
- keep the coach clean and do basic vehicle checks
- record driving hours and report any incidents
- deal with border control authorities on trips abroad
Working environment
You may need to wear a uniform.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a service scheduler, inspector, depot manager or driver training instructor.
You could also set up your own business. For this you'll need the Transport Manager Certificate of Professional Confidence (CPC). This can be done through a local training provider.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- 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 organise your time and workload
- the ability to operate and control equipment
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
- have a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) known as a driver CPC
- be over 18 years of age
- have a full driving licence
Every 5 years you'll need to:
- take 35 hours of Driver CPC training
- renew your bus driving licence if you're aged 45 or over
Find out more about applying for your provisional PCV licence.
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
You can apply to do a Passenger Transport Driver Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship, with a bus or coach company.
You will need to hold at least a Category B (car driving licence) to start training.
The apprenticeship typically takes 12 months to complete and combines workplace training with off-the-job study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
More Information
You can apply to bus or coach companies and train on the job.
Most companies will expect you to have a at least 6 months' car driving experience.
You would be put through Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) driver training that normally lasts between 1 and 6 weeks.
Your employer will also give you training for the Certificate of Professional Competence or Driver CPC.
Career tips
Some travel companies offer contracts where you receive a daily rate until the job is complete. For example, it might be driving passengers on a coaching holiday. In cases like these, the rates can be from £120 a day upwards.
Further information
You can find out how to become a qualified bus driver on GOV.UK.
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.