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London March 2016

Action pledge on employee survey findings

All aboard for Destination Green

Page 5

WIN Village vouchers worth £500 Page 10

Pages 8-9

Delivering OUR promise T

New routes off to great start

WO major routes won from other operators following competitive tender transferred on January 23 to Dartford garage, where they have been performing to a high standard. Route 229, which runs from Thamesmead to Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup, was previously operated by Go-Ahead London.

Twenty new Enviro 400s were introduced as part of the new contract. Two drivers transferred from Bexleyheath to Dartford. Route 469, which links Erith with Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital in Woolwich, was previously run by Stagecoach London and is now being operated using refurbished buses. Twenty-four drivers transferred to Dartford from Plumstead. As well as winning two new routes, Arriva also retained three others following competitive tender. These are route 492, which provides a service between Bluewater and Sidcup train station, B12, operating from Erith to Joydens Wood, and route B13, which links Bexley with New Eltham. Route 492 is operating with new Enviro 400 buses, B12 with refurbished Enviro 200 buses and new MMC Enviro 200 buses have been introduced on route B13.

Contracts

Chenique is unique See why on page 13

All five routes are on five-year contracts with the opportunity to extend for a further two years for good performance. “We’ve just finished a major recruitment campaign because we needed around 75 drivers for routes 229 and 469,” said Dartford’s general manager, Graham Wykes. “We have recruited locally and through an agency which took on drivers from Eastern Europe and we are very happy with them.” To assist Graham with the additional administration n Continues on page 2

The national newspaper for Arriva UK’s bus businesses

2 March 2016 Arriva Now!

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Delivering our promise n From page 1 that the two new routes generated, Arriva recruited operations manager Philip Dodds, who joined Dartford garage in November. He previously worked for First Bus for five years, most recently as staff manager for Worcester and Hereford. Graham added: “Everything has been running very well so far. We have had a number of commendations saying how friendly the drivers are and how high the

standard of driving is, which is always encouraging. “I know that there was a lot of competition for all five bus routes, so we are delighted to be offered the contracts to operate them and look forward to providing a good service. “The two new bus routes are a wellreceived addition to the garage and we welcome all our new staff to the company. We have finished recruiting for the time being … that is, until our next contract win!”

Training programme targets new drivers

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NEW qualification has replaced the BTEC in professional London bus service delivery. The City & Guilds level 2 certificate in professional bus driving for London has been developed for new drivers working for operators in the capital and was introduced in January. Assistant training manager Maxine Deslandes said: “We worked alongside TfL and several bus operators to design the course. We looked at how we could improve the BTEC and refreshed the modules. We wanted to develop a robust training programme, which had more input from the trainee and which would ultimately enhance the customer experience.” The course syllabus is spilt into four units: My London, My Self, My Bus and My Customers. “My London gives drivers an opportunity to learn about the industry,” said Maxine. “We want them to understand TfL and how Arriva fits into the network.” The My Self module is one of the biggest changes from the BTEC. The purpose of this unit is to develop knowledge of driver responsibilities and to understand the factors that affect personal performance. “If you understand the way KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are measured by TfL and Arriva and you have the right attitude, then your job should fall into place,” said Maxine. My Bus teaches drivers to check their vehicle, follow procedures and keep their passengers and other road users safe. My Customers develops driver knowledge of customer service standards and professionalism expected on buses by exploring factors that affect the customer bus experience. “Trainees get the opportunity to travel on the buses as customers,” said Maxine. “They fill out a TfL customer satisfaction survey to see what makes the experience good or bad. We wanted the course to be as holistic as possible. Each module should work together.” After their training and service in the garage, drivers sit an assessment, which is made up of multiple choice and short questions. “We want our drivers to be hands-on, have a good knowledge and experience of the industry and to know what it takes to win and retain a route,” said Maxine. “Things can happen beyond their control but if they can provide a safe, comfortable journey delivered within a reasonable time of expectation, they have succeeded. It is all geared towards enhancing the customer experience and we look forward to seeing the progress of our new trainees.”

