Driving is just one part of Barry’s job

AFTER eight years of “sitting in four walls looking at a computer screen” Barry Ewen was ready for a change.

So when he heard Xplore Dundee were recruiting, he applied and he hasn’t looked back since — unless he’s checking his mirrors, of course.

Barry, 39, is from St Mary’s. A father of two young lads he’s most likely to be found on the Fintry run at the moment.

Driving a bus isn’t just about routes and timetables, it’s important to be a people person too. “I like the job,” he said. “I’ve been on this run three or four years now and you get to know the regulars.

“If you’re friendly, the customers respond so I always give them a ‘good morning’.

“You have to bear in mind some might not be as fast on their feet as they used to be so you give them a chance to sit down before you take off. “Little things like that are important. “The standard of your actual driving has to be high and you have to learn a little patience when you’re dealing with all the traffic on the roads. They’re busier, no doubt about that.”

The city’s bus drivers share a common camaraderie and Barry noticed this when he first joined.

“They’re a friendly bunch. They made me welcome when I turned up and there was always someone to chat to when you’re on a break.

“There’s a social side too. There’s various groups and a Christmas party for all the children of the drivers, that sort of thing.

“If someone I knew was interested in the job I’d tell them to go for it.

“The money’s pretty good for Dundee, the management can be flexible.

“If you want to change shifts or want a different route, or maybe if you want a different route every day, they can sort it.

“Or if there’s a day when you need to change a shift for whatever reason, picking up the kids or something, they can usually manage it.

“Every day is different. You see a different side of life and it’s better than sitting in an office looking at a screen.”

Barry didn’t mention it during the interview but he’s been commended by the public several times over the years.

Once, a passenger fell and he stayed with her and comforted her until the ambulance arrived.

So you could say being a bus driver also means caring about your passengers, too.

See? It’s not just about the driving.