Job Vacancy: Coach Driver

We're Hiring 2024 Coach Driver
  • Leicester
  • Full-time
  • £29,250+

Join our outstanding team of exceptional drivers.

Are you someone who finds joy in the freedom of the open road, fueled by a genuine passion for delivering exceptional service? At Ausden Clark, we’re embarking on an exciting expansion phase, and we’re on the lookout for talented individuals to join our team of dedicated drivers. As the demand for our services continues to grow, we invite you to seize this opportunity and become an integral part of our driving force.

At Ausden Clark, every mile is not just a route; it’s an adventure waiting to be explored. If you’re ready to combine your love for driving with a commitment to providing top-notch service, we welcome you to be a part of our dynamic team!

A bit about us:

  • We have a team of over 40 full-time drivers, and are looking to expand the team with more highly professional drivers.
  • We’ve teamed up with Mattioli Woods to create a health and wellbeing plan with a benefits package for all staff.
  • We offer a £1,200 annual bonus based on performance plus regular driving bonuses, for example, London work and job during antisocial hours, and more.
  • We strongly believe in being a team, so we hold regular events to bring everyone together to enjoy nights out and trips away.
  • We offer different shift patterns and weekend off rotas so you can plan your social life and know when your working and when your not.
  • Every member of Ausden Clark is a valued part of the team and so we go the extra mile to recognise everyone individually, and just one of the ways we do this is with birthday recognitions. We give everyone a birthday card, a message, and a gift for that special day of the year.
  • We have a team of friendly cleaning staff ensuring your coach is looked after at the end of the day and you can go home and enjoy more time at home with peace of mind.
  • As part of Ausden Clark, we have Garage Services, where you can get discounted MOTs and reduced prices on repairs and maintenance.
  • We give 28 days of holiday including bank holidays with the additional ability to purchase more holiday through the use of banked hours.
  • We have a flexible company pension scheme which allows you to dictate how much you wish to pay in and the company then contributes based on your desired figure.
  • Every employee receives a high quality Ausden Clark uniform and starter pack after an initial 3-month trial period.
  • Each driver is allocated their own coach, we do this as we firmly believe that its important to have a coach that you feel at home with which improves standards makes for an all-round better experience for all.
  • Keeping up to date with CPC courses is a focus for us, so we have bespoke and online courses available for our driving team. These are completely free for our drivers and can be taken in our on-site training room or even at home.
  • We have built a strong relationship with our customers, one in particular is a coach day trip and holiday provider, and so we’ve teamed up with them to offer staff discounts on their day trips, holidays and LCFC away travel.
  • Our work is a mixed variety of work including private school contracts, private hire, European travel and UK breaks, travelling all over the UK and beyond.
  • We are based on the west side of Leicester just off of junction 21 of the M1. Our modern depot comprises on two yards for our 45-coach fleet, excellent driver facilities, our head offices, and our Garage Services centre.

Why join the team:

  • Guaranteed 45 hours pay every week
  • Health and wellbeing plan, retail benefits and more
  • Performance and credited bonus scheme in excess of £1,200 per year
  • Social events throughout the year
  • Mixed working pattern
  • Company uniform
  • 28 days holiday including bank holidays, plus a holiday purchase scheme
  • Birthday recognition scheme
  • Company pension system
  • Cleaners to look after the coaches
  • Discounts on car and van maintenance
  • Free CPC training given
  • Discounts on coach hire, day trips, and coach holidays
  • Mixed work including schools, private hire, UK and European travel

The ideal candidate should:

  • Hold a valid PCV license
  • Hold a full UK Driving Licence with less than 6 points
  • 21 or above and have held a driving licence for at least 2 years
  • Hold a valid CPC card (although courses can be provided)
  • Be DBS-approved
  • Have an excellent driving record
  • Have a high level of driving skill
  • Have a good knowledge of the UK road network, European knowledge will be an advantage also
  • Be flexible with working hours and aware that coach driving can involve anti social hours
  • Have good communication skills with a customer-focused attitude
  • Be able to work within a team

Ausden Clark is an equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all. We believe this is the only acceptable way to conduct business and the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you’re an experienced coach driver and like what we are offering, please call us on 0116 262 9492, or email connie@ausdenclark.co.uk.

