red arrow Dave flies high - Jayne and Julia ensure a very close contest
Dave Baker a driver on red arrow has been named Driver of the Year at our 10th really good service awards presentation dinner which once again was hosted by television actor and comedian Ricky Tomlinson.
The tense finl featured all of 2011’s Drivers of the Month in what was inevitably a nail-bitingly close contest. Hot on Dave’s heels came Jayne Smallman of Sutton and Julia Harvey of Langley Mill.
The really good service awards recognise outstanding achievement across the company. Dave from Swanwick scooped the top honour after impressing judges with his cheerful approach and professionalism. He drives one of the flagship red arrow coaches on the express link between Chesterfield, Derby and Nottingham.
Over the past 12 months he has consistently scored top marks from ‘mystery customers’ and after picking up his award at the Crowne Plaza in Nottingham, Dave said: “It was a real surprise and I am delighted to win this award for doing a job I love.
“It’s great to be out and about every day, meeting lots of different people who rely on a fast and comfortable journey between our two local cities and Chesterfield.”
As well as receiving a trophy, Dave was presented with £1,000 worth of holiday vouchers and will also benefit from an extra days holiday every year.
A hair’s breadth separated the next two winners – runner-up Jayne Smallman is a regular driver on the nines and was praised by the Judges for her cheerful approach and for going out of her way to sell best value tickets to customers.
Highly-commended Julia Harvey is to be found on the H1. The judges remarked on Julia’s infectious giggle and smooth, comfortable driving.
Managing Director Jeff Counsell said:
“There couldn’t be a tougher competition as the year’s Drivers of the Month come into contention to determine the best of the best. This calls for the highest judging standards and the tolerances are very fine indeed. All drivers in this contest are winners in their own right and I am immensely proud that trent barton can muster such top talent”.
The 2011 Drivers of the Month
- Colin Garrod from Langley Mill
- Dave Baker from Derby
- David Measures from Langley Mill
- Dawn Jowett from Langley Mill
- Ian Grebby from Langley Mill
- Jayne Smallman from Sutton
- John Barker from Derby
- Julia Harvey from Langley Mill
- Mandy Hunt from Langley Mill
- Phil Collison from Sutton
- Shaun Mckeown from Broadmarsh
- Winston Holt from Derby
Customers’ Choice Award
Introduced last year, this category asks customers to put forward their candidates for a special award. Out of ten worthy nominees, Matlock-based Jane Plummer came away the winner after her customers on the sixes praised her cheerful and very polite approach – adding ‘she never fails to make us smile’
Outstanding Achievement
No stranger to awards listings, Sutton-based Allan Gilmour took the Outsanding Achievement Award for his heroic attempt to save a passenger who stopped breathing after falling ill on his calverton connection bus between Nottingham and Calverton.
Sutton-based Bill Smalley took the runner up prize for his quick-thinking first aid after a lady fell and sustained severe cuts.
And another calverton connection regular, Neil Wass made it a hat trick for Sutton depot, being highly commended after returning a purse containing £300 to a very relieved customer.
Apprentice of the Year
This year’s winner is a jubilant Aidan Leeke from Kirk Hallam who has worked for the company since 2008. He pipped his colleagues to the post thanks to his exceptional all round performance at college, and in the demanding natures of the workplace.
Brand of the Year
Staff working on Langley Mill’s new rapid 1 service were highly praised for helping to revitalise bus services in the Ripley and Heanor area. Research-based rapid 1 has got off to a very good start thanks to the Team’s efforts – which have now earned them the Brand of the Year Award.
Managing Director Jeff Counsell commented: “We have been running our really good service awards for the past ten years, and once again they have proved a huge success in highlighting the dedication of all our staff.
“All the award winners and runners-up deserve praise for going above and beyond the call of duty and once again proving that our commitment to customers is second to none,” he added.
