Bus driver pay in the UK is expected to average £23,400 per year in 2025. The basic drivers can earn an approximate amount of £12200, and the experienced drivers can get as high as £33,000. The annual average salary is nearly £20,000. Work experience also greatly influences the salary; drivers who have over 20 years earn as much as £32,200 per annum. Bus drivers in London tend to earn higher wages (on average, £33,852 a year or nearly one-fourth more than is paid nationwide). The national hourly pay is approximately £10.20, but it can range up to £18.57 per hour in London during the hiring process, depending on the employer and experience. Night drivers, tour bus drivers, and private hire drivers are examples of specialised work that may often earn more than £40,000 privately in one year.
Who is the PCV driver?
A PCV driver is a professional driver who holds the licence to drive a vehicle carrying passengers, e.g., buses, coaches. This post requires specialised training and qualifications to be considered, and also a commitment to ensuring the security and comfort of passengers. At Craig Baker Driver Training, we offer a comprehensive PCV training package that will equip would-be drivers with skills and knowledge that will help them to excel in this field.
Bus Driver Salary per Hour in the UK
Bus drivers in the UK will earn a base salary of about £23,400 by 2025, with an average salary range of £12,200 to £33,000 contingent on location and experience. The average annual salary is about 20,000 pounds. Experience plays a big part in earnings, as can be seen by the highest salary of more than 20 years of experience in the pay of bus drivers at £32,200 per year, to less than two years of experience, of about £13,600.
On a geographical note, the London pay is considerably above the national level; the average annual earnings of London bus drivers amount to 33.852 pounds, which is almost 25 percent higher than the UK average. The minimum rate per hour in the country is about £10.20, but in London, it is approximately £18.57. Specialities such as night bus, tour, or even a private hire driving often offer better pay, exceeding 20,000 pounds a year.
Bus Driver Salary in the UK
In the United Kingdom, the median wages of a bus driver amount to about 23,400 to 30,000 pounds annually. Nonetheless, the pay differs based on several factors, including place, experience, and the employer. There are also other benefits the employers can provide, which include pension plans, healthcare, and other facilities. In addition, the compensation will be based on the kind of bus driving or the company they are employed by.
The median salary of a bus driver in the UK?
In the UK, official statistics published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the median compensation of a bus driver amounts to 20,000 pounds a year. Nonetheless, one ought to be aware of the fact that the salaries can be different depending on the factors. In case of becoming a bus driver, it is recommended to acquaint yourself with all the information.
Bus driver’s wage in the UK?
In the UK, the average salary of a bus driver is about £10.50 per hour. Their salaries vary between £8.10 and £14.90 per hour, which is quite good earnings. Nonetheless, for certain employers, their salaries can be higher for the experienced drivers or those working in places where the cost of living is higher. The top salaries of bus driver positions in the UK have been able to reward up to 40,000 pounds in a given year.
That is equivalent to about 17.31 pounds an hour. It is also important to mention that bus driver salaries may also differ because of the types of modes. The people driving the bigger vehicles, like coaches, are usually paid more as compared to their counterparts.
How to become a bus driver in the UK?
Do you want bus driver jobs? To work as a bus driver in the UK, the following should be done:
1. Verify eligibility requirement
One has to be 18 years old to become a bus driver. You should have a full car driving license with at least a 12-month driving period. Besides, a mere 3 penalty points should be the maximum on your license.
2. A Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)
In order to be a professional bus driver, one requires a CPC qualification. CPC can be obtained through four tests: two theory and two practical tests. Or have a CPC training course recognised qualification.
3. Become licensed (as a PCV)
Upon having a CPC, you must apply for a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) license. What you do is you can apply for this at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
4. Get a bus driver’s job.
After you have acquired a PCV license, you are in a position to start seeking employment as a bus driver. It is possible to visit job websites or to contact local bus companies.
5. Pass a physical analysis.
You will have to be checked medically before you are allowed to drive a bus. It will make you sure of your fitness to drive.
6. Take a road test
When you secure a job, you should take a driving test, and then you will be allowed to drive a bus.
7. Complete training
The majority of bus companies have on-the-job training for new drivers. This will include such things as driving skills, customer care, and safety regulations.
In the UK, how many hours does a bus driver have to work?
The government has regulations to govern bus drivers in the UK. These regulations are made to keep them safe and their passengers. One of these rules refers to how many hours a bus driver has the right to work.
The regulations of the UK government require that bus drivers do not work in excess of 56 hours in one week. They are not forced to put in more than 90 hours in any consecutive two weeks. Moreover, they are required to get at least 11 hours off or rest between shifts. Further, it is necessary to have rest after 4.5 hours of driving with at least 45 minutes a day.