Join Ausden Clark and drive your future forward.

Supporters’ Travel is back!

LCFC Away Travel

We're back, and ready to get you back on the road.

It’s been a long wait, but at long last, we’re back and ready to get foxes fans back on the road. As always we’re kickstarting with the pre-season friendlies against Burton, Wycombe and QPR, then it’s back to Wembley we go for the Community Shield contest with Manchester City.
Tickets for the friendlies are now on sale with tickets for the Community Shield coming very soon. Visit our brand new website for more information, to book seats, or to register for updates.

Visit Supporters' Travel

As you’ll see, we’ve completely reworked the website with a whole new look as well as a new and improved system to ensure booking is as quick and easy as possible. We’re also publishing more information such as estimated timings in an effort to provide an all-round better service. Because its an all-new system, you will need to re-register an account if you had one with us before, but this is a very simple process.

If you take a look ahead at the Community Shield fixture, or any of the Premier League fixtures we’ve currently got online you may notice we’ve added a couple of new pickup points outside the city. We’ve done this to provide a better solution to those who live outside the city and find the journey in a faff, currently we’ve setup pickup points for the Hobby Horse in Syston and opposite Sturgess Jaguar.

COVID-19: Travel Advice

Correct as on Thursday 17th June 2021

Private Hire

We continue to closely monitor and are strictly following the guidelines provided by the Government and Public Health England (PHE).

Here is important information from the guidance that applies to coach trips and group visits.

Group events are permitted when professionally organised by businesses who have made risk assessments and put in place good practices for COVID safety.

When booking private hire and trips, coach hire organisers should be aware of and follow the latest Government guidelines on social distancing which are in the best interest of their group. Coach hire organisers are legally allowed to fill all forward facing seats on the vehicle with the exception of the two seats situated behind the driver. In this instance a face covering must be worn at all times throughout the journey.  Facing seats can only be used by passengers in a single household or bubble.

We are also asking for all passengers to wear a face-covering (where applicable – see below) and we are encouraging hand washing and sanitising at all stops.

Coach hire organisers must record contact details for all passengers to adhere to the Governments Track and Trace requirements. These details must be available upon request

We have COVID secure risk assessments and Safe Operating Procedures in place, as have all venues we are using too.

We hope this provides reassurance and helps you to understand the distinction between what is legally permitted privately and what is permitted within a business setting.

Also when boarding/disembarking the coach the passengers are asked to wear a face-covering whilst in close proximity to the driver and then once seated in a socially distanced space they may remove their face-covering.

All coaches are sanitised with a government-approved antibacterial spray after every journey where the passenger group changes, so every time you board one of our coaches you have the peace of mind the vehicle has been completely sanitised between hires.

Private Hire for Schools

The guidance for schools states that you can resume domestic educational visits.

Schools should adopt the same policy as they do within the school and keep the bubbles together whilst on board the coach, this could be classes, year groups or whatever policy the school has in place in regards to the bubbles, this helps control and keep a record and reduce risks of the potential effects of the virus.

When planning a visit, you should take the current government guidance into account as part of your process of risk assessment, and then check it regularly in the days and weeks leading up to the visit, and during a residential visit, and make any changes necessary to your plans.

Parents and participants may naturally be concerned, so you should discuss their concerns with them and keep them informed about the situation and how you plan to mitigate any risks.

Because of COVID-19, there may be a higher than normal risk of leaders being unable to go on a visit, and so you may need to take this into account when planning the staffing of visits.

If you plan to visit a venue such as a museum, gallery, or to attend a public event such as a concert or sporting fixture, or to stay in accommodation such as a hostel or hotel, or if you are using a tour operator or activity provider, discuss the potential effects of COVID-19 with them at the time of booking, and keep in touch with them during the run-up to the visit.

