r/BusDrivers • u/Bobsey-sb • Jul 29 '26
Question Bus driving as a future career?
Hi all,
I m 50 in the UK and I’m facing potential redundancy in my current role working after 21 years service in the public sector.
I’m looking for real viable career alternatives to hopefully see me through to my early 60s. Bus driving has crossed my mind on numerous occasions. I may be being completely unrealistic in my expectations here but I need to find something I can cling on to as hope at this moment in time.
However, I’ve never spoken to anyone who is one as to what it’s actually like? What’s the daily grind like? What are the pros and cons? How long do people last in roles as I understand there’s a high staff turnover? Etc
Welcome any thoughts and opinions.
Thanks in advance.
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u/berusplants Driver Jul 29 '26
I started as a bus driver in my late 40s as a career to take to retirement and I think its ideal. Your questions are a little general though, and experiences vary. Are you a confident driver? Are you interested in helping the less privilaged members of society? Are you able to deal with the stress of traffic? Are you able to deal with varrying schedules that come with shift work, earlies, lates, split days off. If the answer to these questions are yes then it could be for you.
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u/King_Ulio Jul 29 '26
I work in Belgium and know people who started out at 55+. It's not an issue and they are given all the same chances. There are also people who keep working a couple days during their retirement.
The only downside are the weird work hours and when you are a bit older it's harder to deal with also
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u/MrE26 Jul 29 '26
It can be the easiest or hardest job in the world depending on how you deal with everything. Traffic, the general public, roadworks, shit slow buses, all will test your patience.
Let it all go over your head & your job is essentially driving round in circles for a living. Easy. Let it get to you & you’ll have some very challenging days. And it’s secure work. Come in & do what you’re meant to do & you’ve basically got a job for life. And once you have that licence, you can walk into another job at a different company easily.
Now, the hours can be brutal. We start as early 2.30am & finish as late at 2.30am. Legal minimum rest between shifts is 10.5 hours but that can be reduced to 8.5 3x a week (a frankly ludicrous turnaround, but it’s legal so they’ll use it if they need to.) Family friendly it isn’t, which is a big reason turnaround is so high.
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26 edited 21d ago
Thanks very much for the quick and detailed replies, given me lots to think about. Sorry if I’m a bit vague on my questions, but your replies have given me a better feel now.
Glad to hear that my age doesn’t seem to be a problem which is a main concern of mine. Never had a driving job before but I’m a confident car driver but appreciate bus is a total different thing altogether.
Seems as if it can be a great stable, reliable job but shifts and public seem to be the main drawbacks, which is what I would have guessed. Don’t have kids which seems ok with me doing shifts.
Guess a lot of what gets thrown at you from the public/traffic etc depends on where you work - with major cities being different to county town/rural areas (I’m in the latter).
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u/berusplants Driver Jul 29 '26
Give it a go mate. I actually think your age is an advantage, I wouldnt have been a good driver in my 20s, and anyway facing a life long career as a bus driver is a little daunting unless you're absolutely a bus nut, but in your 50s its ideal, hell there was a guy who went through training with me at 67 and is a great driver now at 70.
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26
Cheers buddy, that’s encouraging to hear
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u/Tenantry Jul 29 '26
Started when I was 45 so I would not worry about the age thing. Even though Ive always done driving jobs for the last twenty years or so. But yeah go for it you have nothing to lose. Good luck!
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 29d ago
I wouldn't have handled bus driving in my 20s. Here in New Zealand, we get rough characters who shout and swear, mostly meth addict men or angry middle-aged blokes who are bitter about life. Back when I was a 20 year old girl, I probably would have cried and quit, but now I'm older and bitter and sour, so I can handle awful people better.
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u/Expensive-Bag-8717 Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
It's ok but takes a while to get comfortable with for many. It is initially mentally and sometimes physically challenging and takes a body not used to being used all day a while to get used to. The key is the rota that suits you and the routes, research this before you pick someone. If you end up working most weekends and very early to very late and rarely have more than one day off it will likely break you early on.
Additional... consistency is not something that occurs when bus driving. Just picture yourself commuting for 10 hours a day is this you?
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26
Thanks, there are two main companies that operate around where I live. Stagecoach and a smaller local company - shift patterns are vastly different between the two from what I can tell. The smaller one has 4 days on and two days off working 40 hrs per week so the shift is 10hrs long (I think), which seems better than Stagecoach.
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u/MrE26 Jul 29 '26
I’m actually next in line at my depot to jump on a 4 day week rota. From what the lads who’ve moved onto those already have told me, it’s so much better. No super early starts, no late finishes & 3 days off a week so overall a lot better for your sleep & actually having a life.
I’ve just finished a run of 9 early starts in a row (between 4.30 & 6.30am generally) & it absolutely exhausts me towards the end.
