Any bus or coach drivers out there?

[wanderings]

(I haven't found an AMA thread on this!) I've been vaguely thinking about taking it up as a job, now I'm in my late 30's. I love driving, and I was a car driving instructor for several years, so the challenge of driving something bigger appeals to me; and I'd consider instructing in this area in years to come, if I gain enough experience.

My question is, what's it really like doing it day after day? Lots of people have said that once the novelty has worn off it would be mind-numbingly boring, especially if you do the same route every day, but I haven't spoken to anyone who's actually done it. And should I worry for the future of it with driverless vehicles? I know someone who's been driving trains for ten years and still loves it (saying that although it's well-paid, it's very competitive and very difficult to get into).

I worked for a bus company for a number of years, and although not a bus driver, passed my test and drove on a few occasions when staff shortages existed.

Depending on where you live, you will not be doing the same route every day, and not necessarily the same journey for a few days in a row. What you need to remember is different from the car experience is the greater traffic congestion you have to endure (no rat runs), and that a small proportion of people are not very nice at all (as in retail- often you are the first person they speak to each day).

Shift work may be good or bad for you depending on your interests (this will most likely include evenings and Sundays too), and you may be glad not to see a screen, PC or tablet for 8 hours a day. Those few people I worked with often said how glad they were to be not in an office environment.

The one thing I did find I did not like was that the workforce at the time was very largely male, and very few under 30. I know this has changed a bit, but not by much it seems.

Hope my thoughts from a part-time bus driving experience are useful.

My dad was a bus driver, although it was many years ago, so I’m not sure how much has changed. He was
never out of a job and could always pick up extra shifts. However, the pay wasn’t great, it could get drafty and the general public aren’t always that nice. Sick pay was ssp only and leave entitlement wasn’t great either. If you can, I would try for train driving. My dad later qualified as a driver and loved it. Your work as a driving instructor will stand you on good stead, as you’ll have fast reactions and good concentration.

I know someone who does this. He found bus driving a bit tedious, as he got the same routes every day and found the passengers to be somewhat belligerent! Loves the variety of coach driving, although it does mean a lot of nights away from home eg driving a bunch of people on a coach tour holiday, or having to sleep away overnight if doing a long journey so not legally possible to go there and back in a day.

I was a bus driver for 12 years!!

You have to be a people person and have a high tolerance/patience level :-)

It’s a good job though, pay is ok( could always be better).its shift work so you may be up at the crack of dawn or working last bus till early am.
Plenty of fun/laughs with colleagues though and you make friends - customers can be very good or very bad lol