One of our young National Express Coventry trainees has become a driving sensation after passing his bus driving test with no minors.

Luke Brown, 18, took to the wheel after taking inspiration from his father Stuart, who is also a bus driver with us. After completing his driver training, Luke passed his Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licence for the first time and with no minors. He is now a qualified bus driver for National Express Coventry.

Commenting on the result, Luke said: “It feels great to have passed with no minors. I put a lot of time and effort into practising for the test so it’s very satisfying to know my hard work has paid off.

“Having a supportive team around me has helped a lot. During my training, no question was too silly and my instructor was calm and informative so I didn’t feel pressured at all, which I believe has really spurred on my development.”

Darren Dunbar, driver training officer at National Express Coventry, commented:

“To pass a PCV licence at 18 years of age and with zero minors is a major achievement. Each year we have hundreds of drivers start training, out of these, only about two or three pass their test without fault.

“We were not surprised by Luke’s result. He puts 100% into everything he does and that definitely shows in his driving. I’m really pleased for him, he’s a lovely guy and a great asset to the garage.”

When asked what he looks forward to in his career, Luke said: “I’m looking forward to spending more time on the road, helping more people get around and working alongside my dad, who has worked for the garage for the past twenty years. Although, now there is a bit of competition between me and dad for who’s the better driver!”

National Express Coventry is actively recruiting more bus drivers. It’s an exciting time to be a driver in Coventry with it becoming an All Electric Bus City by 2025. A full-time driver in Coventry can earn £28,500 - even more with overtime. This is on top of improved flexibility with part-time work and shorter week options. Full training is also provided. For anybody considering getting behind the wheel and who wants to work in a friendly environment, please see National Express Coventry’s careers page for more details.