Bus, train and customer service hiring
These are three different pipelines. A strong retail CV can land station customer service. It will not get you a qualified train driver seat. Apply to the vacancy that matches where you are now.
UK Bus
Most operators hire on their own careers site, not through a jobs board CV drop. Expect an application, a short interview (often at the garage), then medical, DBS and licence checks if you are driving. Paid trainee schemes exist because Category D is not a starting requirement for those roles. Show you can do early/late duties from that garage and that you can deal with the public.
Train
Trainee and qualified driver campaigns are staged: eligibility, online tests (concentration, decision-making), assessment centre, then medical and references. Your CV is supporting evidence, not the whole decision. Station, gateline, host and control roles are closer to customer service hiring — reliability, calm under disruption, and clear communication matter more than “I like trains”.
Customer service & others
Ticket office, gateline, passenger assistance, travel centres and control support are public-facing shift jobs. Recruiters look for conflict handling, cash or system accuracy, and attendance. Previous shop, hotel, care or security work is relevant. Do not pad the CV with vehicle types you have never operated.
After you press apply
What “good” looks like to the person sifting
- You applied to the right vacancy type (trainee vs qualified, station vs driver).
- The form is complete and the dates match the CV.
- You can get to that location for the duty pattern they advertised.
- You sound like someone who will hold a roster, not someone copying a template.
Checks such as DVLA, DBS and occupational health happen after you are in process. They are not CV decoration. Read the CV guide before you send the next one.