New canteen gets great feedback WOOD Green is looking hot with its new canteen, which was fitted in December. The garage was given a trendy new café bar, which also offers a revised menu. Engineering projects manager Chris Wright said: “We conducted a survey among the staff to find out what they thought about the old canteen. Not only was it not commercially viable, it needed updating. We also needed to look at the food choices available.” In response, the garage decided to organise a food tasting day with their contract caterer Capital+. “The day was a great success,” said Chris. “All staff members were invited to sample a range of food, including pastries, sandwiches and soups. Findings were then fed back to the directors and a new-look menu was formed. “The new menu offers a lot more quality quickly, but will continue to be a work in progress to get the menu choice, service times and pricing correct,” said Chris. “The largest overhead in the old canteen was sustaining the fully-functioning kitchen. The new café bar is much more of a retail-style operation with a

Nii Marley drops in for breakfast.

compact, fully-integrated counter. “We now offer a variety of food which can be prepared on site as opposed to being cooked from scratch, which was time-consuming and costly.” Staff can sample a variety of culinary creations, including cock-a-leekie soup, three-bean chilli and a pick of tasty paninis. Operating manager Mark Gardner said: “Some of our drivers meet their partners for lunch in our new canteen, so it must be good! Everyone has received it well and it’s now much more of a recreational space.” Driver Paul Berry said: “I can’t fault the new canteen. It’s clean, tidy and the food is reasonably priced. The staff are friendly and it’s a pleasure to sit in there.” The Wood Green canteen is the first of its kind in London and it is hoped that the model will be rolled out to other garages. Each of the garages concerned will benefit from a more pleasant space for staff to relax and enjoy. This is a major programme of investment which demonstrates our commitment to improving facilities.

Arriva Now! March 2016 3

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Welcome on board A

rriva London’s familiarity of operating exclusively Transport for London contracts is the catalyst for change to realign all TfL work under one management team and bring a consistent standard of service delivery. The red bus operations at Watford, Dartford, Grays and Heathrow are gradually moving across to be part of an enlarged Arriva London. Completion of the regrouping will take place over the coming months, when consultation with the staff involved has been completed and changes made to Operator Licences with the Traffic Commissioner. Managing director Bob Scowen explained that bringing Transport for London work under the operation of Arriva London made good business sense because of the experience it had acquired in

carrying out such work. “We know about running Transport for London contracts,” said Bob. “In London, we have our customer – Transport for London – and we are channelling all our efforts into this one customer. “We are specialists in a contract tendering business and it is through that strength that we will further improve upon the Transport for London routes operating from Dartford, Grays, Heathrow and Watford.” The new London structure has involved Paul Adcock transferring from Arriva the Shires in a new role as area managing director. Paul joins the existing board of directors, which, in addition to Bob, comprises Peter Batty (commercial), Andrew Ayers (human resources), Ian Warr

(engineering) and Simon Loh (finance). There are now also eight general managers, all of whom report to Paul. The role of the general managers has been broadened to provide a one-stop shop in garage accountability, including some elements of the engineering function. “Our general managers are enabled and empowered with more responsibility than previously,” Bob said. “They are accountable for everything that happens within the garages they manage.” He added: “We have a great leadership team in place to take Arriva London forward and focus on strengthening our position as an operator of choice for TfL.”

Meet your general managers n Patrick Sibley Brixton and Norwood

n Gary Smith Clapton and Ash Grove

n Nick Bland Thornton Heath and Croydon

n Peter Mhagrh Edmonton, Wood Green and Palmers Green

Spending a year as general manager of Hemel Hempstead garage gave Patrick a taste of being in charge of a busy bus garage. Before his year at Hemel Hempstead, Patrick was head of commercial modelling for three years, having joined Arriva UK Bus from CrossCountry trains. “I really enjoyed my year at Hemel Hempstead and I want to build on that,” said Patrick. “You can make change happen in a garage and implement your own ideas.” In his spare time, he is a keen sportsman and enjoys running, playing football and travelling.

