A day in the life of a Go‑Ahead London bus driver.
Stephen Appiah – Go‑Ahead London bus driver and mentor
Stephen welcomes the pleasantries he receives from the Go‑Ahead London customers and this improves his working day.
When he arrives at Merton Garage, he checks his shift, collects his duty card and checks for any diversions or issues on the route he is working on for the day.
After heading out into the garage to locate his bus, he carries out the Company’s important safety checks to ensure the vehicle is ready to be taken out in service in order to safely serve awaiting customers.
Checks completed and sat behind the wheel, he drives out to his first stop and greets all the passengers waiting to board the bus, taking them to various locations across the route.
With the fast pace of the City, Stephen must ensure that he provides a safe and comfortable journey for all, whilst adhering to his tight schedule to ensure a smooth and reliable service for his passengers.
After completing the first half of his shift, he swaps over with one of his fellow colleagues at the changeover point and heads to the garage canteen for a well-deserved break and catch up with his fellow drivers, fitting in a game of pool.
Once his break is over, he heads back out to the changeover point to collect his bus for the second half of his shift.
When Stephen’s shift is complete, he changes over with another colleague and heads back to the garage to sign out after an enjoyable day, providing many happy journeys.
Stephen is confident he’s done a good job if people say “thank you” for his work.
After 17 years working for Go‑Ahead London, he aims to continually provide an exemplary service.
In 2018 Stephen came second in the London Bus Awards across the whole of Go‑Ahead Group and, despite the achievement, it’s still the gratitude and feedback he gets from his customers which make his job so rewarding.
“For me the best part of the job is seeing that the customers are happy, to give them the best possible journey. I receive many compliments and I appreciate it when people say thank you. It’s nice to know when you’re being appreciated for what you’ve done.”
Stephen Appiah, Bus Driver and Mentor
