Trainee Bus Driver in Southend-on-Sea

Start your bus driving career with Arriva at our Southend depot, where you will be at the heart of your community! Whether it is getting commuters to work, helping customers with popping to the shops or getting children to school – we provide an important service in connecting our customers to what matters to them. As a Bus Driver, you will get to know the familiar faces on your routes, build relationships and even be the highlight of someone's day. Did you know that Bus Drivers are one of the most thanked jobs in the UK? We are proud of our customer service and how we support our community – and we would love to have like-minded individuals as part of our team.

Responsibilities & Training

• Full paid training where you’ll receive your PCV licence – you’ll go through our Arriva Training School and learn everything you need to know about being a Bus Driver. The training generally lasts about 4 weeks and takes place at our Northfleet depot (for the first week) and the remainder at Southend, before you then work with a mentor for a further few weeks.
• Overtime opportunities – extra shifts, bank holidays, all paid at a premium rate.
• Ongoing CPC training.
• Development and great career opportunities – whether that’s into management, support training, or as an expert driver.
• Working for an inclusive and diverse company that puts our customers at the heart of what we do, and it’s your responsibility to transport our precious cargo ensuring they get to their destinations.

Requirements

• Must be over 18 years of age.
• Have a UK driving licence and have been driving for a minimum of 6 months.
• No more than 6 points on your licence.
• Will need to undergo a drug and alcohol test before your assessment.
• Will need to pass an English comprehension test.
• Great people skills.
• Flexibility: shifts will start as early as 4 AM in the morning but will always finish no later than 1 AM depending on the time you start.

Pay rate: £11.44 per hour during training (the first 4–6 weeks) – £11.44 per hour after training. Overtime – £16.50 per hour. Rotating shift pattern of 5 days in 7, published up to 6–8 weeks in advance so you can plan around shifts. Mornings start from 04:00, afternoons from 12:00 and evenings from 18:00 on a rotational basis. We cannot offer fixed early, afternoon or evenings separately. Overtime available.

Benefits

• Access to the "Arriva Village", where you can take advantage of store discounts and offers.
• Employee assistance program.
• Free bus travel for you and your family (within the same household).
• Arriva Workplace Pension.
• Fantastic career progression opportunities.
• Long service awards.
• 20 days of holidays plus Bank Holidays.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

At Arriva we acknowledge the importance of our people’s diverse experiences, talents, and cultures. Embracing diversity and creating inclusion is a key component of our talent strategy. The creation of a diverse, inclusive workforce is central to our ability to unlock potential and enhance our success.