The use of face coverings for children over the age of 11, must be worn if they are likely to come into very close contact with people outside of their group or whom they do not normally meet

Also, when boarding and disembarking the coach the teachers and helpers are asked to wear face-coverings whilst in close proximity to the driver and then once seated in a socially distanced space face-covering may be removed.

All coaches are sanitised with a government-approved antibacterial spray after every journey where the passenger group changes, so every time you board one of our coaches you can have the peace of mind.

Guidelines for School Buses

Where walking or cycling is not possible, dedicated transport (such as a minibus or coach) should therefore be used. The following guidance is taken from the DfE advice for home-to-school transport.

Pupils on dedicated school services do not mix with the general public on those journeys and tend to be consistent.

The approach to dedicated transport should align as far as possible with the principles underpinning the approach being adopted by the school. It is important to consider:

  • how pupils are grouped on transport, where possible this should reflect the bubbles that are adopted within the school;
  • school buses are classed as one bubble as the pupils are frequent travellers within the same group and come in connection with one another regularly;
  • use of hand sanitiser upon boarding and/or disembarking;
  • additional cleaning of vehicles;
  • organised queuing and boarding where possible;
  • distancing within vehicles wherever possible;
  • the use of face coverings for children over the age of 11, must be worn on all Ausden Clark school travel.

All coaches are sanitised with a government-approved antibacterial spray after every journey where the passenger group changes, so every time the students board our coaches you have the peace of mind the vehicle has been completely sanitised between hires within the last 24 hours.

The team at Ausden Clark would like to offer you a massive thank you for your patience and understanding during this very difficult time we are all facing together.

Please, stay safe, look after one another and united together we will beat this virus.

COVID-19: June 2021 Customer Update

COVID-19 Coronavirus: Social Distancing

Thursday 17th June 2021

We would like to reassure our customers that the health and safety of our customers and staff are, as always, our top priority. In light of the current situation, we are closely monitoring and are strictly following the guidelines provided by the Government and Public Health England (PHE).

Garage Services

Our garage services have returned to our normal hours. The services we provide will include a ‘zero contact handover’ of vehicles and we would ask that you please follow the social distancing and hygiene guidelines that we have in place, face coverings must be worn when dropping off and collecting vehicles. If possible, we will ask that all services are paid for by card to contactless processing to help stop potential spreading.

You can contact us on 0116 262 9492, if you have any questions or need any advice .

Coach Hire

For all coach hire related enquiries please email us at coaches@ausdenclark.co.uk. Due to reduced staffing at this time there may be a longer than usual delay in our response but please be assured that we will get back to you.

If you have an existing booking with us and have any questions regarding this please email coaches@ausdenclark.co.uk or call a member of the team on 0116 262 9492.

The team at Ausden Clark would like to offer you a massive thank you for your patience and understanding during this very difficult time we are all facing together.

Please, stay safe, look after one another and united together we will beat this virus.

With lockdown easing, tourism resumes

Day trips as lockdown eases

The implementation of lockdown brought the tourism industry to a complete standstill across the UK, but as lockdown begins to ease, tourism and in particular, day trips are raring to get going again.​

The effects of the COVID-19 Coronavirus lockdown have been felt across the entire country no matter the industry, but tourism took a massive blow. Overnight day trip and tour companies had no choice but to shut down and postpone all future plans, trips and holiday, as they faced uncertainty. Unfortunately, we lost big industry names such as National Holidays, and most recently, Funway Holidays.
However, there is now a light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel. The easing of lockdown measures and the re-opening of attractions, shops, cafes and pubs brings about a desperately needed opportunity to get wheels rolling again.

A measured approach is paramount

Much of the day trip patrons happen to fall into the ‘at risk’ category for the virus, but with day trips being a staple for so many it has been a service sorely missed making people all the more eager for day trip companies get begin offering trips sooner rather than later.
But of course, there’s still a way to go with the pandemic. Operators will now be focussing their attention on how they can maximise customer safety and social distancing in the most viable and effective way, safety is paramount. Without thorough planning and cautious management, we are likely to see a second spike paralyse the industry all over again.

