Trainee Bus Driver

London and North Western Railway Company Limited; Grays; On-site; Full time

Job summary

Arriva London is seeking motivated individuals for their Trainee Bus Driver program. Offering comprehensive training, you'll become a key part of the team, contributing to efficient public transport service across London. Enjoy competitive pay, a strong community, and ample progression opportunities.

Benefits

25 days holiday + 8 bank holidays

Free travel on the TfL network for you and a nominee

Cycle to Work Scheme

Monthly £50 safety reward vouchers

Qualifications

• Minimum age of 18 with a UK driving licence for at least 6 months.
• No more than 6 penalty points on your licence.
• Willingness to work weekends and flexible shift patterns.

Responsibilities

• Complete full driver training.
• Operate buses safely while adhering to schedules.
• Provide excellent customer service.

Skills

Customer service

Reliability

Motivation

Job description

Start Your Journey as a Trainee Bus Driver with Arriva London
No experience? No problem. All you need is the motivation to learn.
At Arriva, we believe great bus drivers aren’t born — they’re trained. If you’ve got a positive attitude, a calm approach, and the drive to learn, we’ll give you all the tools you need to succeed.

You’ll get full, paid training at our dedicated driving school and ongoing support as you become a fully qualified, confident bus driver. Whether you’re helping Londoners get to work, school, or across the city, you’ll play a key role in keeping the capital moving.

Why Choose Arriva?

As one of London’s largest and most respected bus operators, we move nearly 300 million passengers a year across more than 50 million miles. With a goal to fully electrify our fleet by 2030, we’re investing in the future — and in people just like you.

We’ll Train You

• Full Bus Driver Training – we’ll teach you everything, from the basics to the advanced
• A structured, supportive learning environment
• All you need to bring is motivation, reliability, and a willingness to learn
  

Your Pay Package

• £13.85 per hour while training
• £16.26 per hour once qualified, with a continuous milestone of salary progress based on your years of service
• Overtime:
  • £17.88 per hour for standard overtime
  • £19.51 per hour for weekend overtime

What You’ll Get

• 25 days holiday + 8 bank holidays
• Free travel on the TfL network for you and one household nominee
• Access to Arriva Village – exclusive discounts and offers
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Monthly £50 safety reward vouchers for top-performing drivers
• Real career progression opportunities
• A strong sense of community and support
  

What You’ll Need

• Minimum age of 18 with a UK driving licence for at least 6 months
• No more than 6 penalty points on your licence
• A friendly attitude and commitment to great customer service
• Willingness to work weekends and flexible shift patterns
• Must pass a drug and alcohol test as part of your assessment
  

Shift & Location Info

• Full-time: 38 hours per week
• 5 out of 7 rotating shift patterns per week
• Morning shifts from 04:00, afternoons from 12:00, evenings from 18:00
• Schedules planned 6–8 weeks in advance
• Based at one of our many garages across London – check our careers site for openings
  

Get Behind the Wheel of Your New Career

At Arriva, we value inclusion, community, and growth. We don’t just recruit drivers — we help people build careers. If you’re ready to learn, we’re ready to train you.

Apply today and take the first step toward becoming a qualified Bus Driver with Arriva London.

About Us

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys. With buses, trains, coaches, trams, waterbuses, bike-sharing systems, on-demand transport solutions and a rolling stock leasing company, Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably across 11 countries, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of Arriva are divided into four business units: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe. Arriva has passenger transport operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and also operates a rolling stock leasing company in Romania.

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