How much do bus drivers get paid?
BUS drivers can get paid well above average for ferrying people from A to B.
Here’s what you need to know about bus drivers’ pay.
How much do bus drivers get paid?
Bus drivers’ starting salaries tend to be between £20,000 and £30,000 depending on experience and location.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary is £27,000 in London and elsewhere is £22,000.
Stagecoach says f you’re already a qualified Passenger Carrying Vehicle driver, you’ll start on a higher salary that reflects your years on the road.
And if you have five years’ employment with another bus operator, you could join for a top rate with a valid Licence.
You could also increase your salary with overtime.
Metroline say they their longest-serving drivers’ up to £45,000.
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How do I become a bus driver?
You’ll need a full driver’s licence, with at least one year’s UK driving experience.
And you might need to be prepared to work varying shift patterns, which include rostered weekends and bank holidays.
An aspiring bus driver would also have to get a PCV lisence.
For this, you’ll have to do a course that can cost between £1,000 and £3,000 depending on whether you choose an agency or a PCV training school.
To ensure you get the right training course for you, research thoroughly and compare like with like.
Applicants will also have to watch out that they’ve been careful on the roads, as people with six points or more on their licence may not be eligible .
One bus driver, Jodie Leigh Fox, 24, has been a bus driver for five years and revealed what she really thinks about drunk customers, and the rudest comments she’s received.
Jodie says: “People think it’s easy, but there is a lot to think about when you become a bus driver – remember we have people’s life’s in our hands.
“However, driving a bus is not that much more complicated than driving a car.
“You do have to be more careful, given the length and weight of a bus, as well as the responsibility you have to your passengers.
“We have our daily checks that have to be completed, checking everything to make sure the bus is ok for service.”
While driving through the sights of London sounds like a great day out, as a driver you also have to constantly battle traffic jams.
Jodie says: “I’d say the hardest part is trying to work under pressure when you’re running on a tight schedule and there’s traffic.
“Sometimes it does get stressful especially in the summer as you’re sitting in a hot sweaty cab.”