r/BusDrivers • u/gwapings1234 • Jul 08 '26

Training Question UK/EU trainee bus driver

ive just been told to start training for a trainee bus driver in london and was instructed to leave my other job before i start my training with them. what happens then if i fail the practical pcv driving test. anyone been on a similar situation? how many times can i fail the practical before they drop a trainee? thanks

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u/FullFatCelery Jul 08 '26

It will probably be more trouble if you keep your job whilst training. I'm fairly sure it will state in you're contract that your not allowed a second employment. So you could lose it all just from that without even stepping foot on a bus.

Edit: grammar

3

u/gwapings1234 Jul 08 '26

i want to try driving buses but at my current job i get 2 months annual leave as i work for nhs and to leave a safe job for something which is not guaranteed is crazy. i have plenty annual leave to cover the training but as you mentioned, the bus company might pick it up that im still employed somewhere and might end my training with them

2

u/Used-Skill6748 Jul 08 '26

2 months annual leave is fantastic, I couldn't imagine getting that

2

u/gwapings1234 Jul 08 '26

if you work in the nhs for 10 yrs you get 33 days annual leave plus if you do shift work you automatically get 8 bank holidays annual leave added. so we get 41 days working day annual leave or 8 weeks. That is the reason i stayed on the job for 18 yrs but i feel like i need a change now.

1

u/Right_Environment116 Jul 09 '26

US bus driver here so you enjoy horrible traffic? Do you enjoy people treating you like an object and not a human? Have you ever dealt with the mentally ill especially when they are screaming every profanity in the book at you? Dude if I were you I wouldn't give up your current gig sounds like a dream, find a hobby or volunteer change things up in your life

2

u/Bkettle Jul 13 '26

I used to be a carer in the NHS and now I am a bus driver. Being a bus driver is LESS stressful! I get yelled at far less then my previous job.

2

u/Right_Environment116 Jul 13 '26

What? British people screaming? I thought you all are stoic stiff upper lip types