Jake Temple, son of Connexions Buses Managing Director Craig Temple, passed his PCV driving test on 25 May, four months after turning 18.
Jake is set to do a modest amount of driving for the Tockwith operator as well as assisting with the company’s accounts, where he helps his mother Julie. He also recently completed an IT and business course at York college and is not yet sure whether he will join the bus industry full-time.
Says Craig: “Myself and Julie are incredibly proud of Jake, who wanted to obtain his licence himself. We may have suggested it to him, but it was his decision. He booked his theory test himself and didn’t tell us when it was until he had passed.”
Jake has been moving buses around Connexions’ yard on private land since he was 12. Craig adds that obtaining insurance for Jake to drive in service has been problematic, which he adds is frustrating in view of the shortage of drivers being experienced by some of the industry.
“Insurers need to be more accommodating. Once we get Jake covered, he will be doing a little bit of driving for us that will let him see the business from the drivers’ point of view. That is of paramount importance as I would never ask anyone to do something I would not do myself.
“He is also going to have a shock to his system when he realises that there are two six o’clocks in a day,” adds Jake’s proud father. Practical tuition was delivered by recently formed Wetherby Training.
