Bus driver job description: seven duties, how to become a bus driver in the UK, the shift reality, and a template

The job looks like driving. Most of the difficulty is everything else: the wheelchair ramp at a stop with a queue behind, the passenger who has no fare and needs to get to hospital, the diversion that makes the timetable impossible, the school run at half past three. A bus driver job description that lists only "drive the bus safely" is describing the easiest part of the day.

This article sets out the duties and responsibilities of a bus driver using the US O*NET occupational database and the UK National Careers Service, then explains how to become a bus driver in the UK using the GOV.UK route through the PCV licence and the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence. It covers the differences between bus, coach and school work, the shift reality, a job description template, and what an operator should put in an advert if it wants the driver to still be there next year. Licensing rules change; check GOV.UK for the current requirements.

Drivers work alone all day and their managers rarely see the work, which makes the regular conversation more important, not less. See how New Dynamics continuous feedback supports check-ins between depot managers and their drivers.

What does a bus driver do?

O*NET describes the occupation as driving a “bus or motor coach, including regular route operations, charters, and private carriage”, and notes that drivers may assist passengers with baggage and collect fares or tickets. The National Careers Service lists the bus driver's day as taking fares, checking tickets and passes, giving timetable or route information, helping passengers who are having difficulty getting on or off, and driving safely while keeping to timetables.

Bus driver duties: seven responsibilities

1. Vehicle checks. Inspect the vehicle and check fuel, oil and water before departure, in O*NET's task; complete the daily walk-round and defect report; report faults rather than driving on.
2. Driving to the timetable. Drive over the specified route to schedule, complying with traffic regulations “to ensure that passengers have a smooth and safe ride”; park at loading areas so passengers can board; read maps and plan around diversions.
3. Passengers. Assist elderly passengers and people with disabilities on and off, make sure they are seated properly, help with baggage and answer questions about schedules and routes; announce stops; ask passengers to be seated and orderly.
4. Fares and tickets. Collect cash fares, check tickets and passes, operate the ticket machine and handle the disputes that come with it.
5. Incidents and reporting. Handle passenger emergencies or disruptions; report delays or accidents; follow the operator's procedures for first aid, evacuation and anti-social behaviour.
6. Comfort and cleanliness. Regulate heating, lighting and ventilation for passenger comfort; keep the vehicle clean and presentable.
7. Records. Record cash receipts and ticket fares, maintain the log book and, as the National Careers Service notes for coach work, record driving hours.

Bus, coach, school and minibus

• Service bus. Fixed routes, frequent stops, concessionary passes, all-day contact with the public, shifts covering early morning to late evening.
• Coach. The National Careers Service adds greeting passengers and checking travel documents, loading and unloading luggage, making announcements during the journey, keeping the coach clean, doing basic vehicle checks, recording driving hours and reporting incidents, and on trips abroad dealing with border control authorities. Long days, overnight stays and tour work.
• School transport. Shorter split shifts around the school day, a regular set of passengers, and behaviour management as a real part of the job.
• Minibus and community transport. Smaller vehicles, sometimes different licence requirements, often assisting passengers with mobility needs; check which licence category and permit apply.

Say which of these the job is. A driver who wants split shifts and school runs and a driver who wants long-distance coach tours are different people.

How to become a bus driver in the UK

GOV.UK's guide to becoming a qualified HGV or bus driver sets out the requirements: you need “a full car licence”, to be “over 18 - but there are some exceptions”, and to get “a professional driving qualification called the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)”. You must hold the full Driver CPC if you drive a bus or coach as the main part of your job.

1. Check the basics. Full car licence, minimum age, and the medical requirements for a professional licence.
2. Apply for a provisional bus licence. GOV.UK's first step for qualifying is to apply for a provisional HGV or bus licence.
3. Pass the five Driver CPC tests. GOV.UK describes the full Driver CPC as made up of five tests: part 1 theory, part 2 case studies, part 3a off-road exercises, part 3b on-road driving and part 4 practical demonstration. Not everyone takes all five; someone retraining from an HGV qualification may not need to.
4. Stay qualified. Take “35 hours of Driver CPC training every 5 years to stay qualified”. Renew the bus licence every five years, and every year from 65. The National Careers Service adds licence renewal from age 45.

The two ways in. The National Careers Service describes an apprenticeship route, the Passenger Transport Driver level 2 intermediate apprenticeship with a bus or coach company, which typically takes twelve months and requires at least a category B car licence to start; and direct application, where most companies expect at least six months of car driving experience and put the recruit through PCV driver training. Many operators fund the training in return for a commitment to stay, which is worth stating plainly in the advert.

A note on the National Vocational Training route. GOV.UK says that on an approved NVT course you can drive professionally for up to twelve months without taking the Driver CPC part 2 and part 4 tests.

