bus driver

vehicle technician

hgv technician

transportation supervisor

driver trainer

Somerset-Passenger-Solutions

Let me start with the positives: 
•You get your pcv licence for free and you’re paid while training which is really nice. 
•It’s a fairly independent job meaning that if you do you’re job well you’re pretty much left alone all the time.
•Good pay after a year and lots of overtime available if you want to sell your soul for money. 
•Lot of down time usually so you can read the books / watch the series / play the games that you never had time for before.
• Free onsite parking
• Free coffee and tea
• Discounted train & bus tickets with gwr and first

Now the not so nice parts:
•Work life balance is worse than bad - very early starts (as early as 2:45am) and very long shifts, upwards of 14h, meaning that if you have children you’ll probably go to sleep earlier than them.
•Very exhausting, you’ll want to catch up on sleep all the time. Imagine a week where your starting times are 4am and finish at 19:00 every day, this gives you 9h for commute, eating, shower, family time and sleep. You will have to sacrifice something here, and often it’s going to be the sleep.
•After training you are on a base pay rate which is not very good. If you had your pcv licence before you’re still on this rate for a year no matter how experienced you are.
•Loads of slackers around here meaning that if you’re the hard worker you’ll just get more work given and expected of you.
•Down time can be very damaging to mental health if you’re not creative
•Blame culture everywhere so you’re covering yourself all the time with pictures and other proofs.



After coming up on loan from first south west. I was overjoyed with being given the chance to work here. Management where very welcoming and all staff approachable if you need any help. 

So I started as a driver and have quickly established my self into a new role. Also Sps having giving me the chance to further my qualifications and go back to college. I think you are giving a fair chance to improve yourself if you are willing to go to the next level. SPS listened to my interview and what I had to say, so my work life balance is good. 

As a driver you have got to work long hours but also you have long periods of stand by time involved in the duty. I came from a service worklife which there was no time to think and quite stressful to deal with everything at once. The position I was in with sps was more relaxed and planned out. Also there is loads of overtime if you want it. So change to earn more money if you want to work. 

Overall I think it’s a very nice place to work. 

I am coming up to 4 years working here and I've really enjoyed it. I feel some of the reviews here are unjustified and wanted to put my perspective across. First in these trying times with Covid I feel privileged that I have a job. The company have done everything they can to make us feel safe and to keep the wheels turning (excuse the pun). There are plenty of different roles within to suit a broad range of skill sets and opportunities to progress. The support and training given is excellent. Yes the nature of the business means you work in a shift pattern but there are plenty of different rota's to choose from which are adaptable to your own lifestyle. The pay is above average for this type of work and there are yearly increases. The buses/coaches and double deckers you drive are all nearly brand new and they have their own engineering dept on site so they are all regularly serviced and maintained. Overall a great place to work! 

This is a very rapidly growing and fast paced company to work for, which is excellent for someone like me that prefers to be challenged and on my toes for the majority of my working time. 
Due to this, there are PLENTY of development opportunities for employees in all roles, and I've seen many internal promotions proving that.
In my short time being here, I have been really encouraged by the management team to self develop which is not an opportunity I had in my previous job. 
The managing director truly cares about his employees, and is an advocate of the 'open door' policy. That approachable culture is definitely becoming embedded throughout all departments.
I appreciate there have been historic frustrations, but it seems as if this company has really turned a corner, evolving on to greater things.

My typical work day is primarily office based with a mixture of meetings and staff interactions. There are many opportunities to progress your career and enhance your professional development. Although a fast-paced environment, colleagues and management are supportive and staff health and wellbeing is high on the company's agenda. There is a friendly culture welcoming colleagues from all walks of life with a positive integration of staff across the company. 

After working for 3 years at SPS following many years within the transport industry i can say they are one of the best companies to work for. 

There is a good management team in place who are approachable.

There is plenty of opportunities for job progression for those willing to put in the work, an opportunity that is rare within the industry.

The Fleet is nice and new with all vehicles under a few year old, no old buses here.

The working hours are no longer than you'll find else where within the bus industry, but the driving hours are frequently a lot less than if you were doing service work.

No tight timetables here, if your used to chasing about trying to keep to a timetable on service work, SPS will be a welcome change.

SPS in the 3 years I have been employed has come a long way; the engagement between colleagues and management, the continuous drive to improve and be successful alongside the internal promotion/development of employees. 

There is something for everyone:
If you like long days and cashing in - they have it. 
If you like shorter days - they have it.
If you enjoy night work - they have it!

Joining SPS has been a life highlight personally, although different days bring different challenges - the support throughout the business pushes you to be your best.

There is a real team spirit, there isn't a day where you can pass a colleague without saying good morning and everyone has a story!


Management of this company may not have heard yet of the benefits of humane, civil and respectul treatment of employees. Turnover of staff specially the drivers is unbelievable and the management does not care because they know they've got a bottomless supply of money and resources from the taxpayers through EDF, the main contractor of the Hinkley Point C project, that they are continuously training new driver applicants.
If the management will only treat employees fairly, respectfully and humanely, drivers will not have to work like slaves and feel like ordinary criminals when accidents and misfortunes happen in the course of doing their jobs.

Easy work for the money but almost half the drivers aswel as management are not trustworthy like little spies watching you until you make a little mistake leading straight away to suspension they have been through around 1500 drivers out of the 300 they actually need I was working 10 days in row but because you get 4 days off after it is classed as 5 on 2 off lots of different things I can go on and on if you like money and want to do 60 hours a week this is a company for you but if you do standard 39 hours a week you will get more money as a production operator doing a 4 on 4 off shift pattern 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Great group of drivers and the money is the best around.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The hours are long , up to 15 hrs a day ( not all driving ). And there are shorter shift patterns, earlies and late's but earlies can start at 3am and lates can finish around midnight. T but if you can cope with this then it’s a great job.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Keep your head down and do your job properly and you won’t have any issues. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
13 hr shifts approx for me with around 7-8 hrs driving 4 days a week

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Bus driver 17 salaries reported	£16.18 per hour
Vehicle technician 9 salaries reported	£28.49 per hour
Hgv technician 5 salaries reported	£23.71 per hour
Transportation supervisor 3 salaries reported	£18.22 per hour
Driver trainer 3 salaries reported	£19.28 per hour

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