A YARDLEY bus driver is set to battle it out to be crowned the UK’s best bus driver at a national driving competition next month.
Paul Jarvis will be joined by fellow driver Lee Grantham from Kings Norton after the pair claimed the top two spots at the National Express West Midlands’ (NXWM).
Bus Driver of the Year competition which was held recently in Walsall. Danny Bayley, a National Express Coventry driver, completes a finalist trio for National Express.
Paul has been with the company since 1990 and is based at the Birmingham Central depot. He was the first ever NXWM bus driver to win the UK Bus Driver of the Year competition in 2012 and mainly drives the 94 and 95 bus services between Birmingham city centre and Chelmsley Wood via Ward End.
Lee is based at the Acocks Green depot and won the UK Bus Driver of the Year title last year. He’s been with NXWM for eight and a half years and drives the number 72 bus service between Chelmsley Wood and Solihull, and the 73 between Heartlands Hospital and Solihull.
NXWM is now hoping one of their finalist drivers will be bringing some silverware back to the West Midlands, following Lee’s win in 2023.
Paul said: “I feel proud about getting through the local garage heats and the wider company competition. It was a brilliant day and one of the hardest competitions I’ve done over the years, having qualified in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018!
“I’m excited and honoured to represent the company in September. I really enjoy going to Blackpool to compete in the UK final, as well as meeting other top drivers from all over the country, listening to their experiences and chatting about the challenges at BDOY.”
The top three drivers will compete against other UK bus operators’ best drivers at the 2024 UK Bus Driver of the Year final, which takes place in September in Blackpool, where the competition has been held since 1982.
Sarah East, regional operations director (Midlands) at National Express, said: “As always, our Bus Driver of the Year competition proved popular again this year and all 60 drivers that took part in the local depot heats enjoyed the camaraderie while demonstrating their skills during a tough competition.
“We’re really proud that we’ve got two former UK Bus Driver of the Year winners in our final group this year – Lee and Paul, alongside Danny who will be on the national stage for the first time.
“They all did brilliantly in our local final and we’ve got high hopes for all three of them. We wish them all the best of luck for the UK final next month. Bring it home!”