Skills, and the shift reality

The National Careers Service lists customer service skills, knowledge of public safety and security, thoroughness and attention to detail, patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations, knowledge of transport methods, working well with others, organising your own time, operating and controlling equipment, and basic computer or hand-held device skills.

What the list understates is the shift pattern, which is the single thing most likely to end the employment. Early starts before public transport runs, split shifts with an unpaid gap in the middle, weekends, and rest-day working to cover vacancies. An advert that hides this fills the vacancy and reopens it three months later. State the rota, the earliest start, the latest finish, how far in advance the rota is published, and how rest days are protected.

Bus driver job description template

Job title: Bus Driver (or Coach Driver, PCV Driver; state school, service or private hire)

Reports to: Depot Manager or Operations Supervisor

Scope: State the depot, the routes or type of work, the vehicle types, the shift pattern and the uniform.

Purpose: Carry passengers safely, comfortably and to time, look after the vehicle and the people on it, and represent the operator to the public.

Responsibilities:

• Complete daily vehicle checks before departure and report defects.
• Drive the assigned route to the timetable, complying with traffic law and the operator's safety rules.
• Assist passengers, including those with mobility needs, and answer questions about routes and times.
• Operate the ticket machine, collect fares and check passes.
• Manage incidents and disruption calmly; follow emergency and safeguarding procedures.
• Report delays, accidents and faults; complete log books and driving-hours records.
• Keep the vehicle clean and the saloon comfortable.

Requirements:

• Full car licence and the category required for the vehicle; PCV entitlement, or willingness to train.
• Driver CPC, or eligibility to obtain it, and the 35 hours of periodic training every five years.
• Minimum age, medical fitness and the background checks the work requires, including those for school transport.
• Customer service, patience and calm under pressure.

Working pattern: State the shift pattern, earliest start and latest finish, weekend and bank holiday working, how far ahead the rota is published, and overtime and rest-day arrangements.

Training and progression: State what the operator funds, and the routes on to scheduler, inspector, depot manager or driver training instructor.

Keeping the drivers you recruit

Operators compete for the same licensed drivers, and most of the reasons drivers leave are in the employer's gift:

1. The rota. Publish it further ahead, protect rest days, and fix the split shifts that make a nine-hour day take fourteen.
2. The first month. Route learning with a mentor, not a map; a named person to call; a check-in at week one and week four.
3. Respect on the road. Back drivers on anti-social behaviour, and make reporting easy and worth doing.
4. A route out of the cab. The National Careers Service lists scheduler, inspector, depot manager and driver training instructor, and the Transport Manager CPC for those who want to run a business. Say so in the advert; most drivers never hear it.

Frequently asked questions

What are the duties and responsibilities of a bus driver?

Daily vehicle checks, driving the route to the timetable and to traffic law, assisting passengers on and off and answering route questions, collecting fares and checking tickets, handling emergencies and disruption, reporting delays and accidents, keeping the vehicle clean and comfortable, and completing log books and records. Coach work adds travel documents, luggage, announcements and driving-hours records.

How do you become a bus driver in the UK?

GOV.UK's route: hold a full car licence, be over 18 with some exceptions, apply for a provisional bus licence and gain the full Driver Certificate of Professional Competence, which is made up of five tests. You then take 35 hours of Driver CPC training every five years to stay qualified. The National Careers Service describes two ways in: a Passenger Transport Driver level 2 apprenticeship, typically twelve months, or direct application to an operator that provides PCV training, usually expecting six months of car driving experience.

How long does it take to become a bus driver?

The apprenticeship route typically takes twelve months, in the National Careers Service's description. Direct-entry PCV training with an operator is considerably shorter, and many operators fund it in exchange for a commitment to stay. The exact time depends on test availability and the operator's programme.

What licence does a bus driver need?

Passenger Carrying Vehicle entitlement for the category of vehicle driven, obtained after a provisional licence and the driving tests, plus the Driver CPC for anyone driving a bus or coach as the main part of their job. Licences are renewed every five years and annually from 65; check GOV.UK for the current rules, including the medical requirements.

Is being a bus driver a good job?

It suits people who are calm with the public, comfortable alone for long periods and content with a routine route. The pay is steady and the training is usually funded. The difficulty is the shift pattern: early starts, split shifts and weekend work. An operator that publishes the rota well ahead and protects rest days keeps drivers; one that does not, does not.

Your next step: put the rota in the advert

1. Say which work the job is: service, school, coach or private hire.
2. State the licence and Driver CPC position, and what the operator funds.
3. Publish the shift pattern, earliest start, latest finish and rota notice in the advert.
4. Name the routes out of the cab and who to talk to about them.

For a plan to keep the drivers you spend money training, read and download our employee retention guide. The guide is free to read, and the PDF uses our short download form.

Want check-ins and development conversations to reach people who are never in the office, on your own form? Book a New Dynamics demo and bring your current driver induction. You can also email contact@new-dynamics.com.