How much do bus drivers earn in the UK?
The entry-level bus drivers with yearly compensation that have less than two years of experience earn an average salary of £13,600 every year. Experienced drivers (those who have 10 to 15 years of experience) can earn approximately £27,400, whereas drivers with 2 to 5 years can expect to earn about £18,600. Drivers with 20 or above years of experience make as much as £ 32,200 per annum. Location is also very influential in earnings. The annual salary of the bus drivers in London is approximately 25 percent higher than the national average of about £33,852. This is due to the high standard and demand in the city. Salaries in other big cities and regions tend to be lower, even though they differ considerably, as well.
The hourly rate of bus drivers varies between an average of £10.20 across the nation or £18.57 in London, depending on age of service and working habits. Specialised bus driving jobs, such as those of a private hire, luxury coach, night, and long-distance bus driver, may all earn more than £40,000 a year.
Advantages of a bus driver in the UK
The advantages of working as a bus driver in the UK in 2025 are many; they are in terms of money, work life and career.
Bus drivers also earn competitive and stable incomes with an average salary of about 23,400 pounds sterling in the country and more, about 33,852 pounds in London. It drops a lot of opportunities to earn more money in overtime, night shifts, or extra routes, which may yield substantial results in the income collector.
1. Travel without and at reduced costs
Most bus companies provide travel passes at greatly reduced or free rates to employees and, in some instances, their families. This is an added advantage that assists in cutting down the costs of commuting and travelling.
2. Flex time and shift schedules
Driving a bus is likely to have flexible shifts, which enables the employees to have an easier time arranging work with their family or other issues. The scheduling is usually done well before the driver, which helps in personal planning.
3. Employment and need
Bus drivers have quite good jobs as the mobility of urban and rural people depends on the services of public transportation. The rise in demand as a result of the shortage of drivers has increased the interest in this position, with wages on the increase and an outreach into younger and female workers.
4. Career and professional training
Instructed to be new drivers, there is a lot of training, consisting of licensing and professional competence certification. There tend to be apprenticeships and ongoing training offered by many companies, with the potential to be promoted as well as to specialise as a tour bus driver or to drive long distances.
5. Benefits in the form of a pension, among others
The bus driver position usually has an employer pension, holiday entitlement by law in the UK, and employee discounts in retail, leisure, and hospitality opportunities.
6. Community impact
Environmental sustainability depends on bus drivers since they make the road less congested and less polluted with the help of efficient transportation. They also offer a fundamental service by linking communities that enable people to reach work, education, and social activities.
In the UK, can a bus driver be a man or a woman?
The bus drivers in the UK can be either male or female. The field does not have gender restrictions, so everyone can join the field. Although the career of bus drivers has in the past been considered a male-dominated occupation, industry-wide measures are already being put in place to help and motivate more women into undertaking this kind of work.
Such firms as Go North East and Dartline, for example, have begun advertising very heavily to attract women in order to increase the number of women bus drivers. The endeavour reflects the larger industrial and societal delegation to dither the misconceptions and achieve gender equity within the workforce. Currently, in most companies, women comprise 1012% of bus drivers; this will be closer to gender parity by the year 2035. In both genders, their hiring and training are identical. Men and women are identical in terms of instruction, certification, and help provided to them to ensure success in the position. The industry insists on diversity and inclusivity since it is in the best interest of workers and the localities to which they offer their services as recruitment increases in width and variety.
What prevents women from becoming bus drivers in the UK?
Due to the above factors (bus driving being a male-dominated occupation), one can find stereotypes concerning how women are weaker or unfit to become bus drivers. Such stereotypes can discourage the application of women.
The environment is hostile as coworkers and passengers always question the capabilities of female drivers to drive. Many women who drive buses complain about safety issues, such as inappropriateness or harassment by male peers and passengers. Working in the evening hours or general low-light conditions might promote stress at work, as one may feel more exposed.
Women’s discrimination may occur in different forms, which may include some unequal treatment, fewer chances of growing careers, and a lack of specialised training.
The needs and the experiences of women drivers might not be considered in the workplace culture of male-dominated environments.
The physical requirements of bus drivers and the hours they work, and the shift structure present an undue burden to women. It has some problems with low childcare support and a fixed schedule. Women in the profession often are less likely to have mentors and role models to guide them through the job, and this further isolates them. There is less peer support since few women are employed in the field, which makes it hard to advance in their careers.