Passenger transport driver - Tram Driver

This occupation is found in the transport industry, in private, public and third sectors. There are both large and small organisations providing essential transport for the millions of people who travel on buses, coaches, and trams every day. There is a wide variety of services within this sector. For example: inner city buses, country wide coach travel, private hire for holiday travel, daily school transport and tram travel on differing networks. Traveling by passenger transport helps to clean up the air that we breathe by reducing the number of vehicles on the road. This industry connects people within their communities. Customers could be going to work, seeing friends and family, accessing education or healthcare, or going on holiday. This apprenticeship is a great opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge and behaviours that play a vital role in providing a high quality, accessible and safe passenger transport service.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide excellent customer service by ensuring they can travel safely, on time and in comfort from the beginning to the end of their journey. Passenger transport drivers may work a variety of shifts or rotas, day and night, every day of the week. The duties they perform include preparing, carrying out, then completing the service in line with company procedures and legislative requirements. This is a safety critical role which involves applying route risk assessments and daily checks and ensuring potential hazards are avoided to prevent the delay or completion of planned journeys. Passenger transport drivers must drive vehicles in different traffic, situational and weather conditions on the network, no two days are the same.

For bus and coach drivers, a DVLA category D licence is a statutory requirement and must be passed before completing the apprenticeship. Bus and coach drivers must also achieve their Driver of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) which is an additional legal requirement. Once the CPC licence has been achieved a bus and coach driver must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to maintain the ability to drive buses and coaches professionally.

For tram drivers, a DVLA category B license is required and must be passed before completing the apprenticeship.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with customers in a clear, concise, and polite manner. In smaller organisations they may report to a direct line manager and work alongside internal colleagues within the depot. For larger organisations working on shift rotas, they may report to a shift operating controller and work as part of a larger team. There may be a requirement to work with other public services for example, liaising with the emergency services in the event of an accident or incident.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for safeguarding customers, employees, public, pedestrians, vehicle, and other road users at all times. Adhering to current passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) driving regulations, health and safety legislation, company policies and procedures. After a concentrated period of training at the start of the apprenticeship, the apprentice will predominately work independently with the ongoing support of the organisational mentor. Passenger transport drivers must meet targets, regulations and timescales whilst always maintaining professionalism. For example, complying with health and safety risk assessments. Ensuring that defensive driving is practised throughout every journey. Following drivers’ hours regulations, company guidelines and working time directives. This ensures road safety, fair competition and supports health and wellbeing of the driver.