Devon pair make Bus Driver of the Year final

Two drivers from Stagecoach South West are competing to become the 2015 Bus Driver of the Year.

The pair were victorious in the local heats of the competition and will now go on to compete at the national finals held in Blackpool during September.

Exeter-based Richard Smith bagged first place in the South West heats, alongside a £200 prize, after scoring 96 out of 100 in his theory test alone. Joining Richard in Blackpool is Robert Groger, from Torquay who came second in the selection round taking home a prize of £150.

Both staff also had to undergo a rigorous series of practical driving tests in order to prove they were up to the challenge of competing in Blackpool.

The competition was first held in 1967 and every year since  operators from across the country have put forward their crème de la crème to see who will gain the crown UK Bus Driver of the Year and receive prizes worth £1,500.

Richard said he was honoured to be chosen. He added: “I am so excited that I have been selected to go to Blackpool for the final this year. I absolutely love my job as a driver for Stagecoach South West and it’s great that my hard work has been recognised and I’m getting praised for doing something that I enjoy!”

Bob Dennison, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, said: “I’m thrilled for both Richard and Robert for making it to the national final. It’s great that their skills and knowledge have been recognised and I am not surprised - we have a great pool of talent here in the South West.”

The competition comes at a time when Stagecoach South West has been actively campaigning for more drivers to join its Exeter team with initiatives from reality TV inspired bus back advertising to a recruitment film which has already had over 3,000 views on You Tube.

The film features employees with varying roles within the business who tell the viewer why they should consider a career with Stagecoach South West. 

Throughout July a Facebook campaign has also been running which, to date, has been viewed by almost 50,000 people.

Exeter is one of the largest Stagecoach depots in the country, employing more than 400 drivers.

Stagecoach welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and is looking for people who are passionate about great customer service, can think on their feet and hold a full UK driving license.

Currently, there are a number of driving roles available at the company’s Exeter depot. All offer a basic salary of £20,000 per annum*, a generous holiday entitlement, company pension scheme and free bus travel for the employee and their immediate family.

Stagecoach is also always keen to promote from within and aims to encourage ambition amongst its staff through a number of staff development programmes that can lead onto supervisory or managerial roles within the company.

To find out more about the Bus Driver of the Year competition, which takes place in Blackpool on 5th and 6th September, visit: http://www.bdoy.co.uk/

*After a qualifying period.