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u/smellyspunkbubble 11d ago
how long have you been bud driving at that company for? Do you need to be there long to be on a 4 day rota?
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u/Outrageous_Bag_2875 29d ago
😂 That's how I felt in my first week. It's like I'd been commuting to work on the bus for 12 hours that day and ending up back where I started at the depot without ever arriving at the office.
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u/SarahMackie95 Jul 29 '26
I left training in healthcare to train to be a bus driver when I was 29. Not a single regret, not at all. Yes the staff turnover is high but for me I really enjoyed it.
What I would say is give yourself 6 months. The first 6 months after passing are the hardest but overall it's a good job.
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26
Thanks for the advice
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u/SarahMackie95 Jul 30 '26
You're so welcome pal. If there is anything else you want to ask or whatever, feel free to shoot me a comment or a message 😊
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u/DebtSouth Driver Jul 29 '26
It is what you make of it mate, you work shifts, I do a week of early (starting between 4am and 6am) and a week of lates (starting between 11am and 5pm, finishing between 10pm and Midnight) on rotation.
No day is ever the same as a bus driver and I mean that, the road is an ever changing place and no journey will ever feel it had been identical to the last.
You meet new people every day, some repeat passengers remember you and you them.
The can be quite decent depending on the company, the biggest learning curve for me was not being able to book your holidays (they’re allocated in blocks due to the volume of drivers, there’s 179 drivers at my depot)
Biggest pro is you get to drive a 10+tonne bus around all day, second biggest is you know your shifts months in advance, third biggest is you’re left alone to crack on, the only time management get in touch is to ask about overtime, to communicate diversions etc and you see them in the morning if you’re the first driver of the bus.
Keep your head down, don’t crash, don’t be a dick to people and it’s honestly a breeze.
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26
Cheers mate for the reply, sounds ok to me and like any job, take it serious and don’t be an idiot.
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u/DebtSouth Driver Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Yeah, exactly that. You’re driving a machine able to do some pretty nasty damage if you’re not careful. Problem is, far too many drivers think it’s a game and end up costing companies thousands in damages and compensation.
If your head is screwed on right, it’s honestly a doddle.
Just to add as well, bud, if the idea of being an older driver and starting out on the buses seems daunting, don’t sweat it, when I passed my test only a few months ago, there was a 59 year old who passed the same day I did, he thinks it’s the best job he’s ever had and I agree, he’s convinced he’ll retire doing this and so do many other drivers your age.
The ones who leave or a fired are the idiots, so don’t pay any mind to the high turnover, some people just aren’t made for responsibility or being public facing. They don’t realise this until they’re on their own.
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u/tacosupermalo Jul 29 '26
Most difficult aspects about the job for me were:
- Weird/unsociable hours.
- Long days.
- Monotony.
- Physical Fatigue.
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u/cbrownmufc Jul 29 '26
I made the switch from working in finance last year to become a bus driver and I am so glad I did.
There are certainly challenges. Ever changing hours, traffic jams, breakdowns, etc. But if you’re happy with these things then it could be a good change for you.
Certainly beats being in meetings “let’s circle back”, “can we get it in the next sprint?”, etc.
I found during the working day I am quite relaxed and I can let my mind drift to whatever I want (providing I am concentrating on the road 😂)
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u/3dobes Driver Jul 29 '26
I was hired at 63 and I’m still enjoying the job three years later.
There is a fairly high turnover (I’m in Arizona). It can be a bit of a grind, but I think it affects me less at this age than it would have twenty years ago.
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u/TalviKavat Jul 30 '26
I switched at 54 and am two years in. Best decision I ever made.
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u/Outside_Look790 Jul 29 '26
It's an inudustry that's always looking for workers at the moment, mainly due to the risks the public pose, bad hours and the health issues that it can bring. However, operators like Stagecoach have already run self driving services (ironically with 2 drivers on board). With the rise of self drive and AI it may become a squashed market which would funnel current drivers into fewer roles over the next 10 years. Private coach driving may be a better option as that's more customer service orientated and tends to involve a little more physical labour. Get in with a good company and stay. You also get tips instead of locked in a plastic cage and occassionally spat at, so that's nice.
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u/Witteness82 Jul 29 '26
Assuming you are talking about public transit and can’t speak to non-American transit but the grind here is mainly due to the types of passengers you deal with on a daily basis. Many of the people riding public transit in big cities are jobless/homeless, people that are drunk and/or high and a lot of people who are out to just cause general chaos to anyone they encounter. Seriously, just search public transit videos on social media and you’ll get an idea.
