Trainee Bus Driver

London and North Western Railway Company Limited; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Arriva London is seeking motivated individuals to join as Trainee Bus Drivers. With full training provided, candidates will learn to navigate London's streets while ensuring passenger safety and service. Enjoy competitive hourly pay, career progression, and numerous employment perks including travel benefits and holiday leave.

Benefits

25 days holiday + 8 bank holidays

Free travel on the TfL network for you and one household nominee

Access to exclusive discounts through Arriva Village

Cycle to Work Scheme

Monthly £50 safety reward vouchers for top-performing drivers

Career progression opportunities

Strong sense of community and support

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old and hold a UK driving licence for a minimum of 6 months.
• No more than 6 penalty points on licence.
• Friendly attitude and commitment to customer service.

Responsibilities

• Complete full bus driver training and become a confident driver.
• Provide excellent customer service to passengers.
• Adhere to rotating shift patterns and operational schedules.

Skills

Motivation

Reliability

Customer Service

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
• £15.40 per hour once qualified, with clear milestones to reach higher pay brackets as you progress.
• Up to £19.25 per hour for overtime and unsociable hours
• Overtime paid at 1.25x for:
  • Hours worked after 9pm
  • Weekends
  • Hours beyond your regular shifts

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.

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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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