First Bus, the UK’s leading bus operator, has been nominated for a record 18 prizes at the UK Bus Awards, the industry’s equivalent of the Oscars.
The company has been nominated in many different categories, including: ‘Making Buses a Better Choice’, ‘Depot of the Year’, ‘Partnership of the Year’, and ‘Bus in the Community Award’. Meanwhile several First employees have been nominated for a string of individual awards, including National Bus Driver of the Year.
Nominations were revealed yesterday (10 October) at an event at Heathrow ahead of the UK Bus Awards on November 19.
“To have received 18 nominations is a record for First,” said Giles Fearnley, Managing Director, of First Bus. “These nominations reflect how hard we are working across the UK to improve our business and improve services for customers. I’m extremely proud of the commitment of all my colleagues across our operations and hope that we can enjoy great success when the awards are announced on November 19.”
First has been nominated in the following categories:
· Top Express Operation – Greyhound – First Cymru
· Top National Bus Depot – Bolton – First Manchester
· Top National Bus Depot – Hengrove – First West of England
· Innovation Award – Denis Noble – First Aberdeen
· Innovation Award - Sheffield Bus Partnership (includes First)
· Bus in the Community - Roundhay School Mentoring Project – First West Yorkshire
· Local Authority of the Year - Leeds A65 Project -First in partnership with Metro and Leeds City Council
· Making Buses a Better Choice - Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit – First Hampshire & Dorset with Hampshire County Council
· Making Buses a Better Choice - Sheffield Bus Partnership (includes First)
· Environment Award – FirstGroup – reduce, re-use, recycle programme
· Eureka Marketing Initiative – First Manchester – Save Manchester campaign
· National Bus Driver of the Year - Phil Millard (First Manchester)
· National Bus Driver of the Year - Jason Annear (First West of England)
· National Bus Driver of the Year – Gino Contrino (First Devon & Cornwall)
· National Bus Driver of the Year – Augusto Iandi (First Hampshire & Dorset)
· Young Manager of the Year - Jon Croxford (Operations Manager – First West Yorkshire)
· Young Manager of the Year - Simon Goff (General Manager, First Berkshire)
· Engineer of the Year - Simon Carlisle (First West Yorkshire)