A Huddersfield bus driver celebrating 50 years of service says he has no intention of hanging up his keys, after a career that has not only connected communities but helped make journeys safer for generations of passengers.
Younus Mumtaz, 77, began working on the region’s bus network in 1976 as a conductor with Metro Kirklees, long before the deregulation of the industry and the modernisation of fleets.
He recalls a very different era of public transport. “Sometimes you had to sit up out of your seat to steer the bus on tight corners,” he said, reflecting on the physical demands of early vehicles.
Two years later, he qualified as a driver, just as the role itself began to evolve. Conductors were phased out, drivers became responsible for fares, and cash payments dominated daily journeys. “You had more interaction with customers,” he explained. “Then the exact farebox came in people could just drop in their coins and move on, much quicker.”
Routes were longer too. Some services took four hours to complete, allowing just one round trip per shift.
A lifelong resident of Birkby Park, Younus is now a familiar face on the 363 and X63 routes. But it was during a year studying in Leeds in 1989 that he left a permanent mark on the town. As part of his supervisor training, he examined the safety layout of Huddersfield Bus Station. His recommendations led to the redesign of the bus drop-off island, improving passenger safety in a way that remains in place today.
Over five decades, he has embraced development, including four years as an instructor between 1985 and 1989. Two of the drivers he trained are still based at the Huddersfield depot on Old Fieldhouse Lane.
He even brushed with television fame when the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine filmed locally, Younus was among the drivers behind the wheel as scenes were shot through village streets.
His dedication to learning has clearly influenced his family. Among his six children are two pharmacists, a solicitor, a law and criminology graduate, a university staff member and a senior case officer within Bradford’s prosecution service.
After two decades as a supervisor, he returned to driving in 2009. It is the human connection, he says, that keeps him going.
“One good thing about being in the cab every day is that you get to know customers’ habits. You make personal friendships and that changes the atmosphere.”
Chris Burton, Operations Manager at the depot, said Younus is “admired by everyone” and described him as “an inspiration for drivers of all ages”.
Half a century on the road, and still smiling from the driver’s seat, Younus Mumtaz’s journey is as much about community as it is about transport.
