Being a Bus and Coach driver

Driving for a living

Like all jobs, driving for a living has both it’s positives and negatives. Most bus and coach drivers get into this line of work because they enjoy being outside and on the road rather than working from behind a desk. Another common reason why they choose this career is because they like meeting new people and enjoy the social side of their job.

How do we know this?

Busancoachinsurance.net have been providing bus and coach insurance for over ten years now. During this time we have got to know our target market and their job roles really well.

One of the downsides to this profession that we’ve picked up on include the unsociable hours as many bus and coach drivers are required to work early mornings, late nights and weekends. Another thing that we  repeatedly hear from our customers is that other road users do not understand the challenges that they face when driving a large vehicle especially when pulling out of junctions and parking etc. Below we have given you some tips on being a Bus and Coach driver

Driving with the right attitude

Passenger- carrying vehicles (PCVs) are usually bigger than most other vehicles that are on the road, this can make it intimidating for other road users if they are not driven carefully and responsibly.

As professional drivers you should set a good example by showing care, courtesy and consideration for other road users. Also if you remain calm behind the wheel this will reflect the way you drive and will make your job more enjoyable

Looking after your passengers

As a bus or coach driver you have a duty of care to the passengers that are in your vehicle.

• Always look out for passengers waiting at the roadside who may not be able to see or hear the bus coming.
• When dropping off your passengers pull in close to the kerb to help passengers getting on or off the bus.
• Make eye contact to passengers when speaking to them as this is polite.
• Sort out money and tickets, and let passengers get seated, before you move off to reduce the chance of an injury.
• Use the internal mirrors to check the stairs on a double-deck vehicle, especially when you’re stopping, moving off or cornering.
• Check for passengers trying to get on or off the bus at the last minute before you pull away.
• Make sure the doors are shut before moving off.

Diet and driving ability

Good health is essential for getting and keeping your PCV licence. An important part of this is taking a healthy approach to what you eat and drink. Eating well can help to reduce your risk of developing serious problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. When at work drink as much water as possible. You can use drinks containing caffeine, such as tea, coffee and some soft drinks, to help you feel more alert however caffeine doesn’t remove sleepiness though it makes you feel more alert for a while but once this has worn off it will make you feel worse. We at insure Bus and Coach insurance would only recommend drinking this in an emergency or at the end of a shift

Carry water with you: staying hydrated will also help your concentration. You can use drinks containing caffeine, such as tea, coffee and some soft drinks, to help you feel more alert. Remember that caffeine doesn’t remove sleepiness though, it just masks it for a while and you’ll feel more tired when it wears off. You should only use it as a short-term emergency way of dealing with tiredness when you’re driving.

We at Bus and Coach insurance offer very competitive bus and coach insurance prices so for a quick quote call our specialist team today on 0800 980 3425