Bus or coach driver

Bus and coach drivers transport passengers on local, national or overseas journeys.

• Starter salary£25,000 a year
• Experienced£37,000 a year
• Typical hours40 to 48 a week

What you'll do

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.

Skills and knowledge you'll need

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

How to become a bus or coach driver

You can get into this job through:

• an apprenticeship
• applying directly

Apprenticeship

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

Direct application

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.

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 .

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.

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.

Guides for this industry

• Transport & Logistics: pay, interviews and getting started →

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