"I became a bus driver quite by chance, after spotting an advert in the paper in 1999. I liked the idea of driving for a living, but not the solitude. Driving a bus seemed perfect: you have a certain level of autonomy, without a boss breathing down your neck. You have to have the right kind of personality to excel at bus driving."
"You need to be a very good driver, but you need to be able to command order at the same time. I like that I can influence how my day goes; I'm in charge of the atmosphere on my bus. Some drivers are very strict, but I think that makes for a miserable day, so I try to spread a bit of happiness."
"If I see someone running for the bus as I'm about to pull away, I'll always stop and wait even though sometimes they run straight past me. One elderly chap gets on my bus every week, and he always slips me a KitKat without saying a word. It feels a bit like a surreptitious drug deal, but it's very much appreciated."
"You need to have an exemplary record, good feedback from customers, no prangs on the bus and excellent timekeeping. About 100 drivers from across the country make the grand final in Blackpool. There's a theory test and practical exam, where you're asked to park a bus exactly one metre from the pavement and line up a lamp-post to the middle of the hubcap."
Michael Leech became a bus driver in 1999 after seeing an advert and chose the role for its driving plus social interaction. He values autonomy without isolation and shapes the atmosphere on his bus, preferring friendliness over strictness. He stops for passengers running for the bus and enjoys small gestures like an elderly passenger slipping him a KitKat. He pursued the UK Bus Driver of the Year title for years and won after national finals in Blackpool, excelling in both theory and precise practical tests. He takes pride in cleanliness, punctuality and celebrated the £4,100 prize with his wife.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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