‘Be an Elite Driver’, says Go North East

Go-Ahead Group-owned Go North East plans to hire up to 200 drivers through its newly created Elite Bus Driver Academy.

The operator is launching a campaign under the banner of ‘Be an Elite Driver’, which uses fighter pilot-style uniforms and imagery to entice people into bus driving. Applicants will undertake an intensive six-week training program, open to both bus driver license holders and those without. Drivers can earn upwards of £30,000.

Go North East has tripled the size of its training team in anticipation of an influx of new recruits.

The operator has launched the campaign to support plans to transform buses in the region, which are being delivered in partnership with Nexus, Transport North East, Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council. Millions of pounds of funding is being pumped into buses as part of the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.

“We’ve already had lots of interest in joining our Elite driver academy and we’re expecting thousands of applications” – Nigel Featham, Managing Director, Go North East

Nigel Featham, Managing Director, Go North East, said: “This is a ground-breaking recruitment campaign to match the huge scale of change that we’ll be helping to deliver in the North East’s public transport. We’ve already had lots of interest in joining our Elite driver academy and we’re expecting thousands of applications.”