Seven pupils from Millburn Academy got behind the wheel, quite literally as Highland Council wrapped up its first ever Catch the Bus Month with a hands-on depot tour in Inverness on Tuesday 30 September.
The students were collected from school in one of the Council’s 16-seater minibuses and whisked off to the local transport depot for a day of engines, exploration and insight into public transport.
Guidance Teacher Grant Gollan joined them as they toured the facility, hopped aboard a single decker, double decker and a coach, even taking turns in the driver’s seat.
The group helped staff inspect the vehicles for lost property and readiness before chatting with drivers and peppering them with questions about life on the road.
Their return to Millburn was anything but ordinary, a ride back in style on one of the Council’s double decker buses.
Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said:
“We now have potentially seven new transport professionals of the future!
“I’d like to thank the pupils for coming along and showing so much interest.
“It’s a great way to bring our participation in the Catch the Bus campaign to a close.”
The depot tour followed a public event held earlier in the month (8 September) in Inverness city centre, where the Council teamed up with Bus Users UK, Stagecoach, CityLink and D&E Coaches to promote the everyday benefits of bus travel, from boosting the economy and reducing congestion, to cutting emissions and improving health.
Throughout September, the Council also trialled a discounted ticket initiative, offering a 10-journey pass on in-house bus services for just £20, a move that saw a strong response from residents across the region.
Councillor Gowans added: “Taking part in Catch the Bus Month for the first time has been a very positive experience. It’s been a great way to highlight the very important role buses play in connecting our communities, reducing traffic and emissions, and keeping life moving.”
Lydia Horbury, Catch the Bus Month Campaign Lead at Bus Users UK, praised Highland Council’s involvement.
“We’re thrilled that The Highland Council has been championing Catch the Bus Month 2025 and celebrating these vital services and the incredible people who run them and rely on them,” she said.
“Buses are the unsung heroes of transport.
“We want to get even more people on board, because Catch the Bus Month isn’t just about riding the bus, it’s about driving change!”