A blow to Leicester

Day trip providers across Leicester had been in the planning of a restart with robust policies for safely handling customers, but this was dealt a huge blow when Leicester became the first UK city to be put back into a state of lockdown, making any plans impossible.
So, what now for Leicester? Well, with the extended lockdown measured due for Government reviewal, we could see new trips in the works for the end of July/start of August.

COVID-19: June 2020 Customer Update

COVID-19 Coronavirus: Social Distancing

Thursday 26th March 2020

We would like to reassure our customers that the health and safety of our customers and staff are, as always, our top priority. In light of the current situation, we are closely monitoring the information given by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and are strictly following the guidelines provided by the Government and Public Health England (PHE).

Garage Services

Our garage services will still be operating but on a greatly reduced scale supporting anyone needing repairs, maintenance, and MOT testing. The services we provide will include a ‘zero contact handover’ of vehicles and we would ask that you please follow the social distancing and hygiene guidelines that we have in place, namely the ‘two-metre rule’. If possible, we will ask that all services are paid for by card to contactless processing to help stop potential spreading.

You can contact us on 0116 262 9492, if we are unable to answer your call due to our reduced staffing levels at this time, we will return your call.

Coach Hire

For all coach hire related enquiries please email us at coaches@ausdenclark.co.uk. Due to reduced staffing at this time there may be a longer than usual delay in our response but please be assured that we will get back to you.

If you have an existing booking with us scheduled to take place before the end of April 2020 and wish to cancel or postpone it please email coaches@ausdenclark.co.uk to arrange this.

The team at Ausden Clark would like to offer you a massive thank you for your patience and understanding during this very difficult time we are all facing together.

Please, stay safe, look after one another and united together we will beat this virus.

Why you should attend an away game

Leicester City Away Travel

Go to an away game for your team

Every season, hundreds of thousands of supporters spend their time to watch their favourite team in action. The common choice for avid fans wanting to catch a glimpse of their team is to buy tickets to home games – which is obviously not a bad way to start. But I’m here to tell you that there is a much better way of enhancing your Premier League experience (and getting value for your money). Well, it’s pretty simple – go to an away game, stand in the away section and join the fans who travel up and down the country every week to see their team play. The real fans. You will not regret it.

Here’s why:

Travelling with the fans

Most clubs provide supporters with the option of coach travel, particularly for the longer journeys – what’s more – there’s plenty of choices from independent providers as well such as Ausden Clark ourselves. Our Supporter’s Travel competes with the club’s own away travel service as but at a flat rate at a more affordable price. Travelling on a train is another option, but the tickets can be pretty pricey and can be very restrictive based on train timetables and delays. Depending on where the match is being played, the coach might leave first thing in the morning, so prepare yourself for a long day. Along the way, you will have the chance to mingle with the fans who dedicate their weekends to their beloved team. No doubt, you will be taken under their wing. There is most definitely a sense of belonging to the tribe on away trips.

Atmosphere at away games

The atmosphere in the section with the away supporters for Premier League games is special. Attending most matches as a home supporter can, at times, be bland – especially at top-tier clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Manchester City. The smaller teams tend to have more energy inside their stadiums on match days. It is important to note it does depend on who the team is facing that week. If the team is playing a rival club, expect the atmosphere to be livelier than most home games.

A stadium’s away section has a certain buzz to it. You are in unfamiliar territory and the opposition’s home support doesn’t like you, making a potential win on the road even sweeter. The bars inside the away section will be packed with lively fans drinking beer and singing the club’s songs, eager for the match to start. Get involved and contribute towards the partisan vibes; grab a beer or soft drink and sing along with the fans before the madness on the pitch unfolds. This is only the beginning. The stands are where the real action takes place. There will be a sea of supporters piled into the away section, stacked all the way from row A to Z. It is here where you will find yourself surrounded by the most vocal and passionate fans on the Premier League circuit: The away faithful standing, singing loudly and proudly, until the final whistle blows.

Going to away matches is a bug. Once you catch, you will not lose it.