Bus driver celebrates 25 years behind the wheel

A bus driver says his job has given him “memories to last a lifetime” as he celebrates 25 years behind the wheel.

George Walker, whose passengers have included broadcasting legend Bob Harris and music icon Kenny Lynch, switched careers from being a heating engineer to serving the county’s roads in 1999.

Since then, he has covered more than 800,000 miles in south Oxfordshire while working for Didcot-based Thames Travel.

The married father-of-two became the first Thames Travel employee to receive its long service award earlier this month.

He joined a year after the operator was founded, when it managed a fleet of just four vehicles.

Today, Thames Travel is Oxfordshire’s third largest bus operator, employing more than 150 staff with a fleet of 70 buses serving more than 20 routes across the county from Oxford to Didcot, as well as Abingdon, Wantage, Wallingford, Milton Park, Harwell, and Reading.

Thames Travel had a fleet of just four vehicles when George Walker began working for the company (Image: Fortitude Communications) Mr Walker described his job as rewarding, fulfilling, and worthwhile, where any two days are never the same.

He said: “Kenny Lynch lost his diary on my bus one day. We tracked Kenny down and returned it to him – that’s the side of bus driving people do not see.

“We’re problem solvers and quick thinkers as much as we are drivers, and we build a good relationship with our passengers, which makes all the difference day-to-day.

“I’ve witnessed a lot of changes in my time at Thames Travel. Our operation today is huge compared to when I started, almost unrecognisable – it’s been great to be part of that growth.

“Buses built today are far easier to handle, and we have a lot of built-in technology onboard so our services can be as smooth and efficient as possible.

“But no two days are the same, which is what I love about the role.”

The 54-year-old’s route into bus driving happened by chance when meeting a schoolfriend, Chris Pugh, at a local pub.

At the time, Mr Pugh was an established bus driver, and like Mr Walker continues to work in the industry today.

Mr Walker said: “At the time I was struggling for work. When you receive your bus driving licence, you have a job for life and it’s flexible work too – the shifts fit around my lifestyle.

“I enjoy the camaraderie in the team and the conversations we have with colleagues and passengers to make sure our attention to detail goes that extra mile.

“For anyone considering becoming a bus driver, I couldn’t recommend it enough. It’s provided me with skills and memories to last a lifetime.”

Thames Travel is holding a bus driver recruitment day on June 1 at its Didcot depot.