Gary joined London Transport in 1979 at Tottenham as a conductor, later becoming a driver. He has gained experience from a number of key operations roles, including working on the 2012 London Olympics. Gary is delighted about his promotion to general manager of Clapton and Ash Grove garages, and looks forward to the challenges of his new role. He is married with two children, a girl aged 23 and boy aged 21. Gary has a keen interest in sport and supports Arsenal where he is a season ticket-holder,

Nick joined Arriva London in October 2012 as garage manager for Lee Valley, with responsibility for both operating and engineering. The following year, he became a general manager with multiple site responsibility. Before joining Arriva London, Nick worked for National Express/Abellio for eight years in various senior manager roles and prior to that he worked for Arriva Southern Counties for around 15 years. In his spare time, Nick expresses his artistic talent – he has painted murals on his children’s bedroom walls and has done the same for his new grandson.

Peter had already completed a management development programme when he spotted a vacancy at Arriva. He travelled around Arriva’s mainland Europe businesses carrying out various projects but felt that he was not contributing as much as he could, so came to Arriva London. After achieving a position as general manager, he left to take up a senior position with a competitor. “I realised the grass wasn’t greener on the other side and wanted to come back to London where I could make more of an impact,” said Peter. Peter is married to Lizzie and they have a four-year-old boy.

n Charlotte Whitfield Tottenham and Stamford Hill

n Ben Parry Enfield and Barking

n Graham Wykes Dartford, Grays and Heathrow

n Mary Lowrey Watford

Arriva Now! chatted with Charlotte soon after she was appointed general manager of Tottenham last year. Since then, her role has broadened to include Stamford Hill. When Arriva Now! caught up with Charlotte last year she told us that she had previously been a general manager for G4S Cash Solutions for two years. Before that was with First Group for seven years, where one of her roles had been as general manager of Chelmsford and Braintree garages. In her spare time, Charlotte enjoys keeping fit as well as netball, running and cycling.

Like many people who join the bus industry, Ben wasn’t sure how long he was going to stay. He joined Arriva as a driver at Clapton, working on route 242 (Homerton Hospital to Tottenham Court Road) to try the bus industry and see if he liked it. “I found I enjoyed working on the buses. A career with Arriva began to really appeal to me,” said Ben. His roles have included controller, deputy operations manager and operations support manager. Last summer, Ben married Lydia. He enjoys pub quizzes and was once a serious golfer with a handicap of three and is also a keen runner.

Graham joined Arriva Southern Counties at Dartford garage six years ago from First Group, where he spent seven years in a number of different roles. These included time as general manager of Lea Interchange garage, which provided Transport for London services in the Leyton area. Graham is looking forward to making a contribution in Arriva London and believes that it is beneficial to place all Transport for London operations under the one umbrella. In his spare time, Graham enjoys a wide range of pastimes and activities, including motor sport, particularly Formula One, and skiing.

In 1979, armed with a degree in English and Irish literature and history from the University of East Anglia, Mary joined the then London Transport as a conductor. She then undertook a course that provided her with working experience in every grade, from conductor to gold badge inspector and garage operating manager. After a spell in Australia, she returned to the UK and joined Arriva Yorkshire’s Wakefield depot as general manager where she remained for 11 years, until her move to Watford in February 2015. Mary says that when she has the time she likes to swim, dance and get fit!

