For most students a summer job involves stacking shelves, waiting tables or pulling pints.
But one Perthshire woman is daring to be different after gaining a licence to drive buses at the tender age of 20.
When she comes home from Glasgow University’s Dumfries campus, Nicola Docherty will help at the family firm.
The teaching student is the fourth generation of the family to drive for Docherty’s Midland Coaches, based in Auchterarder.
The company is currently run by her father William, 50, and uncles Colin and Neil. Her grandfather Jim, 73, retired due to ill-health while great-grandfather James passed away in 1984 at the age of 69.
Nicola took her test on September 1, just one month after beginning training in the 50-seat vehicle.
She said: “I’ve never wanted to do it while growing up but I just decided one day I would enjoy driving a bus.
“I’ve grown up with my dad doing it his whole life, and my grandad has done it for as long as I can remember as well, so I just decided one day I would do it, too.
“If I want to do something I put my mind to it and just do it. It’s not very different to me because I’ve grown up with it but to my friends I suppose it’s different.
“I learnt in the biggest coach so I could drive anything when I passed my test, rather than sit it in something smaller and have to sit another test to drive a bigger vehicle later on.
“It feels good to have passed I didn’t have many lessons so I didn’t think I was going to pass. I do enjoy it and I’m carrying on the family trade.”
She said she considered more traditional part-time jobs before opting for bus driving.
“I could probably have done waitressing or shop work but I would rather do something a bit different,” she said.
“My friends were a bit shocked to begin with they didn’t actually believe me that I was learning to drive a bus but they were all excited when I finished because they thought we could all go on bus trips.”
Grandfather Jim said the achievement was “fantastic”, while father William expressed his pride in his daughter’s achievement.
He said: “I’m well chuffed. She’s interested in the same things I’m interested in.
“She’ll be doing this through the holidays and whenever she’s needed.”
Docherty’s operates a vintage coach as well as a number of modern vehicles.