UK Bus Driver of the Year 2018 - Ian Field of Stagecoach East Scotland

At the 52nd National Final of the Bus Driver of the Year Competition in Blackpool on Sunday 2nd September there were 91 entrants from large and small operators throughout the country and both the overall winner and runner-up came from Stagecoach companies.

Ian Field from Stagecoach East Scotland was crowned "UK Bus Driver of the Year 2018", winning the BDoY Trophy and £1,500 sponsored by the Road Operators’ Safety Council, plus £1,500 from Unite the Union as well as being awarded the John Boxall Medallion as national champion (John founded Bus Driver of the Year in Coventry in 1967). A further £1,000 was awarded to Ian as highest-placed finalist from Stagecoach, and as best competitor from a depot in Scotland he received another £100 accompanied by the Joe Mackie Shield. All the trophies were presented by Joan Aitken, Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, who praised the efforts of bus operators throughout the UK in often difficult conditions while proudly wearing her "Thank You Driver" badge.

Runner-up was Anthony Quinn from Stagecoach West, who won the BDoY Trophy and £1,500 and was also second-highest- placed finalist from a Stagecoach company, winning a further £500 plus £100 as best competitor from a depot in England, winning the Giles Fearnley Shield.

In third place was Raj Viswanathan from Go-Ahead London, winning £1,000 with the BDoY Trophy plus a further £1,000 for being highest-placed finalist from a Go-Ahead company and £1,000 as top London Buses driver.

Nicholas Graham from First Hampshire, Dorset & Berkshire finished in overall fourth place, winning £750 plus £1,000 as highest-placed FirstGroup competitor and Graham Hall of Stagecoach South East was fifth, picking-up a £500 prize with the BDoY Trophy.

Joe Mackie, Chairman of the UK Bus Driver of the Year Association, congratulated all the trophy winners and thanked the dedicated volunteers who make the competition possible. "We are extremely grateful", he added, "to our sponsors for their generous financial support which makes it possible to run this much-loved event that puts bus drivers centre stage".

Our congratulations go not only to the 5 competitors mentioned here, but to all the other 86 remaining National Finalists who have all done both themselves and their companies proud. For a link to our main sponsor, ROSCO please click here.