4 March 2016 Arriva Now!

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Management role with legal responsibilities IN THIS article, Arriva Now! takes part in a question and answer session with operations quality & systems assurance manager Suzanne Stevens, chief engineer Jon Harman and Croydon operating manager Paul Taylor focusing on the role of the nominated transport manager. AN!: What is a nominated transport manager? SS: A nominated transport manager is a person in the employment of the company who – supported by others – has full and effective control over the compliance of transport operations at their location. AN!: Is it a legal requirement? SS: The senior traffic commissioner requires all

Suzanne Stevens

Jon Harman

holders of a standard national, or international operator licence, to have a suitably qualified person of good repute to act as a nominated transport manager for each operational garage in respect of passenger transport operators. AN! What are the nominated transport manager’s

Paul Taylor

responsibilities? JH: Once they are qualified, the transport managers have a variety of responsibilities, including making arrangements to ensure that drivers comply with their allocated hours, work schedule delivery, vehicle maintenance, the reporting of any vehicle faults and the

organisation of driver training. AN! Who can become a nominated transport manager? JH: Instead of using senior directors, we now train our managers, who work in operations and engineering. They are chosen for their excellent communication skills and capability. They still do their day job, but are empowered to be able to maintain the continuous and effective control of the garage. AN! What training do they need? JH: They are put on a sevenday Certificate of Professional Competence course in passenger transport before they can be awarded a licence. The course covers a variety of subjects, including people management,

Reduced off-road time is ACE result T

HE Arriva Centre of Excellence (ACE) in Edmonton is a centralised engineering facility for servicing, maintenance and MOT testing. The centralised facility carries out an extensive C12 service, which includes chassis clean, an annual inspection of the vehicle, overhaul of basic oils and filters, deep cycle maintenance tasks such as valve clearance checks and adjustments, hub and bearing inspection and the rectification of any inspection defects. The buses are then cleaned overnight and presented for their annual MOT test on-site by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Engineering manager Sumeer Rawal said: “Before the inception of ACE, buses were serviced, prepped and presented by the individual garages, which involved a higher degree of vehicles being off the road as all tasks could take up to two weeks to complete in some cases. “The decision to centralise the work means that each vehicle can be inspected and serviced to the same high standard and turned around in quicker time.” ACE collects the buses from the parent garage and drops them off once they have been serviced and passed their MOT, thus offering a complete service. As well as the C12 service, ACE offers

Engineers Damani Roberts-Franklin and David Smith.

a diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning facility, a ramp overhaul facility, airconditioning service and fire suppression. Along with this, a full exterior panel check is completed and replacement panels are then made up by the accident centre and sent to the home garage to be fitted to the vehicle. The same also applies to the seat cushions. Hydraulic hoses are now manufactured in-house and there is a battery charging room, which allows batteries to be charged mid-life while the vehicle is on-site undergoing MOT preparation. Head of engineering Trevor Backman said: “In the past, we used a third party for all these processes, which was costly and time-consuming. “Now, we can do everything under one roof and are benefiting from a faster turnaround time with fewer vehicles out of service, which maximises our spare bus capacity. “As more sites are introduced into ACE, our manning level will increase, allowing us to incorporate a shift pattern to cover seven days and with the introduction of the NGT (Next Generation of Testing) vehicles could eventually be tested seven days a week if required.” Since its inception, ACE achieved a 100 per cent first-time MOT pass rate in 2015. Trevor said: “We have serviced more than 100 vehicles and have received excellent feedback from the garages.” Sumeer added: “Our ultimate aim is to provide an efficient maintenance service to each vehicle going through ACE and achieve the highest possible standard within safety, reliability, cleanliness and presentation.”

drivers’ hours and working time, health & safety and vehicle maintenance. It concludes with an exam made up of multiplechoice and essay questions. AN! What is the advantage of having a nominated transport manager in the garage? PT: It is extremely important that we are in the garage. We are expected to report to our employers and we’re also accountable to the traffic commissioner. It is a handson role where any problems need to be identified as soon as possible. We have had an extremely positive response since the introduction of the position and by being on site we can deal with matters directly. n For more information, please email: [email protected]

