Trainee Bus Driver

Kimberley

I am currently in part time employment since 2005. My youngest is now at an age where he is less dependant on me so I don't need to work just during school term time anymore (I am a School kitchen cook)

I am looking for a full time job. I am very much interested in Becoming a Bus driver. I know it can be a stressful job (if you let it) and I know you have to work shifts but that does not bother me.

I've wanted this for a few years now but knew I had to have been driving 2 years minimum. I passed my driving test 2 years ago in June and have been driving the day I passed.

I have been invited to an assessment day to do a Highway code and maths test.

Has anyone been on these assessments? If you have how many stages are there before your selected for training?

I can only drive Vehicles with Automatic transmissions but I've been told the Bus companies only have Vehicles with manual controls for their driving assessments. Is that right? Buses are Automatic so I should be ok yes?

Thanks

Torry_Quine

Kimberley wrote: »

I am currently in part time employment since 2005. My youngest is now at an age where he is less dependant on me so I don't need to work just during school term time anymore (I am a School kitchen cook)

I am looking for a full time job. I am very much interested in Becoming a Bus driver. I know it can be a stressful job (if you let it) and I know you have to work shifts but that does not bother me.

I've wanted this for a few years now but knew I had to have been driving 2 years minimum. I passed my driving test 2 years ago in June and have been driving the day I passed.

I have been invited to an assessment day to do a Highway code and maths test.

Has anyone been on these assessments? If you have how many stages are there before your selected for training?

I can only drive Vehicles with Automatic transmissions but I've been told the Bus companies only have Vehicles with manual controls for their driving assessments. Is that right? Buses are Automatic so I should be ok yes?

Thanks

My cousin has been through this but wasn't succesful but not given a fair chance from what I know.

He had the first assessement which comprised highway code, maths and driving in a car. He was also drug and alcohol tested.

Following this he was given a job as a trainee bus driver. Was told that he was employed for two weeks when he would be trained before being put through his test.

During this time there was lots of health and safety training but very little time actually driving and in reality he had only a few hours with the bus. The next day when he went in he was told they didn't think he had the necessary skills so his contract ended. :mad:

Buses are automatic but whether they like people with a full licence I don't know.

Kimberley

Torry_Quine wrote: »

The next day when he went in he was told they didn't think he had the necessary skills so his contract ended. :mad:

That's what i'm worried about. I'd be gutted If I was given a provisional offer of a job only to be told I wasn't suitable enough and had given my part time job up

arbroath_lass

Can you ask to do the training in the school holidays?

Kimberley

arbroath_lass wrote: »

Can you ask to do the training in the school holidays?

They pay you when you are training so I would have to give my part time job up.

[Deleted User]

My hubby has just applied to Stagecoach, and one of the questions was "have you held a manual car licence for a minimum of 2 years"

I'm going to say that you only having an auto licence will be a big problem.

Kimberley

ilikethesimpsons wrote: »

My hubby has just applied to Stagecoach, and one of the questions was "have you held a manual car licence for a minimum of 2 years"

I'm going to say that you only having an auto licence will be a big problem.

Surely though they know I have a full Automatic licence from my application form and they have still invited me on an assessment day.

passatrider

Kimberley wrote: »

Surely though they know I have a full Automatic licence from my application form and they have still invited me on an assessment day.

I would go along to the assessment anyhow and just point out that you only have an auto licence and see what they say. You could even call them.

I trained with Firstbus back in 1999 and the bus was a manual, well it was a coach to be honest. I never drove a manual one after that as the rest of the fleet were automatics.

Good luck!

patman99

Bus gear-boxes are semi-automatic. That is, the driver just moves the gearstick though the 'H' pattern and the bus changes gear itself at the optimum point in the rev-range.
Other variants simply involve 'push-pull' gear-changes. As the gear-lever is pushed forward, so the gear-box goes up a gear, with the reverse happening when the lever is pulled-back.

There is some debate as to whether these gearing systems are covered by an automatic license.
At the end of the day though, if you have an automatic car license, it does not stop you from learning in, and passing a test in, a manual bus or lorry. Not sure though if doing this would then change the status of your car license to manual.

If you want to learn to be a bus driver, go for it. The pay isn't bad at over £9 p/h.
I've decided to train-up once my 2nd cataract has been done.

EDIT -
As the above post. FirstBus tend to run a fleet of relics that even smaller local firms would scrap round my way, so it may be worthwhile choosing a company who have manual buses for training.
Be aware though that it is common practice to make you pay the full training costs if you leave within 2 years.

Torry_Quine

patman99 wrote: »

Bus gear-boxes are semi-automatic. That is, the driver just moves the gearstick though the 'H' pattern and the bus changes gear itself at the optimum point in the rev-range.
Other variants simply involve 'push-pull' gear-changes. As the gear-lever is pushed forward, so the gear-box goes up a gear, with the reverse happening when the lever is pulled-back.

There is some debate as to whether these gearing systems are covered by an automatic license.
At the end of the day though, if you have an automatic car license, it does not stop you from learning in, and passing a test in, a manual bus or lorry. Not sure though if doing this would then change the status of your car license to manual.

If you want to learn to be a bus driver, go for it. The pay isn't bad at over £9 p/h.
I've decided to train-up once my 2nd cataract has been done.

EDIT -
As the above post. FirstBus tend to run a fleet of relics that even smaller local firms would scrap round my way, so it may be worthwhile choosing a company who have manual buses for training.
Be aware though that it is common practice to make you pay the full training costs if you leave within 2 years.

My cousin trained with First Bus and it was an automatic not a manual bus. A full double-decker.

The training costs aren't repayable if they decide you aren't suitable.

patman99

Down here in Essex they use some ancient buses that are 25+ years old. Not sure if they are manual as don't take much notice.

You are correct about the training costs. You only repay them if you pass your test (you get 2 goes with First) and then leave within 2 years.