Pupil Joseff Edwards drives Ysgol Dyffryn Taf bus

A Carmarthenshire sixth-former is a school bus driver, taking 38 pupils to and from his school every day.

Joseff Edwards, 18, passed the test this summer allowing him to drive a 54-seat coach.

He now picks up his school colleagues on his way to classes at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf in Whitland, parks the bus there, and then takes them all home later.

"The best thing is the looks I get - people can't believe it," said the A-level student.

He was given the driving job by his father Clive, who runs the bus company which is contracted to the school.

So when he passed the Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) test in August, his father told him: "You can drive this one."

The school student now leaves home at 07:30 GMT every morning to drive from the village of Pwll Trap to the family firm, Taf Valley Buses.

From there, he drives around the villages of Tavernspite, Whitland and Llanteg - stopping outside farms and country lanes to pick up his passenger school friends.

He leaves the coach in the school car park as he goes off to his own classes for the day, before the afternoon run home.

His father even pays him £20 a day for getting behind the wheel.

"I love driving the bus. It's really fun - much better than a car, " he said.

'He's a natural'

"How many other kids get paid to go to and from school?

"The passengers on my bus never mess around on the back seats because they know me.

"I get a little bit of stick from my mates but most of them think it's really cool to have a friend who gives them a lift in the bus.

"They keep asking me to take the bus on road trips and holidays. But they're going to have to wait."

His father, who has a fleet of 21 vehicles, gave his son some lessons before he passed his PCV test, which has to be taken by all bus drivers.

"He's a natural - driving must be in his blood. He is enjoying it, and his passengers are very well-behaved," said Mr Edwards.

Joseff's mother Heather added: "We're very proud of him, and hope that after university he will come and work in the business.

"I would love to see more young people come into the industry so perhaps he will inspire them."