Category D Bus Driver Training - Part Time

[computerSaysNo]

Does anyone know of any providers in Scotland who offer Category D training on part-time hours? Both my local bus service operators (Lothian Buses, McGill's Scotland East) offer driving roles part-time but will only offer the training full-time, which I can't do due to disability.
I've tried GTG in Newbridge but they only do full-time. I'm waiting for a reply from Ritchies in Glasgow but it's looking like they only do full-time as well. I've tried to contact Stagecoach for Dunfermline but they don't have a phone number listed on their careers website, and the general customer service person suggested going to the depot in-person to ask which I can't do today. Borders Buses aren't picking up the phone.
Thanks.

 

[Spsf3232]

Very much doubt anyone will offer this. Training is usually done over one week with the test at the end of it. Best way to do it would be to go with GTG or Ritchie's and push through the full week then you have options after you pass for part time work

 

[Joshua_Harman]

Very much doubt anyone will offer this. Training is usually done over one week with the test at the end of it. Best way to do it would be to go with GTG or Ritchie's and push through the full week then you have options after you pass for part time work

1 Week!! The company I work for did it in 3 and a bit, and that was apparently short!

In answer to the OP's question, I'd probably say only private places would do it with more flexible hours, but the cost of that would be out of pocket and quite costly (Before taking employment and doing training through my company I Looked at doing it privately and the cost was over £3K!!) So I'd say the best option would be to go through a company which has many benefits, the main one being guaranteed employment!

 

[computerSaysNo]

Training is usually done over one week with the test at the end of it.

When it is done in that length of time is the "training" not more focused exclusively on how to pass the test (i.e. only the test routes are driven etc) so by the end of it you can drive the test routes pretty well but would struggle on any other routes?

 

[M803UYA]

When it is done in that length of time is the "training" not more focused exclusively on how to pass the test (i.e. only the test routes are driven etc) so by the end of it you can drive the test routes pretty well but would struggle on any other routes?

I got mine for £1600 back in January 2019 - I paid for 'pass protection' on top so I had up to three more attempts should that be required. The training bus companies offer is very much overpriced and poor quality. You're also then tied into an excessive long term training bond period upon passing - twice what it'd cost to do it privately in fact.

The people I went with often get candidates bus companies have given up on.

You want to pass the test and gain the initial qualification. If an operator wants to route learn you, that is their problem. Upshot of doing it yourself is your licence is yours. So if you don't much like your employer you can walk pretty quickly and find alternate work. There's always alternate work..... no one wants to do the job!

It takes three weeks as often, operators have more than one trainee on a vehicle and each is taking turns behind the wheel. Advantage of a training school is fewer people in the bus - so time is reduced. In my case, it was 3 days plus test on the 4th.

 

[Roger1973]

When it is done in that length of time is the "training" not more focused exclusively on how to pass the test (i.e. only the test routes are driven etc) so by the end of it you can drive the test routes pretty well but would struggle on any other routes?

Yes, but with most operators, with drivers taken on without a PCV licence, only part of the training is getting through the PCV test. Route-learning, familiarisation with different types of buses, ticketing / ticket machine training and so on will be the next part. How formal / thorough this is will vary a bit between operators.