UK Bus Drivers Compete to Be the Best

Possessing a bus driving licence means you qualify to safely and competently operate a bus on public roads. It does not necessarily mean that you are the best driver in the industry. To find that out, drivers compete in the annual Bus Driver of the Year competition in a bid to win the title and prizes totalling some £1,500.

The annual competition starts with an invitation to bus drivers all across the UK to compete. Through several rounds of competition, the participants are narrowed down to a group that invariably competes in the finals. This year’s finals, scheduled to take place in Blackpool on the first weekend in September, include 125 finalists from across the country. Two of those drivers are East Lancashire professionals who work for Transdev.

The finalists will gather at the Hilton Hotels where they will participate in two days of competition involving both a theory test and a practical skills competition. The driver who performs best will be named 2015 Bus Driver of the Year. According to one driver who spoke with the Lancashire Telegraph, the competition is anything but easy. Drivers still find it nerve-racking to take the theory and practical skills test under the pressure of competition. This despite the fact that they drive for a living.

Competition Good for the Industry

The Bus Driver of the Year award probably means very little to the average consumer who uses bus transportation to get around. However, it means everything to the drivers who compete. They take great pride in their work, and even more pride in the fact that their fellow drivers and the entire industry recognise all of the effort they put into driving.

The annual competition reminds us that bus driving is a skill that is both integral to life in the UK and one that not everyone possesses. It takes a tremendous amount of concentration, awareness, anticipation, and skill to safely navigate a bus on busy city streets every single day. Our compliments to those drivers who make it look easy. As far as the annual competition is concerned, it is good for the industry in that it encourages drivers to be the very best.

Each of the drivers competing in Blackpool this weekend started his or her journey by first earning a bus driving licence. That process includes taking several different tests and undergoing comprehensive training with a company like ours. Training to drive a bus can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on who you train with and how quickly you learn.

HGV Training Centre offers training classes for the bus driving licence at dozens of facilities around the UK. Our training is provided by professionals with years of experience in the industry. They know what it takes to be a safe and competent bus driver capable of handling the demands of the job. If you are interested, we have all of the information you need about earning your bus driving licence.

Sources:

1. Lancashire Telegraph – https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/13638902.display/