This year marks a major milestone for Stagecoach Commercial Officer Andy Gilmour, who celebrates 35 years of service in the bus industry. Turning 60 this year, Andy has spent more than half his life working in buses – a career that began with weekend shifts in Winchester and grew into a lifelong passion.

Andy’s journey into transport wasn’t a straightforward one. Trained as a quantity surveyor, he qualified in 1992 but chose to follow his enthusiasm for buses full time. By then, he had already passed his bus test in December 1990 and had become the youngest driver in Winchester at just 26.

“I started out as a bus enthusiast,” Andy recalls, “but it became much more than that. I still love driving as much as I did on day one. If you enjoy it and you’re happy doing it, it’s an incredibly satisfying job.”

A Changing Industry

Andy Gilmour, Commercial Officer, Stagecoach South

placeholder image — Andy Gilmour, Commercial Officer, Stagecoach South

Andy’s 35 years of service offer a unique perspective on how much the bus industry has transformed:

Vehicles: In the early 1990s, all buses were step-entry, making accessibility difficult. By 2017, low-floor and wheelchair-accessible buses became standard. Today’s fleet is better for our customers, more environmentally friendly, and equipped with digital passenger information systems.
Routes & Travel Habits: Villages once had more frequent services, with buses seen as the main way to get about. Over time, car ownership rose and commuting patterns changed, but demand has grown for more services on main routes and on Sundays as shopping and leisure opportunities expanded.
Technology: When Andy began, schedules were drawn up by hand on graph paper, and creating all the reports was a tedious manual task. Now, computerised systems like Optibus make planning faster and more precise. Passengers also benefit from real-time updates, apps, and next-stop announcements – all innovations supported by commercial teams like Andy’s.
Culture: In the 1990s, mid evening buses carried the bingo crowd then pubs closed at 11pm and last buses took the revellers home. Today, later nightlife means different patterns of demand – and late shifts are, in Andy’s words, “a lot more civilised.”

A Career of Highlights

Andy has worn many hats in his career. He helped Stagecoach deliver major operational challenges, such as scheduling 130 buses for a railway replacement in 1996. He has worked across Hampshire, Surrey, and Sussex, eventually settling at Chichester in 2011. Along the way, his keen eye for detail and natural scheduling ability ensured smooth operations and high-quality services.

Even after moving into the commercial team, Andy has always been happy to step back behind the wheel when needed: “I still enjoy helping out on the road. Driving has always been at the heart of why I love this job.”

Looking Ahead

After 35 years, Andy has no plans to slow down. His career reflects both personal dedication and the evolution of the UK bus industry, from step-entry buses and paper schedules to accessible vehicles, real-time tracking, and passenger-focused technology.

“Buses have always been about people, whether it’s the colleagues you work with or the passengers you carry. That hasn’t changed, and it’s what makes this job so rewarding.”