Former Sheffield DJ finds a new audience on the buses

Jeff Cooper is best known in the region as one of Hallam FM’s DJs, working there from 1992 to 1998, as well as for appearances since then on some of the country’s top commercial stations, including BBC Radio One and Two.

His audience looks set to grow in Yorkshire once again, after he recently recorded the ‘next stop’ announcements for a series of Stagecoach buses, including their new X6 service from Sheffield to Doncaster Airport.

Later this year, his voice will also be heard on other buses across Sheffield and in other parts of the UK.

“My relationship with Stagecoach goes back to my DJ days, when I used to have their MD on my show to speak from time to time,” said Jeff, aged 67.

“I once mentioned that I fancied driving a bus, and they offered to put me through my training and exams, and I then drove a Stagecoach bus two days a week for the next seven years, and loved it.

“More recently, I got chatting with the new MD who mentioned they were looking to record these new announcements for their new buses and I offered my services.”

Jeff recorded between seven and eight hundred ‘next stop’ announcements for locations all over the region from his own Chesterfield studio, which also produces the programming for ‘2XS Rocks!’ - the radio station he launched from Sheffield’s Workstation in the city centre in 2002.

The radio station now has tens of thousands of listeners worldwide.

Jeff added: “As these services carry several million passengers each year, my annual audience will soon be higher than on most of the radio stations I’ve worked for.

"I'll actually be riding on the X6 next month, on my way to the airport, so I'll be able to hear my voice greeting me at 4.30am as I’m getting ready to jet off on my holidays.”