I have just read, in full, the UK Bus Awards report enclosed with subscribers’ copies of last month’s Buses. Throughout, the emphasis is on the quality of service, people, vehicles and innovation but, as Chris Cheek reflects at the end of his article, ‘If you don’t deliver the service, you don’t stand a chance’.
As one reads of the standards achieved by the finalists in the top city, shire and independent categories, one can only envy those who travel by bus in those areas. As Chris Cheek also comments, some operators have not raised their game far enough and/or deeply enough and there remain poorly motivated drivers who do not deliver the level of service required to attract and retain customers.
In my local area, on occasions even the major independent fails to deliver the standard of driving expected by customers, particularly where the majority are of concessionary pass age. Other local independents seem to feel it acceptable to provide vehicles in assorted colours, states of repair and cleanliness with drivers for whom the only common item of uniform is jeans.
Even the major service provider — First Essex — fails regularly on all these counts, particularly on one of the principal trunk routes bet…