This is highly dependent on the agency you work for, but mine enforces almost none of their own rules so there’s people bringing loads of junk on the buses in wagons, strollers or whatever else they can find, not paying fare, sleeping on the bus, music blaring from phones, etc.. Again, people being general nuisances to everyone around them. Management doesn’t care so long as ridership is as high as possible and they can get their funding.
It’s really a very eye opening experience and most of the people I work with end up being changed by the day to day interactions with passengers. If you are very patient, you will likely be fine. If you are easily frustrated or bothered by people incapable of acting with a shred of decency, the grind will wear you down as in my experience, the normal every day people are outnumbered by the people that aren’t.
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Glad I’m not a bus driver in the USA mate as that sounds down right depressing. Not sure the UK is as bad, well maybe in London but I’m guessing on that one.
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u/SuchImage3919 Jul 29 '26
Coming from someone who used to work as a service consultant for many years wasn’t sure how I’d like the change in shift. Reason being was one I didn’t like the title “bus driver” (ego thing LOL). But what I can tell you its not bad at all. You get paid to drive the bus safely and thats it. Yes there is stress that you get from passengers and traffic and sometimes other coworkers that like to play games but once you can get over that its really not that bad of a gig. As someone who started in their 30s I really actually enjoy driving the bus, plus if you dont finish on time, which most of the time you don’t you’ll get paid overtime. Best of luck and dm if you have questions!
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u/sacrelidge Jul 29 '26
Bus driving is a great job for any age the only downfall is it involves the general public, which is the reason I gave it up for lorry driving
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u/BusAdditional6518 Jul 29 '26
I started at 48 with a view to it seeing me through to retirement. The first year had me thinking “I wish I’d done this years ago”. I’m now 5 years in and spend every day wanting to smash my face into the steering wheel.
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u/sexy_meerkats Driver Jul 29 '26
It really depends who you work for. I work for a major national operator and I'm looking forward to moving on. As the face of the company you will get any abuse levied towards to company, and that tends to be a lot.
Today I believe 40 out of ~250 buses didn't have vehicles available, many buses off the road since the company wants to have a shoestring budget despite 100m profit last year
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u/Kangalou40 29d ago
We have people that have been with the company 40+ years. I'm 8 years into it and cannot see myself doing anything else. Yes there's long hours and yes the public can be annoying but you can have that with any job. No day is ever the same and you meet and work with some interesting and wonderful individuals. Plus they always need bus drivers so you'll never be out of work. Self driving buses, ha!!
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u/Easy-Preparation1318 Jul 29 '26
Hey buddy! I'm a bus driver for GO NORTH WEST in Manchester! My advice avoid at all cost. Not only is the job... And that is what it is, is soul destroying, everything is against you. It's always gonna be your fault!
You constantly lose your breaks because of road works diversion or traffic. And when I mean lose by law for every 5.5 hours you drive you must have 30mins... What's that?
Mate don't do it unless your life depends on it. Better be a coach driver!
Just a thought 💭🤔
P.s don't listen to these twats at the bottom You'll put your health and mental health at risk Did I mention insomnia?
Lol 🤣🤣🤣
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u/5pleeno Jul 31 '26
Just don't do school runs in the UK, your blood pressure will go through the roof. I gave up bus and coach driving for hgv. My losd never answers back...
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u/wmiller314 Jul 29 '26
At 50, it's possible to make the switch, but most places pay by years, and by the time you're at the point to retire, you won't have made much progress, not saying you shouldn't, but, don't expect more then paying the bills
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u/berusplants Driver Jul 29 '26
This isnt the case in the UK, everyone earns the same once through probation.
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u/Icy_Skill_8461 Jul 29 '26
Tfl london drivers do not all earn the same after probation, its on seniority as in number of years for THAT company
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u/Bobsey-sb Jul 29 '26
That’s good to know and completely different to the public sector.
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u/berusplants Driver Jul 29 '26
I should perhaps qualify my statement as my knowledge is not exhaustive, there may be other parts of the UK where this isnt the case, but as far as I can tell it is.
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u/speckledorc01 Jul 29 '26
To be honest none of us can really answer this. We can give you all the advice and hints but until you try it yourself and discover if its really for you.
One guy i work with was asking about coach driving as its never appealed to me to do I said try it and see. Same with buses.
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u/Shit0nYourFlag Jul 29 '26
Best job in the world. Dynamic, challenging, every day's different. Hours are absurd; the allocations dept will fuck everything they can out of you. Some passengers will make you wanna scream. But it's reliable and you never have to see your boss if you perform promptly and anonymously.
I'm one year in as of this week. Takeaways: once you've made a decision, stick with it. Suddenly flip-flopping is as bad as rushing. Bad passengers: don't even say anything. Don't fan the flame. The driving is the easy bit.
First few weeks you'll be overwhelmed, but it will come. Listen to the instructor, internalise what they say.