Did you sing ‘hail to the bus driver’ every chance you got, dreaming that someone would one day sing it about you? Or maybe you just decided that you wanted a change of scenery, and like the idea of helping people get where they need to go. Bus driving is still a very popular job, and it can be very rewarding. After all, thousands of people every day take a bus or coach to travel, from a quick trip to the shops to cross-country road trips or even international travel. And not only do you get to see those places, but you can meet new people, and help them see it too. So, how do you go about becoming a bus driver, and what training do you need?
Before you do anything else, you need to get yourself a Driver CPC qualification. This is the most basic qualification you need to drive any HGV on the road. It stands for Certificate of Professional Competence and proves that you’re safe and, well, competent. The training will give you a basic understanding of how to drive large vehicles on the road, the safety aspects involved in driving and maintaining them, and the extra hazards you have to be aware of. There are two theory tests, two practical tests, and a medical to prove you are fit, healthy and capable of driving an HGV. While a Driver CPC proves you are competent, it won’t allow you to drive large vehicles on the road professionally. For that you need specific licences – and for a bus, that’s Cat D.
But just to make things complicated, you also need a Cat B licence – and you need to do this first. The Cat B licence allows you to drive a vehicle of up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass, with up to 8 passenger seats. In other words, cars and trailers. From there, you can take your Cat D licence, which allows you to drive any bus with more than 8 passenger seats, as well as tracked vehicles (in case you ever wanted to drive a tank). With those 3 licences, you can now become a bus driver.
Cat D and D1 training are programmes specifically designed to teach you how to drive buses and minibuses in a professional capacity. Once you’ve achieved your Driver CPC qualification, you will need to take a Cat D training course as well.
During your Cat D training you will learn:
At the end of the training, you will be legally able to drive any passenger vehicle with more than 8 seats, and you’re ready to become a bus driver.
You come and talk to us! In order to become a qualified HGV driver, you need to work with a licenced training provider. At The LGV Training Company, we provide comprehensive training courses for experienced and brand new drivers looking to gain new qualifications, including the Driver CPC, Cat B and Cat D Licences.
To find out more about training to become a bus driver, just get in touch with our team today.