Applying for a driver vacancy
Who are Yellow Buses? Yellow Buses is the trading name of Bournemouth Transport Limited. We are a significant bus and coach operator in the South of England, with ambitious plans for growth. We have been in existence since 1902 and are currently owned by the RATP Group who operate out of 14 countries and also run the Paris metro. Putting our customers at the heart of what we do, we offer high quality bus services in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and beyond. These are scheduled and also school services. On the coach side, we run services for National Express as well as private hire services. Our core routes serve London. From time to time we serve other places such as Bristol and parts of Kent. We also offer private hire services in response to a range of customer needs. Examples are football coaches; other sporting events; private celebrations. We are based in Yeomans Way, Bournemouth, BH8 0BQ. In November 2017 we were proud to open a new bus outstation in Poole, to give our customers an even better service than ever. For more details of us and what we do, including making a difference to the local community, please see our website www.yellowbuses.co.uk.
What does being a driver involve? Driving a bus or coach is very rewarding when you do it well, but not for everyone. You will need to be customer-focused, enjoy meeting people and problem solving, as well as driving. The majority of drivers work on a shift basis which is reflected in this pay rate and need to be prepared to work a variety of shifts including some weekend and Bank Holiday work. Shift work involves some early starts and late finishes. Drivers do benefit from long weekends from time to time, which they look forward to and enjoy. Whilst holidays are allocated, we will allow staff to swap holidays as far as is reasonably practicable. To support this, we provide cutting edge smart phone technology. Download our app YB Move Driving licence requirements We prefer our applicants to have clean UK driving licences, however, we will accept: No more than 3 penalty points 6 months plus driving experience to supplement the licence Please bear in mind though that: You must have no pending motoring offences at the time of the application We will not accept your application if you have convictions for driving offences such as driving without due care and attention, alcohol or drug-related offences and mobile phone use, to name a few examples.
What advice do our own drivers have for you? If in doubt, there is always someone at work I can ask for help. Knuckle down, never frown and you won t let yourself or passengers down. We are forgotten heroes of the road. Being a good driver at Yellows is all down to your attitude with the public. You can t guarantee you won t ever have difficult situations to deal with, but you can minimise these with a good attitude. No two days are ever the same. You will meet many characters in your working day. There s no strangers in Yellows, just friends you ve not met yet. When the going gets tough something will always make it better in no time.
Why work for us? Staff consistently state that we are a friendly organisation, hard-working but fun to work for and they soon feel part of our team. We offer competitive pay and an excellent range of benefits, including: Company pension Childcare vouchers Paid holidays Payment whilst in training school Free uniform Free (non-contractual) bus travel for you and another family member Recognised qualification Discounts for local gyms, shops and restaurants Employee Assistance Scheme Overtime, where opportunities exist Generous pay and time off for Bank Holidays worked Showers and cycle racks for those who wish to cycle Introduce a friend bonus Rest rooms Lockers for uniforms and personal belongings Employee vouchers for good performance (You re a Star Scheme) Staff buses Parking at our Yeomans Way site We value our people and pride ourselves on our internal communications. Our Training School offers training of the highest quality for a full PCV licence, Driver s Qualification Card and Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training. The school gets excellent feedback. We have both male and female instructors and our own in-house examiner. We have an excellent team of Mentors to help you out on the road with route and ticket familiarisation. We also have a team of Driver Champions, who will help you settle in and also pass on important information to help you to do your job. The Managing Director has regular Canteen Talks to gauge drivers views and all Managers have an open door policy so drivers can tell us what they think. To Yellow Buses, drivers are at the heart of what we do.
What does training involve? The training programme for new drivers consists of four CPC modules: 1a Theory 1b Hazard Perception 2 Case Studies 3 Practice Driving Test 4 Practical CPC Test Training to get your licence will typically take 2 weeks; in house training a further 2 weeks. Following this you will spend 2-3 weeks with a mentor on route familiarisation, customer service and other helpful advice. For those who arrive with a licence, the training is shorter, tailor-made to reflect each applicant s circumstances and previous experience. Do I get paid during my training period? Yes, you will be paid the training rates of pay. Once you are operating solo out on the road, you will receive the first rate of pay. Those with a licence already will go straight on to the enhanced rate of pay. This is available to new drivers after one year out on the road. Do I have to pay anything towards my training? Once you have passed and you have achieved your PCV licence, the company will deduct 10.00 from your wages for a three-year period. If you want to, you can repay this amount sooner. At the end of 3 years, you will receive 1,500 back as a lump sum regardless of how quickly you have paid this off. If you leave for any reason during the 3-year period, this money will be forfeited and you will be required to pay back monies as follows: Leaving employment within Initial training for PCV category D licence 6 months 2,250 1 year 2,000 2 years 1,750
Employment checks As part of the application process, all drivers will need to complete an basic DBS check and referencing process. All applicants and employees will have regular driving licence checks so there is no chance to conceal any driving convictions. You will also need to pass a medical examination to be a professional driver. This is required by law. You will also be expected to undertake regular alcohol and drug tests to ensure that you are fit to be out on the road. For those driving National Express coaches, alcohol tests will be a daily occurrence, since our vehicles are fitted with alco locks, which are required to start the coach. If you have any concerns about your driving record, previous employment history or any other aspect of your application, the recruitment team will be happy to discuss this. We would rather you were honest and let us know of any potential issues, than have to disappoint you in the future. Still interested? Please either fill out our on line application by going to www.yellowbuses.co.uk/careers or send a completed application form to: Recruitment and Training, Freepost RLZL YYZS - HKES, Bournemouth Transport Ltd, Yeomans Way, Bournemouth BH8 0BQ If you have any queries, please call 01202 636014 or email training@yellowbuses.co.uk. We will let you know as soon as we can if you have been selected for interview. At that point you will receive an interview letter and will be asked to bring your photocard driving licence; DQC card; passport and/or birth certificate; proof of address, e.g., utility or bank statement. We recommend that, if you are invited for interview, you come by bus to experience what it is like to take the bus; however there is visitor parking on site. We would recommend that you wear sensible shoes for the interview. Here s hoping you will make a successful application. All the best from Cathy Sinclair HR Manager Mike Collins Coaching and Training Manager
Join our award winning team Thank you for considering working at Yellow Buses as a Bus or Coach Driver. This booklet is intended to help you with that process, tell you about what we do, as well as the pros and cons of working as a driver so you can make an informed decision about whether it is the right career choice for you.