First Bus, one of Britain’s largest bus operators, has scooped one of the top prizes at the inaugural Dementia Friendly Awards, organised by Alzheimer’s Society.
First won the ‘Business Award’ at the central London event on May 20, thanks to the company’s development of a training module designed to raise awareness of dementia, which currently affects 800,000 people in the UK. First’s 13,500 drivers across the country are learning how to provide assistance, if needed, to customers who have dementia.
The two and a half hour module, Introduction to Dementia for First Bus Drivers, is now part of First’s Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).
First’s enhanced training programme was in response to a challenge from Prime Minister David Cameron in 2012 for public transport operators to make their services more accessible to those living with dementia.
Working in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society, First’s drivers have been gaining a better understanding of the condition. This builds on the work already carried out by First with Age UK through the introduction of Safe Journey Cards, which discreetly allows customers to let drivers know if they need extra help or assistance on their journeys.
Commenting on the award, Giles Fearnley, Managing Director of First Bus, said: "We are thrilled to have won this prestigious award and delighted that the work we’ve undertaken with Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness of the condition has been recognised.
“Our drivers have responded really well to the training – indeed many have told us about family members and friends whose lives have been affected by dementia. One driver said he had learned more about his mother’s condition in our two and a half hour session than he had throughout the years she had suffered from the condition.”
He added: “As part of our commitment to improve customer service we are working with a number of disability groups to understand how the company can provide better services. We are setting new standards of customer service across our operations in the UK. By improving our customer proposition we will encourage more people to travel by bus and to travel by bus more often.”
Talking about Alzheimer Society’s partnership with First, Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of the charity, said: “We’re delighted to recognise First Bus for its leadership in transforming the transport sector to become dementia-friendly. Thanks to First Bus’ commitment to training staff to be aware and supportive of those with the condition, people with dementia up and down the country will be able to get out and about using bus routes knowing they’ll be welcomed, respected and supported.’
In addition, as part of their CPC training, First Bus drivers are given training so that they also better understand the obstacles that people with sight loss have to overcome when using the bus. In March 2014, First became the first public transport operator to sign the RNIB’s ‘Bus Charter’ which is designed to improve services for customer with visual impairments.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Niall Dowds, First UK Bus, Head of External Communications, on 07860 936671 or email [email protected]
For more information on the Dementia Friendly Awards, contact Alzheimer Society’s Press Office n 0207 423 3595 or email [email protected]
NOTES TO EDITORS
FirstGroup plc is the leading transport operator in the UK and North America with revenues of more than £6.9 billion a year. We employ approximately 120,000 employees and transport more than 2.5 billion passengers a year. Our vision is to provide solutions for an increasingly congested world… keeping people moving and communities prospering.
First Student
The largest provider of student transportation in North America with a fleet of approximately 50,000 school buses, carrying some 6 million students every school day across the US and Canada.
First Transit
One of the largest private sector providers of transit management and contracting in North America. We manage public transport systems on behalf of city transit authorities, are one of the largest university campus and airport shuttle bus providers in the US and also manage paratransit operations, call centres and other transit activities. First Services, a division of First Transit, is the one of the largest private sector providers of fleet maintenance and ancillary support services for public sector customers such as the Federal Government and fire and police departments.
Greyhound
Greyhound is the only national provider of scheduled intercity coach services in the US and Canada. Based in Dallas, Greyhound provides scheduled passenger services to approximately 3,800 destinations carrying approximately 18 million passengers a year. Our point-to-point service Greyhound Express now serves more than 100 markets and we also operate further tailored brands for local markets including BoltBus and YO! Bus.
UK Bus
FirstGroup is one of Britain’s largest bus operators running approximately one in five of all local bus services. A fleet of some 6,500 buses carries approximately 2.3 million passengers a day in a huge number of communities including 40 of the UK's largest towns and cities. We operate Greyhound UK providing regular intercity coach services linking South Wales and Bristol Airport, and we also operate some US-style yellow school buses and have a fleet of coaches available for charter.
UK Rail
FirstGroup operates approximately a quarter of the UK passenger rail network, with a balanced portfolio of intercity, commuter, regional and sleeper services, carrying more than 310 million passengers a year.
- We are the UK’s largest rail operator with four passenger franchises – First Capital Connect, First Great Western, First ScotRail and First TransPennine Express – and one open access operator, First Hull Trains.
- We operate the London Tramlink network on behalf of Transport for London carrying more than 29 million passengers a year and the Heathrow Connect service in partnership with Heathrow Airport.
Europe
With our partner DSB, we operate rail services in and between Denmark and Sweden. We operate the Aircoach network in Ireland.
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
First Bus and First ScotRail are proud to be Official Supporters of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, providing passenger rail and bus services