Profile: From the military to bus - Meet Steve Moyle

As we approach Remembrance Day and honour the service of our armed forces personnel and veterans, including many First Bus colleagues who have served in the military, we caught up with York General Manager Steve Moyle to hear about his journey from the Army to First Bus. 

For Steve, joining the Army in 1986 wasn't part of a long held plan. In fact, as he puts it, he joined "reluctantly". However, it led to a successful 30-year military career that took him around the world, shaped his leadership style and laid the foundations for his role at First Bus today.  

Starting as a Private, Steve rose through the ranks to become a Regimental Sergeant Major before being commissioned as an officer, and later achieved the rank of Major. Along the way, he served in Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Falkland Islands, leading transport and logistics operations in some of the most challenging environments imaginable.  

But despite the responsibility and the opportunities the Army provided, it was people, not rank, that shaped his approach to leadership.  

"I've always got results through engaging with people, understanding them and talking to them rather than at them.” It was that belief saw him challenge traditional stereotypes throughout his career. 

"When people hear 'Regimental Sergeant Major', they expect someone everyone is scared of and runs away from. I'd rather grab a coffee and find out what people's concerns were." 

Building trust, listening to concerns and following through on commitments became the hallmarks of his leadership style, and they're qualities he still relies on today.  

Recognising the people behind the uniform 

Reflecting on his Army career, he is quick to highlight the contribution made by military families, particularly the partners who keep life running at home while service personnel are deployed. 

"The person away gets recognised with medals and ceremonies, but the reality is none of it would be possible without the support of the family back home," he says. 

It's a perspective that remains important to him and one that reflects his wider belief in recognising the contribution that everyone makes to a successful team.  

A new chapter in logistics 

After leaving the Army in 2015 to spend more time with family, Steve moved into the logistics sector, holding senior operational roles across transport, warehousing and supply chain management. 

His experience ranged from leading operations for one of the UK's largest haulage businesses to managing international distribution networks across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. During the UK's exit from the European Union, he was responsible for overseeing a major warehousing and logistics operation, successfully steering the business through significant uncertainty and operational change.  

Looking back, he sees a common thread running through every role. "I've done trucks, aircraft, ships, trains, import, export and warehousing. Logistics is logistics – and my experience means I’m able to take a holistic approach.” 

Finding a home at First Bus 

In many ways, Steve says, joining First Bus felt like coming home. 

Arriving as Operations Manager for the Bradford depot, he found a business that shared many of the values he appreciated during his military career - teamwork, accountability and a shared commitment to delivering for customers. 

Rather than attempting to make immediate changes, he spent his first few weeks listening. "I met people, listened and learned. It became clear very quickly that people wanted someone who would listen to their concerns, be honest with them and deliver on what they said they would do." 

Working alongside colleagues across the depot, he helped transform Bradford into one of the top performing depots in the business. While quick to credit the wider team for that success, the achievement stands out as one of his proudest moments since joining First Bus.  

His success in Bradford led to his promotion to General Manager for York, where his focus has broadened from day-to-day operations to long-term strategy, stakeholder engagement and business performance. 

Perhaps surprisingly, Steve sees strong similarities between military service and public transport. 

"The fundamentals are very similar. It's about people, teamwork, leadership and delivering a mission." 

What has impressed him most is First Bus's culture. 

"People celebrate success here. If you make a mistake, you're encouraged to learn from it. It's about education before enforcement, and that's something I really value." 

He also highlights the diversity of the organisation and the opportunities available to people from different backgrounds. 

"It's not about who you are or what you look like. It's about whether you can do the job and do it well." 

Having worked across a variety of sectors, Steve believes First Bus is a natural fit for former service personnel looking to build a second career. 

"For anyone leaving the Armed Forces, it's a fantastic place to work. We've already got a lot of ex-service personnel across the business and they bring valuable skills and experience." 

Looking ahead 

No two days are the same for Steve. A typical week can include depot visits, driver engagement sessions, meetings with local stakeholders, strategy discussions and planning for future growth. 

Despite his extensive leadership experience, he says one thing continues to drive him is learning. 

"Every day I discover something new at First Bus. The day you think you know everything is probably the day it's time to move on." 

For now, he's focused on continuing to develop as a leader, supporting colleagues across the business and helping First Bus deliver for customers and communities across the region. 

** First Bus has recently joined Heroes Network, a new initiative from Help for Heroes charity that supports Armed Forces veterans and families, to strengthen access to specialist advice for ex-military colleagues building new careers with the bus operator. Read more: First Bus joins Heroes Network to help ex-Forces colleagues build new careers | First Bus UK News