License Info

How to become a bus driver
If you have had a clean Class 1 drivers licence for at least 2 years, you can become a bus driver.

What licences are required?
You are required to hold a Class 2 licence and a P endorsement as a minimum to drive our buses.
In order to drive our double decker buses, you will need a Class 4 licence.

How do I get these licences?
We can help!  Here is the process that is followed in order to become a driver with Tranzurban.

Step 1 You contact our HR department on 0800 200 018 or hr@tranzurban.co.nz and tell us a little about yourself. We will ask some questions such as “Do you have your current Class 1, 2 or 4 licence”, “Do you have a P endorsement”  and just have a general chat about the process, what you currently do and why you may like to come and work for Tranzurban

Step 2 We will invite you to come to one of our sites for an interview.  We will arrange a time for an interview with you and send a confirmation with all the details via email or text message

Step 3 You will have an interview with one of our team and also go on a pre-employment driving assessment in one of our fleet cars with one of our driver trainers. The drive will take approximately 30 minutes.

Step 4 Our interviewer and trainer will make recommendations to the selection team about whether they feel you would be an asset to our team. They will then do reference checks (we’ll have asked you for two people we could do a reference check with at your interview)  

Step 5 If we would like to offer you a job, we will give you a call and organize a time for you to come and meet with one of our managers to go through a contract.  You will then have 48 business hours in which to review the contract and then if you are happy with the offer, return the signed contract to us.

Step 6 The Human Resources team will contact you to organize a day and time for you to attend one of our paid classroom training sessions (lunch is also provided on these days)
They will also provide you with all the information on how to gain your Class 2 licence. You will need to read up on the Road Code and sit your Class 2 learners theory test at either an AA or VTNZ site. Tranzurban will pay for this test. (note: only for the first test – if you fail, you will need to pay for any re-sit)
You will also be provided with information and the forms to apply for your ‘P’ (Passenger) endorsement.  Tranzurban will pay for your P application.   It is strongly suggested that you apply for your P endorsement at the same time you are at the AA or VTNZ to sit your Class 2 theory test as this can take several weeks to be processed by NZTA.

Step 7 When you receive your Class 2 Learners (ie you pass your test), you will be expected to contact the Human Resources team to confirm that you have your learners.

Step 8 A driver trainer will then give you a call to arrange times for you to be taught how to drive a bus. You will be taken out on the road with a driver trainer for a minimum of 3 driving lessons. These are unpaid driving lessons with our internal driver trainers.

Step 9 The driver trainer will tell you, and HR, when they believe you are capable of sitting your practical Class 2 driving test.
You will then be booked into a one day course and driving test with our internal driver assessor.

Step 10 If you pass the driving test, Tranzurban will then pay for your Class 2 endorsement to be put onto your licence.  At this stage you will then move onto paid route familiarization training and further ‘on bus’ training.   Once you have your ‘P’ endorsement confirmed, you will be able to be placed onto a roster and will start transporting the public.
Note: if you leave within 2 years of receiving your Class 2 licence with Tranzurban, you will be asked to repay a pro-rata amount back for the training costs.  Training costs are between $1100-$1500 per person.

How long does this process usually take?

If you only have your Class 1 drivers licence, the entire process from step 1 start to you driving passengers takes a minimum of 6 weeks.  In this respect, we suggest that if you are already in employment that you don’t give notice until you have received your Class 2 licence.
If you require a few more driving lessons from the team in order to pass your Class 2 driving test or you have to re-sit the theory test, this could extend the time it takes to train as a driver.

I already have my Class 2 licence but no P endorsement – what is the process?
You would still need to follow Steps 1 -6 and will need to complete our in house training with our internal driver training team.  You will need to apply for your P endorsement as per step 6 and will be unable to be rostered on until you hold your P endorsement.

For more information on drivers licences and passenger endorsements, visit https://www.nzta.govt.nz/drive