Utilita Arena Sheffield hosts bus driving experience event for the public to tackle national driver shortages

Residents of Sheffield and beyond will have the opportunity to experience life as a bus driver at an event next week.

Delivered by Realise, in conjunction with South Yorkshire Combined Authority, the Route to Success bus experience day will be held in the car parks of the Utilita Arena Sheffield on Wednesday, August 16, giving the people of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield the potential to find a new career direction.

People who sign up to the free event will have the chance to drive a bus under the guidance of a qualified trainer, take part in a virtual reality session and learn more about the new Route to Success scheme.

Any individual aged over 19 and with a full UK driving licence can attend the engagement day and people can sign up by clicking here.

The scheme will create more than 200 new bus drivers to help protect services and routes across the region. As well as obtaining a Passenger Carrying Vehicle licence through the course, those completing the programme will also be guaranteed a job interview with an operator.

Kairon Flowers, operations director at Realise, said: "This bus driver experience day is a flagship event in our Route to Success programme in South Yorkshire.

"People who come down to Utilita Arena Sheffield will spend an hour learning what life as a bus driver entails, as well as having the chance to drive a bus in a controlled environment and learn more about the training course.

"For people seeking a new challenge and thinking bus driving may be an option they are keen to pursue, it’s an ideal snapshot into what a career in the industry may look like."

Craig Moffatt, Head of AEB and Skills at South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, said: "We are acutely aware at the Mayoral Combined Authority of the importance of improving public transport for the communities across South Yorkshire. 

"By funding programmes like the bus driver training, available through Realise, we are using our powers to encourage and invest in the next generation of bus drivers and tackle recruitment issues. 

"I urge anyone thinking about a career in bus driving to go along to the Route to Success experience day to learn more about the industry and even have a go at driving a bus."

It is hoped the new scheme will provide a regional solution to the nationwide bus driver shortage. For more information on the course, click here.