Bus operator First York says it is making a breakthrough in tackling a driver shortage.

In the past few weeks it has recruited 16 new drivers with five beginning at its training school, which is next to the depot on James Street.

From the start of April, the hourly pay for existing PCV licence holders at First York will rise to £14.35 with newly qualified drivers on £13.05 for the first six months. This compares with the current £13.90 and £12.65 respectively.

The recruitment success at First York means it has around 190 drivers and the company says it is close to achieving the optimum number it employed regularly before the pandemic and the widespread challenge of recruitment that followed in the transport sector.

York bus operator’s recruitment drive as covid shakes industry

Tom Bridge, Operations Director, said: “This has needed a lot of dedication and hard work by our teams in recruitment, operations and the training school. We are delighted to have attracted new people to discover the career and opportunities that bus driving offers.”

First York says it intends to continue its recruitment campaign to maintain progress in securing more drivers and to manage the many extra events the operator supports throughout the year.

Training a new bus driver takes between 6-8 weeks and includes classroom-based learning alongside on-the-road driving tuition. Candidates need to have held a full driving licence for six months and are allowed to have a maximum of six penalty points.

I learned how to drive a bus with First York

All First York employees receive free bus travel in the city, so new starters do not need worry about the cost of getting to the training school each day. Family members are eligible for free travel after three months.

Details about driving jobs can be found on the First York website https://www.firstbus.co.uk/york  and clicking on the About us section which has a link to a dedicated webpage https://busdrivercareers.co.uk/ to apply.