Every year we hold our annual awards, where we celebrate all the amazing things our team do.
But we're not just there to have a good time. It is important for us to celebrate and reward those members of our team that have excelled in their job and have gone that extra mile.
Our success is not just a result of our hard working drivers, it's also driven by talented young apprentices, dedicated engineers, committed admin staff and IT whizz kids who all play their part in steering us in the right direction.
This year's winners include:
Driver of the year - David Selby
Our Sutton based star who has never missed a single day's work won the top prize in our 2020-21 really good service awards.
David, who pilots the threes was judged the best of the best, winning Driver of the Year at the awards ceremony.
David beat all the other winners of our driver of the month competitions from 2020-21 to bag an extra day off every year and £1,000 to spend on a holiday.
David said: “I’m over the moon. Driving for trentbarton has been brilliant. I love interacting with the public and I love driving.”
“I wanted a job closer to home and got the chance at trentbarton, and I can’t fault them one bit. All the drivers are so welcoming.”
The mystery customer judge said they were bowled over by David's stellar performance: “David was outstanding throughout my journeys with him.
“You could tell he was genuinely interested in providing a top service and made the customers feel very comfortable. Any questions they had he was able to answer, and he always made sure to engage with each customer.”
Hero of the Year - Natalie Guthrie
Natalie received six commendations from customers who complimented how smooth her driving is as well as how courteous and helpful Natalie is with all her customers. One for pushing to safety a car driver who had broken down and the second for her ability to communicate with his deaf wife using sign language.
Natalie, who has been driving buses for only two and half years, said: “That couple get on the bus quite often. I picked up a bit of sign language in my previous job and use it to say hello, ask her how she is and then sign goodbye when she gets off.
“I’m very happy to have won this award. Every day is different when driving a bus. I try to get my customers to smile because if I can make a small difference to their day then it really matters.”
Colleague Choice - Perry Jest
Voted as the winner by our very own team, Perry, joined us a decade ago.
The judges said: “Perry has always been happy to help anyone in need, whether it’s answering any questions they may have or simply providing a listening ear.”
Perry said: “It is an honour. It’s great to be recognised by the people I value the most – my colleagues.”
Customer Choice - Alan Walker
Dozens of passengers voted for the Customer Choice winner Alan, who is now a driving instructor in our training school.. It’s the second time in a row Alan has won the award, retaining the title he first won in 2019.
Alan received glowing praise from customers, with the judges saying: “Although it isn’t simply about the number of entries a driver receives, the judges found it hard not to be impressed by the sheer volume sent in for Alan.
“Having won the award last year, it is clear that Alan is extremely well liked by his customers.”
Unsung Hero - David Wright
Unsung Hero was won by David Wright, who made sure an upgrade to new ticket machines on hundreds of our buses went smoothly.
Group Commercial Director Tom Morgan said: “David went above and beyond to ensure it was a success.”
David said: “I would like to thank all those people behind the scenes. The past 18 months have shown that every colleague at trentbarton is an unsung hero. I’m proud to be part of this team.”
Engineer of the Year - Richard Durow
The judges said: “Richard, also known as Rico, is both calm and efficient when under pressure. He has an excellent work ethic and brings out the best in everyone. He earns the upmost respect from his colleagues and always leads by example.”
Apprentice of the Year - Oscar Jenkins
Oscar joined us as an apprentice in 2017 and passed all his exams and practical tests first time, gaining his Modern Apprenticeship months ahead of schedule.
Oscar said: “I’m really proud of this award. It’s a great team to work with.”
Brand of the Year - rainbow one
Service delivery manager Laura Pike-Smart dedicated the award to a rainbow driver who sadly passed away earlier this year. Laura said: “This award is for Steve Whysall. We lost part of our team and this recognition will really give everyone a lift. There is a great team spirit, and we have great customers.”
Managing Director Jeff Counsell told our team on the night: “The last 18 months have been very challenging. But it’s thanks to you, our team, and your commitment that we are so strong. This is a celebration of the great things you do. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”