Bus Driver of the Year: all the finalists
The 56th National Final of the UK Bus Driver of the Year Competition takes place in Blackpool on Sunday 1 September and entries have been rolling in from operators large and small who have put their best drivers forward.
Joe Mackie
A total of 100 competitors from 34 bus operating companies are challenging for the coveted title of Bus Driver of the Year, which was won last year by Lee Grantham of National Express Bus.
Joe Mackie, Chairman of the UK Bus Driver of the Year Association, which organises the competition, said: “Of the 100 some are hoping to regain the top spot, others with the objective of doing better than previously and all hoping to win the coveted title.
“This level of commitment to the competition and the bus industry will ensure an interesting and professional event.”
Bus Driver of the Year Finalists 2024
Blackpool Transport: BROWN Keith, RICHARDSON Duncan
First Aberdeen: PIEKARSKI Grzegorz
First Cymru: CLEMENT Steve, JONES Daryl, OWENS Jamie, EMERY Jake
First Glasgow: BARRETT Steven, CASEY Philip
First Manchester Midlands and South Yorkshire: HINCHCLIFFE Gary, BAILEY Christine, FIRTH Russell, SANDIFORD Bethany, HASANAJ Naim, ANDERSON Michael, DERBYSHIRE Howard, ALLCOCK Steven, COCLOUGH Toni, CHAMBERS Andrew, GORE Simon, CALLAGHAN Paul
First Midland Red: HOLMES Jamie
First North and West Yorkshire: RAYNER Chris, LAPAJ Altin, THOMA Artour, POWELL Gareth, SUTTON Clive, LEECH Michael
First South: BRAY Elliott, DYMOND Ryan, DURHAM John (Little John), COTTLE Ryan
First West of England: RICE Peter, KHALAF Rafa, BEETISON Stuart, WEECH Mark, tbc
Go-Ahead London: VISWANATHAN Raj, FARRUKH Zaman, ROWLEY Michael, JAY Joseph, COOK Terry
Go-Ahead Ireland: tbc
Go North West: UNSWORTH Anthony, THISTLETON Christopher
Go South Coast: DZIOB Greg, GREEN Hannah, HOWARD Leanne
Lothian Buses: O’HARA John, GILHOOLEY Thomas, SHROUD Harvey
McGill’s Bus Group: WEIR George, CRAM Austin, PATERSON Christopher, CRAIG Steven, JUSTICE Gavin
National Express Bus: GRANTHAM Lee, BAYLEY Danny, JARVIS Paul
Oxford Bus Company: BROOK Steve, TOMLIN Paul
Portsmouth City Bus: VINCENT Simon, CHAMPION Neil
Peoplesbus: CAWLEY Andrew
RATP Dev Transit London: RAI Bhim, STANKIEWICZ Artur, DYSZKO Damian
Stagecoach Bluebird: GOODALL Mark
Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire: SPRAGUE Khan, BAILLIE Matthew
Stagecoach East: MADONDO Kuda, CLARK Allison
Stagecoach East Scotland: ROBB Angela, MACKIE Brain, SOLOVJOV Aleksei
Stagecoach Highlands: MOROIU Nita
Stagecoach Manchester: LEES Reice, WARD Tony, JONES Simon
Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire: CONNOLLY Martin, JOINSON Alan, ROYLE Phil
Stagecoach Midlands: MARKHAM Paula, STOLARSKI Leonard
Stagecoach North East: MUTTON Sam
Stagecoach South: HEBB Haydon, MATTHEWS Dave
Stagecoach South East: DAVIS Joe, IRVIN Adam
Stagecoach South Wales: FOOT Paul
Stagecoach South West: SHEPHERD Darren
Stagecoach Yorkshire: DYSON Kev, MARSDEN Jason
Stephensons of Essex: HART Deborah, FENN Patricia (Tricia)
Transport UK London: AVISS Richard, YEBOAH Francis, MUMIN MOHAMMED
Whippet: MUTTON Sean