This apprenticeship has options. This document is currently showing the following option:
Driving buses, coaches or trams, making sure customers get where they're going safely and on time.
This occupation is found in the transport industry, in private, public and third sectors. There are both large and small organisations providing essential transport for the millions of people who travel on buses, coaches, and trams every day. There is a wide variety of services within this sector. For example: inner city buses, country wide coach travel, private hire for holiday travel, daily school transport and tram travel on differing networks. Traveling by passenger transport helps to clean up the air that we breathe by reducing the number of vehicles on the road. This industry connects people within their communities. Customers could be going to work, seeing friends and family, accessing education or healthcare, or going on holiday. This apprenticeship is a great opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge and behaviours that play a vital role in providing a high quality, accessible and safe passenger transport service.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide excellent customer service by ensuring they can travel safely, on time and in comfort from the beginning to the end of their journey. Passenger transport drivers may work a variety of shifts or rotas, day and night, every day of the week. The duties they perform include preparing, carrying out, then completing the service in line with company procedures and legislative requirements. This is a safety critical role which involves applying route risk assessments and daily checks and ensuring potential hazards are avoided to prevent the delay or completion of planned journeys. Passenger transport drivers must drive vehicles in different traffic, situational and weather conditions on the network, no two days are the same.
For bus and coach drivers, a DVLA category D licence is a statutory requirement and must be passed before completing the apprenticeship. Bus and coach drivers must also achieve their Driver of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) which is an additional legal requirement. Once the CPC licence has been achieved a bus and coach driver must complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years to maintain the ability to drive buses and coaches professionally.
For tram drivers, a DVLA category B license is required and must be passed before completing the apprenticeship.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with customers in a clear, concise, and polite manner. In smaller organisations they may report to a direct line manager and work alongside internal colleagues within the depot. For larger organisations working on shift rotas, they may report to a shift operating controller and work as part of a larger team. There may be a requirement to work with other public services for example, liaising with the emergency services in the event of an accident or incident.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for safeguarding customers, employees, public, pedestrians, vehicle, and other road users at all times. Adhering to current passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) driving regulations, health and safety legislation, company policies and procedures. After a concentrated period of training at the start of the apprenticeship, the apprentice will predominately work independently with the ongoing support of the organisational mentor. Passenger transport drivers must meet targets, regulations and timescales whilst always maintaining professionalism. For example, complying with health and safety risk assessments. Ensuring that defensive driving is practised throughout every journey. Following drivers’ hours regulations, company guidelines and working time directives. This ensures road safety, fair competition and supports health and wellbeing of the driver.
This is a summary of the key things that you – the apprentice and your employer need to know about your end-point assessment (EPA). You and your employer should read the EPA plan for the full details. It has information on assessment method requirements, roles and responsibilities, and re-sits and re-takes.
An EPA is an assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. It will assess you against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. Your training will cover the KSBs. The EPA is your opportunity to show an independent assessor how well you can carry out the occupation you have been trained for.
Your employer will choose an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) to deliver the EPA. Your employer and training provider should tell you what to expect and how to prepare for your EPA.
The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 12 months. The EPA period is typically 3 months.
The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:
When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate.
The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that you have met any requirements required before you start the EPA. You will only enter the gateway when your employer says you are ready.
The gateway requirements for your EPA are:
For the passenger transport driver - bus and coach or tram, the qualification required is:
option 1 bus and coach driver: UK driving licence Category D and Driver CPC
option 2 tram driver: UK driving licence Category B
Multiple-choice test
You will complete a multiple-choice test. It will be closed book, meaning you will not have access to any books or reference materials.
The test will have 25 multiple-choice questions. You will have 45 minutes to complete it.
Practical assessment with questions
You will be observed by an independent assessor completing a set of tasks. It will last 1 hours. They will ask you at least 3 questions.
Interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence
You will have an interview with an independent assessor. It will last at least 60 minutes. They will ask you at least 9 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions.
The EPAO will confirm where and when each assessment method will take place.
You should speak to your employer if you have a query that relates to your job.
You should speak to your training provider if you have any questions about your training or EPA before it starts.
You should receive detailed information and support from the EPAO before the EPA starts. You should speak to them if you have any questions about your EPA once it has started.
If you have a disability, a physical or mental health condition or other special considerations, you may be able to have a reasonable adjustment that takes this into account. You should speak to your employer, training provider and EPAO and ask them what support you can get. The EPAO will decide if an adjustment is appropriate.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | Occupational standard, end-point assessment plan and funding band revised. | 30/11/2023 | Not set |
| 1.1 | Standard and end-point assessment plan revised | 07/08/2018 | 29/11/2023 |
| 1.0 | Retired | 17/08/2017 | 06/08/2018 |
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