Route renewals ‘encouraging’ TWO routes, one at Croydon and one at Thornton Heath, have been retained on new five-year contracts following competitive tender. The two routes are 450 (West Croydon-Lower Sydenham) and the school day journeys on route 405 (West Croydon-Purley). Under the new contract, which starts in October, route 450 will be increased in frequency during the day to a bus every eight minutes (currently, every 10 minutes). On Sundays during the day and evenings, service will be increased from three buses an hour to four. New dual-door, single-deck buses will be introduced to route 450, which will be re-allocated from Thornton Heath to Norwood garage to make room for route 64 when it takes over the operation from Metrobus. Route 405, running from Croydon garage, will be operated with existing double-deck buses from within the London fleet. There are two journeys in the morning and one in the evening. Nick Bland, general manager, said: “We all know how tough the TfL tender market is at the moment, and having been on the receiving end of a number of high-profile route losses last year it’s really encouraging to have secured the renewal of the contracts on routes 450 and 405, especially so soon after winning the new route 64 from a competitor. “I know the staff on these routes welcome this news.” Pending re-award are routes 59 and 133 in London South and 38, 221, 279, 313 and W3 in London North for contracts starting in late 2016 or early 2017.

Arriva Now! March 2016 5

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Camera aid Garage celebrates retaining popular route puts driver performance in the frame A CAMERA system designed to improve driver performance flashed into action in January. VigilVanguard is a camera system that allows driver performance and behaviour to be recorded, then analysed and reviewed by an instructor with the driver present. It aims to promote greater awareness out on the road which in turn will further improve Arriva’s safety records and ultimately lead to greater customer satisfaction. Driving instructor Paul Bates said: “Vigil is an excellent opportunity for drivers to be able to identify and correct any faults they make on the road. “The training takes a day to complete and offers immediate feedback.” Vigil is a self-contained unit, which is completely portable. It can be installed on any vehicle within minutes and enables drivers to train on the buses they are familiar with. Paul said: “Cameras are fitted to mirrors and the windscreen and the system records video, GPS and accelerometer data while the vehicle is in motion. We introduce the drivers to the system and then take them out on the road.

Footage “During this time, we mark any faults the driver may make and the GPS unit on the system records the location. We then come back to the garage and watch the footage.” Each training session is recorded, while speed, acceleration and braking force data is collected to provide a complete profile. “It is very useful to be able to pause and rewind the video, which allows the drivers to analyse their performance,” said Paul. “It’s a very positive experience and I learnt a lot when I undertook the process myself.” Once the footage has been reviewed, the driver and their instructor will return to the road to implement the advice given by the driving instructor. Drivers from all garages will be given the opportunity to take the training day and as well as Paul, driver training colleagues Theo Farmer and Bob Sculpher will also be carrying out the training.

WATFORD garage, now part of Arriva London, has been successful in its bid to retain one of its most important services. Route 340, which operates from Edgware to Harrow, was renewed on a five-year contract until September 2021. General manager Mary Lowrey said: “To bid successfully for such an important tender is excellent news. We took over route 340 in 1990, when it was a low frequency route. “By 2002, the buses were running every 12 minutes, which is testament to the growth and popularity of the service.” Route 340 came to Watford garage in 1990 when London Country North West won the

The 340 was an important service for Watford garage to retain. contract from Harrow Buses. A few months later, a batch of new Leyland Olympians arrived and survived until 2003

with LCNW green livery and remained green until Cowie launched the Arriva brand which was aquamarine and stone.

A new contract on route 142 specified red buses, so new DAF DB 250s were bought and though the 340 contract still had 18 months to go it was decided to replace the Olympians on the 340 with the new DAFs as well. As part of the new contract, Garston garage, as it is known by TfL, will be taking on a fleet of new vehicles. Performance manager Barrie Godfrey said: “We are looking forward to getting the new Wrightbus Streetdeck vehicles. “Our drivers have worked extremely hard to help retain the contract and we are all committed to delivering an excellent service.”

