Carousel Buses hosting special recruitment day following Arriva closure announcement

Carousel Buses is holding a special recruitment event for drivers, mechanics and supervisory positions – with a £4,000 joining bonus on offer for drivers.

Following the news bus operator Arriva has begun consultation on the proposed closure of its depots at High Wycombe and Aylesbury Carousel Buses announced it will step in to run additional services.

As part of Carousel Buses’ response, it has announced it is holding a special fast-track recruitment day to fill additional vacancies which have been created by the major expansion in Carousel's business. The drop-in event will allow affected Arriva staff, and anyone else interested in new opportunities to learn more about the company, the roles available and to ask existing staff questions.

Application forms will be available to fill in on the day.

Luke Marion, Carousel Buses Managing Director said: “We appreciate a lot of staff at Arriva will be impacted by this sad news and we’d like to provide reassurance that there are opportunities available. Carousel Buses is a great and rewarding place to work and we offer an excellent package.”

Last week Carousel Buses reassured local people that it is committed to stepping in and delivering bus services should any Arriva routes be withdrawn. It plans to immediately provide a service on current Arriva routes 2, 3, 5/5a, 6/6a, 7/7a, 10, 11, 12, 13, 800, 850 and X80, from the date of the closure.

The recruitment event is taking place in the Redgrave Room at the Holiday Inn, High Wycombe, on 2nd June between 10am and 4pm. Complimentary refreshments will be served and a free shuttle bus service will be available to and from High Wycombe.

Carousel Buses has increased its joining bonus for existing PCV licence holders to £4,000 and offers competitive rates of pay. The joining bonus is paid in installments over a one-year period. Benefits include free travel on Carousel Buses, Thames Travel and Oxford Bus Company services for staff and their family and discounts at various businesses.

It provides paid training, a professional uniform, common start and finish points for work shifts, flexible working and excellent holiday entitlement.

The special recruitment event replaces a planned open day at Carousel Buses’ depot on the same date. For more information visit: https://www.carouselbuses.co.uk/bus-driver-recruitment-day-2nd-June-2024 

Carousel Buses, a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group, operates 50 buses in High Wycombe and the wider Buckinghamshire area. It also serves locations including Slough in Berkshire, Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire and Uxbridge, and carries 2.5 million passengers per year.