I,ve spent fifteen years driving buses and coaches.I find bus work tedious and along with the cash handling and ingnorant people who get on I usually last a very short time before my temper gets the better of me.The coach side I dont find as bad I enjoy the distance driving and you get plenty of time on your own parked up.You have to like your own company.It can get abit annoying doing kids all the time cleaning the coach when you get back everyday.And cleaning puke has got to be an eyeopener.The drunks on race trips can have you pulling your hair out.Someone asked me the other day why I,m switching to trucks.My reply was "I used to drive a freezer truck only 7.5ton but I was everywhere in it,I used to carry frozen lamb carcasses eighty odd at a time.Not one of the told me I drove like a numpty or took a wrong turn"If you want advice try the coach driver forum.I,m a mod on there and we will help where ever we can.
Orys have a look on Bloodbus, a forum set up by a Glasgow bus driver
Click here A few folks on there that are on here as well.
By the way I’d rather take a bus through Govan than Pennilee. I spent 5 yrs working in Govan, nice place really 
DAF95XF:
Darby Flyer:
DAF95XF:
Im a bus driver with Stagecoach and it has its good days and bad daysHow are Stagecoach to drive for mate?? I have been toying with the idea of approaching SC here in Scunny. The only thing really about stage work was the cash handling.
There’s nothing worse than the finger of suspicion being pointed for no reason.
I used to work around Retford and Doncaster areas a few years ago before SC took over and I enjoyed it, but I did need a change after a couple of years so got the HGV.
AND to boot, I got my PCV restriction taken off without taking a manual test.
Their not to bad, like anywhere else really as long as you do what you have to do then they leave you alone.
If they suspect your fiddling then they do a module download (the module is issued to each driver and is what makes the ticket machine works and is very much like a black box), and if they see a pattern emerging then you’ll get pulled up for it, but otherwise they leave you alone.
They use the module download to check for early running as well as each and every button you press on the ticket machine is recorded.
And nowadays even if you make an honest mistake their inspectors will still screw you and put it on your record for 18 months,“we are only here to help you driver”----yeah right! 
especially when they seem to be overmanned so they can cull a few.
johnpirate:
And cleaning puke has got to be an eyeopener.
I know what you mean about that one. Its not much fun after doing a club run, at 4am having to mop up after some ■■■■■■■■ decides to let go of their warm beer !! 
I think one of the worst ones, and a lesson definately learnt, was a coach full of stags off to god knows where.
Now I had never been to Stanstead airport before and although I knew where it was, I had no idea of the layout.
Anyway, we get to the approach and I asked if anyone knew where the coaches went. This prick gets up and smugly points up this ramp.
Ok, up I go. Yeah right, he’d only ever been in a car, and anyone who knows Stanstead, will know that after you have dropped off, there’s a bloody tight chicane as you pull away. Coaches don’t fit.
In my defence, it was dark, I’d been up since 2am and I wasn’t feeling very alert, , so I totally missed the coach park sign. (But hit plenty of others when pulling out. 
)
All new PCV drivers need to do a drivers CPC now… basically one day a year to keep their licence.
Look at bus driving as a temporary job. Maybe you could try agency work. Get as much money as you can in the shortest amount of time.
I have a great well paid main job that allows me time off so I do a bit of coach driving for select companies from time to time. I don’t drive buses and the coaches i do drive are 5 years old at most. I won’t drive anything older. Nothing wrong with being fussy!
I have done a bit of Bus/Coach driving, I used to think would’nt it be nice if the load got on and off on its own but I must say the public when on your vehicle behave worse the animals, never again… 
roddersdad:
And nowadays even if you make an honest mistake their inspectors will still screw you and put it on your record for 18 months,“we are only here to help you driver”----yeah right!
Yep, they pretend to be your “friend” as well…
Thats what happens at my place, overstaffed and with drivers in the training school, so it means sackings are imminent… 
Colingl:
Orys have a look on Bloodbus, a forum set up by a Glasgow bus driver
Click here A few folks on there that are on here as well.By the way I’d rather take a bus through Govan than Pennilee. I spent 5 yrs working in Govan, nice place really
EEEkkk Penilee When I drove buses for First Glasgow I had the misfortune to have the Penilee to Govan via Pollock route for 6 months after passing my test
friday nights were the worst but if you had a dirty or soiled bus you had to go and get it cleaned , many a time I’d buy several kebabs and spread liberally all over the bus around 11pm at the terminus 
just to miss throwing out time at the pubs
To drive buses now requires you to do the new PCV driver cpc and yes, experience of driving large trucks will help but not to the extent that I believe you think it will.
I do not teach PCV so my actual expertise is VERY limited on this.
I am a PCV instructor as well as an LGV instructor and I have had many truckers come to train on busses thinking it would be easy - and then realising its a whole new ball game.
To be fair its vice versa with PCV drivers thinking that passing an LGV test would be simple.
I know they are both only large rigid vehicles but have an assesment drive and then see what you think about it before taking it further.
As for enjoying the job - it edepends on your own point of view.
You say you like people - but there is always one!
DAF95XF:
roddersdad:
And nowadays even if you make an honest mistake their inspectors will still screw you and put it on your record for 18 months,“we are only here to help you driver”----yeah right!Yep, they pretend to be your “friend” as well…
Thats what happens at my place, overstaffed and with drivers in the training school, so it means sackings are imminent…
I hate bus inspectors. Some (especially in London) act very unprofessionally. A long time ago one boarded my vehicle and I heard some swearing etc upstairs and a passenger came down and wanted to speak to me. He had a valid ticket or pass but was very unhappy about the way the inspector treated him. His words were, "please stop the bus and let me out now before I smash that inspectors face in!!! " 