THAMES TRAVEL ANNOUNCE SECOND PAY RISE THIS YEAR TO HELP COMBAT RISING COST OF LIVING

Private: Oxford Bus CompanyTue 25th Oct 20222 min

Thames Travel has awarded its bus drivers and office workers an additional cost of living pay rise, in response to rising inflation.

The pay award comes five months after Thames Travel last increased wages as part of their regular annual review and means that overall wages have now increased by more than 10% this year.

It means Monday to Friday hourly driving rates have increased by 80p to £14.90, weekend shifts by 85p to £15.45 and unsocial hours by £1, taking it to £19. The new rates of pay were introduced with immediate effect on Monday.

Luke Marion, Thames Travel Interim Managing Director said: “Our thanks go to all our colleagues for the hard work they are continuing to put into improving the company’s performance and delivering a great service for our customers.

“With the rising cost of living we wanted to do more to support our colleagues and to thank them. We had awarded colleagues an annual pay rise earlier in the year but felt it right to review this considering the further increase in inflation, which was not anticipated when we made that award.

“We hope this additional pay rise will help give our colleagues peace of mind during the current cost of living situation in addition to rewarding them for their hard work.”

Earlier this week Thames Travel announced it has also increased its driver signing on bonus as part of its on-going recruitment campaign. It has also increased its trainee bus driver rates of pay, so these are now only £1 below the standard rate of pay for fully qualified drivers, making it easier for people to switch to a career in bus driving.

Thames Travel, along with its sister company Oxford Bus Company, increased its bonus scheme by £1,000 to take it to £3,000 in a bid to further encourage jobseekers to become bus drivers.

The bonus payments are made when drivers hit four key milestones: driving on the road independently, passing probation and then at months six and 12 months after passing probation. The spread of the payments is designed to improve driver retention rates and to reward dedication to the bus company.

To be eligible for the PCV Driver Recruitment and Retention Bonus applicants must not have previously been employed by Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, Carousel Buses, City Sightseeing Oxford or any other or any Go Ahead Group subsidiary.

Current vacancies can be viewed here.

Private: Oxford Bus Company

The Oxford Bus group of companies has connected passengers across Oxford, South Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Reading since 1881.

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