stagedriver:
Now do touring on the coaches and can clear £1000 a week easily - But I’m in a very lucky position.
You certainly must be to be dragging that, sir. That must include everything 
gained from experience over the years, for a coach driver isn’t someone with a licence . . . it’s someone with knowledge.
Stan
It’s ok, apart from the people…
Joking aside, I did a few months for a local bandit, then changed to a half decent outfit. Be prepared to spend hours on your own waiting the the trippers to return. Not done service work so can’t comment. The day trips did bring in some tips, but started on minimum wage, no increase for shift work or anything.
You will be expected to clean the vehicle when you are done, it can be carp at 1am start cleaning, inside and outside!
Good luck
Paul
What’s long distance coach work like? Eg coach tours to the south of France etc? I should imagine that’s a nice number isn’t it?
Edit: wasn’t there a pst on here a while back about coach drivers trousers or something? 
Here it is: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=101178&p=1501083&hilit=Trousers+coach#p1501083
I do TFL work.
You do NOT get disaplined for being late, but if you run early your in the ■■■ ■■■!
All TFL buses have cctv, including on the driver, the cctv has got me out of the poopoo several times.
I haven’t done it for about 18 months now, but used to do rail replacement work. This is I find quite enjoyable and popular among the company’s service drivers. The rate will be higher than Mon- Fri work for three reasons: because it is weekend work mainly, because the company needs extra drivers to cover the work, and because it pays the company well. Emergency rail work pays better still and is much more frequent than you would imagine. You would not however live on the money without one day a week’s other income. It all depends on your individual circumstances. It can fit in very well with limited agency lorry driving. EG early start Fri lorry driving, midday Saturday and Sunday railbus work with rest period and other work mid week.
The work is not particularly taxing, but you do need to have your wits about you regarding where you are going, because you will need to access Stations which are frequently down back streets. You will need to be VERY aware of low bridges because you will probably be going somewhere unfamiliar. Get the right duty: meal relief, spare bus etc and you can not only earn well, but do little for it.
You will be dealing with disgruntled public however, who most certainly do NOT want to be on your bus and expect you to know every conceivable permutation of their revised travel itinerary - you just refer them to the railway staff or the customer assistants, but it is surprising what knowledge you will pick up not just over time, but during the course of the particular day. I found their luggage to be the biggest headache frequently.
Pro’s: The load gets on and off by itself, treats at xmas from your regular old biddy passengers, free travel on the network you work for.
Con’s: PASSENGERS 
Did bus driving at catford garage in london around 15 years ago
The job was interesting to say the least but did have some good laughs with the drivers
In the end i managed to get myself on a minibus rota … my thoughts was why drive a double decker
into the city of london with 90 passengers at any given time when i could drive a little mini bus and earn the same money
Have thought about going back into it but i am sure its a different job outside of london
sonflowerinwales:
It’s ok, apart from the people…
Joking aside, I did a few months for a local bandit, then changed to a half decent outfit. Be prepared to spend hours on your own waiting the the trippers to return. Not done service work so can’t comment. The day trips did bring in some tips, but started on minimum wage, no increase for shift work or anything.
You will be expected to clean the vehicle when you are done, it can be carp at 1am start cleaning, inside and outside!
Good luck
Paul
Yes also done coachwork and agree
out of everyone I know, they would rather drive lorries than buses on service, but a few more would drive coaches over lorries given the chance.
Service work, to me, was a nightmare, I worked long shifts 6 days a week to ferry junkies around using their free pass cards. stop start, stop start, handling money and the customer is always looking to do you out of pennies and pounds, then if you are unlucky you have the same kind of bosses I had.
I then moved onto coaches to contracts and day hires. Most people moan about school work, but I drove a 70 seater coach on the same route Monday to Friday, home by 5 everynight, and because I had the same route and kids you get them taught. The worst I ever had was a few bottles or drinks cans lying about. Also had the same motor every day, with the exception of every other weekend where you drove a luxury coach on a day hire. Tips are few and far between these days but you usually get free entry to wherever you are going and a hot meal at the end of the day.
I was lucky that when I moved to coaches I worked for a decent family business, I was one of only 8 full time employees, so treated really well. I doubt others are so lucky.
I’ve a list of stories from my years “on the buses” but I like this one best
I had a funny issue many years ago one Friday afternoon when I was a bus driver, this guy got onto the bus and he was in his mid 20’s and was screaming at me about the fare (he didn’t like the cost) there was not much he didn’t call me and then got off the bus.
That evening I was having a pint in the local and low and behold who was at the bar…yup gobby git, so I walked up to him and stood next to him and just stared at him with a loony smile, he was a bit nervous so I helped him along as it was obvious he didn’t recognise me.
I asked him if he recognised me and he said “No” so I reminded him of all the things he called me and very politely asked if he would step outside the pub and repeat those nasty things…well he went the colour of boiled poopoo and fell to pieces.
It was great and I didn’t even get angry.
Not done any PCV work and wouldn’t want to,but I’m curious to know if the test you sit entails that you have to sit in the middle lane overtaking invisible vehicles in lane 1 whilst having a queue of cars behind you waiting for you to get the ■■■■ over!!
This especially applies to national express coaches and those megabus pricks out of oxford!
thetastytrucker:
sonflowerinwales:
It’s ok, apart from the people…
Joking aside, I did a few months for a local bandit, then changed to a half decent outfit. Be prepared to spend hours on your own waiting the the trippers to return. Not done service work so can’t comment. The day trips did bring in some tips, but started on minimum wage, no increase for shift work or anything.
