Pre-departure check — the systematic walk around the bus

Start at the driver's door and walk clockwise all the way round the bus so you pass every corner in a fixed order. A fixed routine is the whole point: it is when you skip a point or rush that faults slip through. Set aside time for it — the departure check is not wasted time, it is the cheapest safety there is.

Inspect all tyres for tread depth, correct pressure, visible damage, bulges and foreign objects, and check that no tyre has been run flat. The Road Traffic Act's absolute minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm — use a depth gauge rather than judging by eye. The approved pressures are in the vehicle's documentation; never make them up.

Tread depth is measured with a depth gauge — 1.6 mm is the legal absolute minimum, not a target to run down to.

Check dipped and main beams, position lights, indicators, brake lights, rear lights and number plate lights. Ask a colleague to press the brake and operate the indicators, or use a reflective surface/window to see the rear yourself. Defective lights must be fixed before driving — carry spare bulbs/LED modules.

Check that the windscreen and side windows are intact and clean, that all mirrors (and any cameras) are clean and correctly adjusted for your own driving position, and that there is no new damage or loose parts on the bodywork. Clean, correctly adjusted mirrors are your most important protection against the blind spots when passengers board and alight.

Look under the vehicle for visible leaks of oil, coolant, AdBlue or brake fluid. A fresh puddle under the bus is a warning that must be investigated before you drive. Always note any stains that were not there yesterday.

Check the engine oil level (preferably with the engine cold), coolant, screenwash and AdBlue tank (on Euro 6 diesel buses with an SCR catalyst). Top up according to the manufacturer's instructions. If the AdBlue runs dry, the engine may go into limp mode.

Build up the air pressure and read the pressure gauge against the supplier's specified working pressure; check that the service brake works and that the handbrake/parking brake holds the bus. Listen for air leaks. Always build up full pressure before the bus is set in motion.

Check that the fire extinguisher is pressurised, sealed and within its expiry date, that the first-aid dressing kit is complete, that emergency hammers/glass breakers are visible in their holders at the designated windows, and that the warning triangle and hi-vis vests are on board. The fire extinguisher is required in all buses (Executive Order 1484/2025 § 22), the first-aid dressing kit for tour services and on routes of at least 150 km (Executive Order 1487/2007 § 5), and the warning triangle must be set up if the bus is stopped where it is a hazard (Road Traffic Act § 31(2)).

The emergency hammer is useless if it is missing when you need it — check the holders every day.

Check that passenger doors open and close correctly and can be emergency-opened from inside, that emergency doors and windows with hammers are unlocked and freely accessible, and that the aisle is free of loose items that could block an escape route.

If the bus has accessibility equipment, function-test the lift or folding ramp and check that it is clean and works, and that the 4-point restraints and passenger belts are intact and complete. A lift that only fails at the bus stop can prevent a passenger from getting off.

Insert your personal driver card in the digital tachograph and record the correct activity (rest/other work) from the previous period. Driving without an active driver card is an offence — even if the tachograph records to the unit's memory.

Check that the driving licence (cat. D) with code 95, medical certificate, registration certificate and insurance are valid and on board the bus, that the tachograph calibration date on the installation plaque is valid, and that you have had legal rest before you drive. Record any faults in the haulier's reporting system.

A bus with a dangerous defect must stay put — never drive out in anything you would not dare to carry passengers in.