Careers in Bus

Do you have good driving skills, a friendly and helpful manner, basic numeracy skills, and a good knowledge of local or national routes?  Consider a career as a bus or coach driver. 

The Welsh Government is actively supporting the recruitment of drivers, both in Wales and further afield, and there are a wide variety of different opportunities available.

Being a bus or coach driver is an exciting and fast-paced career that offers great opportunities for progression in a skilled role, in a dynamic transport sector that’s growing and changing. There’re a diverse range of roles available that each offer different experiences and unique job benefits, so it’s all about finding the role that’s best for you.

Serving local communities

As a local bus driver, you’ll serve and engage with local communities by providing an essential service that offers a lifeline for many, including the huge numbers of people who don’t have access to cars, working people, young people, and students. Bus services are also a key driver for reducing local traffic congestion and pollution in our communities.

Long-distance travelling in the UK and abroad

Being a coach driver offers exciting opportunities to operate over longer-distance routes and travel to a diverse range of destinations across the UK and abroad. If you’re driving over a long distance, you’ll often work with a buddy and get allocated rest time between journeys, allowing you to spend time in beauty spots, holiday and leisure destinations across the UK, and perhaps further afield in Europe.

Career advancement 

Being a bus driver is a role that will allow you to grow, with fantastic opportunities for training and development that will mean you’re in a strong position to advance in your career. As you gain more experience and training, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to progress from being a bus driver into mentoring and oversight roles, as well as more senior and higher-salaried positions such as Bus Manager.

Part-time roles are available

There are opportunities for part-time roles, which could include driving school or college bus services at fixed times throughout the day. You’ll serve local communities while having a role that fits in with your personal circumstances.
 

As a bus/coach driver, you’ll be transporting passengers from one place to another. On certain buses, you’ll also be responsible for checking passengers’ tickets and passes. 

While driving, you’ll need to keep to a timetable as much as possible. Traffic or accidents on the road can cause delays. But most roads have a special bus lane which will help with your timekeeping.

Local authorities as well as private bus companies are recruiting bus drivers to serve local communities. You could also be employed as a coach driver, working for a private coach hire/charter firm, or a tour operator.

The routes covered by different bus operators are varied and can include local routes as well as long-distance express services. Depending on the type of role you are looking for, you could work in Wales, across the UK or even run holiday coach tours to Europe.