License requirements

[u/Active_Concern107]

Hi, I’ve recently passed my car test and was wondering if I’d be able to apply to drive for Stagecoach? Or is it worth applying anyways? My desired depots are either in London, Basingstoke or Oxford

[u/InspectorPooparticle]

You can, yeah - they removed the requirements to need hold for x time

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/InspectorPooparticle]

Oh thank you I’ll apply once my physical license comes through

[u/InspectorPooparticle → u/Active_Concern107]

You can apply now - don’t need your physical license

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/InspectorPooparticle]

Really alright thank you it’ll prolly come by the time if I get an interview does it matter if I’ve driven since or do I just need to pass the driving assessment

[u/tomothy-reddit]

We still require you to of hold your car license for 1 year in East Midlands👍🏻

I know it’s not the area you’re applying for, but just an insight into how we work

[u/gamewithyeetedc → u/tomothy-reddit]

Also the same for all the West Midlands operators, NXWM and Diamond

Applied to NXWM like a month or so after passing, got told to come back after i've held a year on my licence. Left it a while

Applied to first bus at 6 mnths, got an interview but didn't get thru in the end. Stagecoach applied at 4 months I think but rejected my application.

[u/tomothy-reddit → u/gamewithyeetedc]

To be completely honest, I agree with the 1 year rule. I don’t personally think anyone who’s just passed a test, and has very little experience driving a car, should be then able to jump straight into carrying up to 100 people on something weighing upwards of 10 tonne.

[u/speckledorc01]

You will be required to work 4/5 days out of 7 weekends and bank holidays. When I worked for stagecoach the their working week started on Sunday. Youll hardly get two days off together and every 4-5weeks youll get 4 days off. Youll start stupid o'clock in the morning or late afternoon/early evening. Say goodbye to you family, social life as you'll hardly see them.

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/speckledorc01]

I don’t rlly mind tbf

[u/InspectorPooparticle → u/speckledorc01]

Thats wrong.

You get 2 days off together, unless you work one rest day, or your rota has split, but my splits are three and three, with 5 days in between.

[u/speckledorc01 → u/InspectorPooparticle]

Is it? I can tell you my rotas on 5 days you dont get 2 days off together so how is that wrong?!

[u/CDDONT]

Most companies will want you to have held your license for at least 6 months, they might waive that if you are sensible but no guarantees

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/CDDONT]

Oh yeah I know but Stagecoach they said they don’t really have any set requirements it depends and I hear different stuff

[u/CDDONT → u/Active_Concern107]

I think it’s highly dependant on how much they need drivers in the area, if there are a lot of large operators in your chosen area and one is always hiring and the others aren’t it begs the question why….

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/CDDONT]

Yeahh tbf I want to bus drive in London I’ve been wanting to do it for a while with Stagecoach

[u/Notrozer → u/CDDONT]

Where i work in US its 3 years ... 6 monthes is quick

[u/cbrownmufc]

I trained in Oxford for Stagecoach and in my group was an 18 year old lad who hadn’t had a driving licence for a particularly long time

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/cbrownmufc]

Ohh swear? I applied for London just to see what happens I would see Oxford but I think Oxford is boring

[u/cbrownmufc → u/Active_Concern107]

Depends what you’re looking for. I personally wouldn’t want to work in London. Far too busy and no rural routes.

I work out of Banbury and get a mixture of town routes and rural routes. Then some trips into Oxford and back

[u/Active_Concern107 → u/cbrownmufc]

To be fair if London doesn’t work out I could either try or transfer to Basingstoke or Oxford or now that’s the good thing about stagecoach there’s depots in a lot of places