You will be expected to clean the vehicle when you are done, it can be carp at 1am start cleaning, inside and outside!
Good luck
PaulYes also done coachwork and agree
Don’t forget about the joy of emptying, cleaning and refilling the toilet 
I loved my days driving busses and coaches and taxi’s, my last coach job was transferring air crew between the airplane and hotel and sometimes private parties etc.
Some of the cabin crew were rather nice and friendly, especially the KLM girls
Some of the cockpit crew were ■■■■■■■■ especially the PIA and Italian ones 
Probably the best job I had in PCV work, and I wouldn’t go back to that, never mind anything else.
Thetaff2:
Not done any PCV work and wouldn’t want to,but I’m curious to know if the test you sit entails that you have to sit in the middle lane overtaking invisible vehicles in lane 1 whilst having a queue of cars behind you waiting for you to get the [zb] over!!
This especially applies to national express coaches and those megabus pricks out of oxford!
No, but if you pull in, you won’t get back out. It’s even harder to get a coach out of the inside lane than a truck, and if someone does take exception to your manoeuvre then a passenger on the coach WILL notice and report you
waynedl:
thetastytrucker:
sonflowerinwales:
It’s ok, apart from the people…
Joking aside, I did a few months for a local bandit, then changed to a half decent outfit. Be prepared to spend hours on your own waiting the the trippers to return. Not done service work so can’t comment. The day trips did bring in some tips, but started on minimum wage, no increase for shift work or anything.
You will be expected to clean the vehicle when you are done, it can be carp at 1am start cleaning, inside and outside!
Good luck
PaulYes also done coachwork and agree
Don’t forget about the joy of emptying, cleaning and refilling the toilet
I loved my days driving busses and coaches and taxi’s, my last coach job was transferring air crew between the airplane and hotel and sometimes private parties etc.
Some of the cabin crew were rather nice and friendly, especially the KLM girls
Some of the cockpit crew were [zb], especially the PIA and Italian onesProbably the best job I had in PCV work, and I wouldn’t go back to that, never mind anything else.
Were there any, er additional benefits with the cabin crew 
? Is it true about pilots and cabin crew
me I used to drive buses as well be in charge of them things
I have seen CCTV used to sack a few people over the years and save some jobs
I remember one driver getting sacked from one company going to a company down the road 
the best part was the company that sacked him had to take him back as they acquired the other company
some managers was not happy about it
in London buses its all about lower bid’s and they will want to get cheaper members of staff to lower the wages bill
I have since left buses and gone into other lines in the transport game now days but I still drive on weekends for rail work when I want and make good money on it
Yes have done plenty coach work.I was lucky because working for the goverment my job entailed driving both coaches and trucks and on a far better rate of pay than most companies offer.
I enjoyed the coach work as well as all the other types of work.Nice to have a variety than do the same thing day in day out.
Give it a go and see how you get on.Plenty jobs around if you do not adapt!
I’ve worked for Arriva 14yrs, not as bad as people make out, £10.86 going to £11.15 in April, £13+ for Sat pm & sun,most depots are on there own agreement majority on different rates, I’ve never done splits very rare do a late can usually swap off them don’t get any major hassle the odd argument which I quite enjoy, I want to try hgv but whats putting me off is paying about 2k for both licence’s & being on a lower rate for a couple of yrs( which I can’t afford to do) & probably then same rate as I’m on now.
We have quite a few hgv drivers who wouldn’t go back to trucks,but its own preference really.
daj911:
I’ve worked for Arriva 14yrs, not as bad as people make out, £10.86 going to £11.15 in April, £13+ for Sat pm & sun,most depots are on there own agreement majority on different rates, I’ve never done splits very rare do a late can usually swap off them don’t get any major hassle the odd argument which I quite enjoy, I want to try hgv but whats putting me off is paying about 2k for both licence’s & being on a lower rate for a couple of yrs( which I can’t afford to do) & probably then same rate as I’m on now.
We have quite a few hgv drivers who wouldn’t go back to trucks,but its own preference really.
Where about are you based ? Are you a London garage ?
[If you are lucky enough to start your shifts in the garage rather than change over on the street, be ready to drive in anorak, hat and gloves for at least one hour if heating is in working condition. .
Mario
[/quote]
No, No. Don’t wait an hour, just do what some of the London blokes do.
Get into your allocated bus at 5am and drive off down the road and round the corner. At a suitable spot, park up, apply handbrake and footbrake, bung it in Drive and nail the throttle to the boards - by the time you’ve finished reading the Sun everything will be well toastie.
I know this to be a fact coz in a previous life I used to contract to Voith Transmissions doing repairs and remedial work at most of the garages in London.
thetastytrucker:
daj911:
I’ve worked for Arriva 14yrs, not as bad as people make out, £10.86 going to £11.15 in April, £13+ for Sat pm & sun,most depots are on there own agreement majority on different rates, I’ve never done splits very rare do a late can usually swap off them don’t get any major hassle the odd argument which I quite enjoy, I want to try hgv but whats putting me off is paying about 2k for both licence’s & being on a lower rate for a couple of yrs( which I can’t afford to do) & probably then same rate as I’m on now.
We have quite a few hgv drivers who wouldn’t go back to trucks,but its own preference really.Where about are you based ? Are you a London garage ?
No mate, at a Merseyside garage.