Minister Hackett calls on midlands people to consider a career behind the wheel

Minister Pippa Hackett is appealing to anyone starting out or thinking of a career change to consider becoming a bus driver. Her call comes as the Government continues to roll out new bus routes across the Midlands.

“I made enquiries recently about a new route, the 822 from Mountrath to Carlow which will be of great benefit to students of SETU. This route is due to start in the autumn in time for the new college year and is currently on target. But the NTA told me that the shortage of drivers is a risk factor. Government can roll out as many new routes as we like but if we don’t have the drivers those routes won’t be operating to their full potential.”

The Minister for Land Use and Biodiversity commended the work of Laois Offaly ETB who are offering training to meet the shortage. “To drive a bus you need a full Drivers D licence and Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). LOETB regularly offer this training to holders of provisional D licences and I see another course starting in August in Tullamore.”

She added: “Bus drivers offer a really important service to our communities and the significance of this will increase as we move to decarbonise the way we travel. Bus drivers are climate action warriors and I hope that more people will consider this possibility for a fulfilling career.”