The make-up of the Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) workforce
The Bus and Scheduled Express Coach industries carry over four and half billion passengers a year, in fact two out of every three public transport journeys are taken by bus. Bus drivers are responsible for transporting their passengers along set routes and for providing an efficient and safe service. They follow a timetable and collect and drop off people at allocated stops. They also take fares and check passes, as well as deal with passenger enquiries. They are responsible for the care, safety and comfort of their passengers.
Most bus drivers work on routes in towns and cities, although there are also bus routes which are based rurally, linking local villages with larger towns in the area.
Bus drivers have to develop specific skills in order to safely pilot their vehicle; they have to understand the differences between being in charge of a small car and a large passenger carrying vehicle, some of which can be up to 18 metres long (bendy-buses) or 4 metres high (double deckers).
The working environment
Most bus drivers work shifts or rotas covering early mornings, evenings and weekends. Full-time working hours can range from 37 to 45 a week, over five or six days. Part-time opportunities are increasing.
Bus drivers spend most of their working day sitting in the cabs of their vehicles. Some cabs are sealed off from the passenger area by security screens. They rarely leave the cab, as they are not obliged to help passengers on and off the bus.
Bus drivers usually have to wear a uniform, which the company provides.
Learning to drive a bus
There are no formal academic entry requirements to become a bus driver, although employers will expect basic levels of literacy and numeracy.
Bus drivers do however need to have a PCV (passenger carrying vehicle) licence – also known as a category D licence. To train for this licence, a full UK driving licence is required. To drive for a commercial operation, bus drivers also need a PCV Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC).
Drivers cannot train for the PCV licence and Driver CPC until they are 18 or older. At the age of 18, PCV drivers cannot drive all routes and must usually wait till the age of 21 to be allowed to drive on major bus or coach routes.
Many companies give entrants PCV and Driver CPC training while paying them a trainee wage. Trainees must pass a full medical test to make sure that they have good enough eyesight and are fit enough to drive a large vehicle. It is also possible to train for the licence and Driver CPC independently.
Jobs, for both trainees and drivers with licences, may be advertised in the local press, by employment agencies and on the websites of bus companies. Eighty per cent of employment in the bus industry is represented by six main companies - Arriva, First, Go-Ahead, National Express, Stagecoach and Transdev. There are vacancies throughout the UK
Opportunities
After gaining a PCV licence and the Driver CPC, a driver can drive any bus or coach. They can progress to become a supervisor, service controller or inspector, manager or driving instructor.
Bus drivers can also study for industry related qualifications. These include:-
- Edexcel level 2 BTEC certificate in transporting passengers by bus and coach
- NVQ level 2 in passenger carrying vehicle driving (offered by City & Guilds, Edexcel and EDI)
- NVQ level 2 in road passenger vehicle driving (offered by City & Guilds, Edexcel and EDI)
- SVQ level 2 in passenger carrying vehicle driving (offered by EDI and SQA).
Minibus
If you want to learn to drive a bus ... Minibus (D1) training is available from:
Bill Lavender
Thames Training & Development Ltd
Thames House
Charfleets Service Road
Canvey Island
Essex, SS8 0PA
01708 748221
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