Insurance for young drivers - Being a bus driver?
As a young driver, car insurance for the young can be seriously expensive, even if you go with an online car insurance firm like Hoot. Like it or not, you're probably going to need a steady job sooner or later - if only to pay for motor insurance and all the other unavoidable driving expenses like petrol, road tax and repairs.
Fortunately, there's plenty of jobs out there that build on your skills as a driver. Hoot's cheap car insurance team have put together a number of careers guides like this one to give you an idea of what each motoring job entails. We've covered every profession from taxi driving to car sales, including advice on becoming a car mechanic, a lorry driver, or a valet. This latest guide is for all those who are considering a carer as a bus driver. What does a bus driver do?
He or she picks up passengers at a given point and drops them off at another for a fee. Bus drivers follow a set route of stops and thus can serve the transport needs of many different people at the same time.
In addition to driving the bus, they are responsible for taking passengers' fares and punching tickets, and carrying out basic safety checks on their vehicle before setting off. Drivers should be able to advise people on timetable and route information, and help frail, disabled or overburdened passengers get on and off where necessary. Bus drivers who work on long distance routes are also expected to help with stowing and retrieving passengers' bags, as well as handing immigration at national boundaries if they cross any. Lastly some drivers, particularly those who serve on scenic or touristy routes, are expected to provide a running commentary as the bus passes various points of interest. Am I the ideal candidate?
For starters, you need to enjoy driving in all conditions and have excellent driving skills. If spending ten minutes in heavy traffic is agony for you now, bus driving probably isn't right for you.
Next to that, people skills are very important. You'll need to be patient and courteous when issuing tickets and handling baggage, and polite but firm when handling unruly passengers. Since bus companies stopped employing conductors, drivers also need to be comfortable handling money, checking passes and issuing a wide variety of fares. What qualifications do I need?
The big one for bus driving is called a Passenger Carrying Vehicle licence, or PCV.
You can obtain one by passing the PCV test, which has theory and practical parts just like the standard driving test. PCV applicants need to be over 21and to have held a full EU driving licence for two years, besides passing various eyesight and health checks. Fortunately, most bus companies are prepared to take on unqualified drivers and train them up to PCV standard. Such training usually takes between one and six weeks, and covers a range of core skills - such as operating ticket machines and dealing with customers - besides actual bus driving. Will it make me a millionaire?
The chances of making a fortune through bus driving are pretty slim, but it does promise a more reliable income than many of the other driving jobs.
Young drivers and trainees can expect to earn between £10,000 and £14,000 a year, rising to around £18,000 as you get more experienced. Some specialist coach- and long distance drivers pull in as much as £22,000.
Bus driving also boasts good promotion prospects, with many career drivers going on to become managers or instructors for their employer. Further information
Try the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) for more information of the PCV exam.
For job opportunities, try one of the principal transport groups operating in the UK:
Stagecoach (http://www.stagecoachplc.com),
First (http://www.firstgroup.com),
Arriva (http://www.arrivabus.co.uk) or
National Express (http://www.nationalexpressgroup.com).
Lastly, test your passion for the job by checking out http://www.busdrivergame.com, which features a bus driving simulation game for download. Play it for an hour, then play Gran Turismo and see which you prefer. Try young driver car insurance from Hoot
As mentioned, it takes two years of trouble-free car driving before you're eligible for the PCV test - so get yourself a killer deal on insurance for young drivers and get out there!
Drivers who switch to Hoot typically save significantly on their old policies, so if you're in the market for motor insurance at unbelievable prices, give us a try.
Hoot can afford to offer cheaper car insurance than the rest because we don't waste your money on expensive ad campaigns on the TV and radio. Most other car insurance companies depend on these for new customers, but Hoot we'd much rather let our product do the talking for us. All of our 'advertising' is done by word of mouth - and it's a marketing strategy that works surprisingly well when your rates are as cheap as ours!
So for amazingly cheap insurance quote for young drivers , just click below.
Insurance young driver
|
