Experienced Coach Driver

First South West Ltd; Taunton; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Discounted travel for you and family

Pension scheme

Holiday entitlement + bank holidays

Cycle to work scheme

Free onsite parking

Job summary

First Bus in Taunton is seeking an Experienced Coach Driver to join our growing national coach network. You will drive long-distance services across the UK, delivering safe, reliable journeys and excellent customer service on a permanent 39-hour contract.

You will earn £15.50 per hour, with a £3,000 joining bonus and a rota that may include early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Modern, comfortable coaches and a supportive team await.

Qualifications

• Hold a valid PCV licence.
• Proof of your Right to Work in the UK.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• Hold a full UK driving licence with no more than 6 points.
• Flexibility to work on a rota / shift basis (early mornings, late nights, weekends).
• Great people skills.

Responsibilities

• Drive long-distance coach services across the UK delivering safe, reliable journeys.
• Provide excellent customer service and ensure passenger safety and comfort.
• Work a rota with early starts (as early as 03:30) and late finishes (up to 02:00).

Job description

About First Bus:

Are you ready to advance your career with one of the UK's leading bus operators? Join a forward-thinking company that embraces cutting‑edge bus technology, from innovative mobile apps to environmentally friendly vehicles. We are passionate about delivering passenger journeys that are sustainable, comfortable, and efficient. We are at the forefront of innovation in the industry, connecting communities and shaping the future of public transport.

Experienced Coach Driver – Taunton £15.50 per hour + £3,000 Joining Bonus

Join the growing long‑distance coach network operated by First Bus in partnership with FlixBus. We’re looking for experienced, customer‑focused PCV Coach Drivers to become part of our Taunton team on a permanent basis. If you enjoy driving, meeting people, and being out on the road delivering great journeys across the UK, we’d love to hear from you.

What’s in it for you?

You’ll earn £15.50 per hour, over £30,000 per year, alongside a £3,000 joining bonus, with a permanent 39‑hour contract and the opportunity to drive modern, comfortable coaches on varied long‑distance routes across the UK. The role offers a different pace from traditional stop‑start local services, with more open‑road driving, scenic journeys, and flexibility throughout the week outside of a typical 9–5 routine. You’ll also become part of a supportive local team within a growing national coach operation.

The Role

As a Coach Driver, you’ll play a key role in delivering safe, reliable, and professional journeys for customers travelling across the UK. You’ll be responsible for driving long‑distance coach services while providing excellent customer service and ensuring passenger safety and comfort throughout every journey. This role offers a varied working pattern, including early mornings, evenings, and weekends as part of a rota. Typical shifts may include early starts from 03:30 and late finishes up to 02:00.

What we need from you:

• Hold a valid PCV licence
• Proof of your Right to Work in the UK
• You must be at least 18 years of age
• Hold a full UK driving licence with no more than 6 points.
• Flexibility to work on a rota / shift basis. (There are a variety of shifts which may consist of early mornings (starting 03.30hrs) / late nights (finishing at 02:00hrs) / weekends.)
• Great people skills

Applicants are advised that background checks will be conducted as a standard part of our recruitment process.

Rewards:

Your health is important to us which is why we offer Simply Health & Smart Health for you and your dependents at no cost to you! This offering includes cash back benefits across optical & dental as well as virtual GP appointments, mental health support and nutrition and fitness advise. Our EAP provision offers 24hr, 365 days a year mental health support. We are also committed to your financial wellbeing, and we offer a platform with many discounts on high street brands and supermarkets etc. Working at First you also receive discounted train travel for you and your family after 6 months service as well as a free bus pass. Free onsite parking + cycle to work scheme. Up to 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays. Pension scheme and chance to buy discounted FirstGroup shares.

We are always looking for skilled and talented people to join us across our sixty plus depots from Aberdeen to Truro. It takes a dedicated team of specialists and professionals over just about every type of role you can think of to keep us on the road and creating amazing passenger journeys. We’ve embarked on a journey of major transformation – to make sure we put our people and customers first. Our people are the beating heart of First Bus. Without them, there would be no drivers to take customers to where they need to be and no engineers to keep our buses safely on the road. Our transformation programme is designed to reshape our business to meet tomorrow’s travel needs.