Action pledge on survey findings

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EDUCING driver turnover during the first year of employment, engaging with all staff to provide them with a voice in the business and recognising employees for a job well done are some of Arriva London’s top priorities following the most recent employee survey. Also important to Arriva London’s future is the ability to spot future management potential, attracting high quality staff and succession planning for key roles. Just over half (57 per cent) of Arriva London’s workforce took the opportunity to complete the survey, compared to the UK Bus average of 62 per cent. In a score of employees’ overall satisfaction with working life, Arriva London averaged 3.4 out of a possible 5.0. The goal next year is 3.8 across UK Bus (this year it was 3.5). As well as revealing areas that require

attention, the survey pinpointed a number of pleasing results. For example, eight out of 10 employees (81 per cent) are well aware of how they can contribute to delivering excellent customer service. “As most of our staff are drivers, this is an excellent result,” said HR director Andrew Ayers. “TfL is very much emphasising the provision of customer service, so we are delighted that our drivers know how they can deliver it.” Also positive is that three-quarters of all staff plan to be working for Arriva for the next year. The same number, 75 per cent, say they go above and beyond what is required of them to help the company succeed. “Two thirds of our workforce (68 per cent) report they are able to do their job well, which is a great outcome,” Andrew added. “We are also pleased to note that

Satisfaction with working life at Brixton garage has increased from 2.8 to 3.2 out of five.

eight out of 10 (79 per cent) say that their responsibilities suit their skills.” There are some significant improvements compared to the results of the previous survey, undertaken in 2014. For example, there is an eight per cent increase in the number of employees who report that their manager recognises them for good performance. There is also a six per cent increase in the number of employees who reported that their manager shows them that their work is meaningful, and there is a six per cent increase in respondents who say their pay is appropriate. Andrew added: “There are many examples of departments where performance has radically improved. For example, in Brixton engineering, more than nine out of ten (93 per cent) of our employees are satisfied with their manager, with working together and with the work itself. In terms of overall satisfaction of working life in Brixton engineering, the score has risen from 2.8 to 3.2 out of five. This is outstanding.” Disappointing outcomes include a 12 per cent decline in the number of people who believe their job will be safe in the future and a nine per cent drop in satisfaction with the work environment. There is an eight per cent decline in employees who feel that DB is an attractive employer. Andrew explained that the full results of the survey have been distributed to the local managers of Arriva London’s 73 work areas/departments. As Arriva Now! was going to press, focus groups had been set up to review the results and agree on a three-point action plan which must be reported back to Deutsche Bahn by the end of this month (March).

6 March 2016 Arriva Now!

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Swapping diesel for hybrid gives us the ad-Vantage TWO Volvo diesel buses that are to be converted to hybrid power will begin a two-month trial on Edmonton’s route 123. If the trial is successful, further conversions of our predominantly diesel fleet could yield considerable cost savings over investing in purposebuilt hybrid buses.

“We would be able to convert four diesel buses for the same cost as one new hybrid,” said Ian Warr, engineering director. “We will be closely monitoring the performance of the two buses on trial as well as gathering feedback from drivers who have operated them. “If the converted buses perform well

on the road, we will consider rolling out the technology to the rest of the fleet.” There are currently 1,432 buses in the London fleet, of which 26 per cent are already hybrid, but this number will rise when route 59 is converted to hybrid operation. The trial is being done in advance of

the introduction of London’s ultra-low emission zone in 2020, when diesel buses will have to be replaced by either hybrid technology or electric power. The conversion work is being carried out by Vantage Power, a company that is dedicated to retrofitting hybrid powertrains for buses.

Nobody can rain on the parade for Steve

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RIVING examiner Steve Sparkhall lit up London’s New Year’s Day Parade when he drove a procession of mayors through the capital. The parade is one of the world’s great street spectaculars with more than 10,000 performers from around the world and thousands of spectators. Steve was in charge of driving the dignitaries from the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly to Horse Guards Avenue in Whitehall. He said: “It was a fantastic day. There were half a million people on the streets and a big police presence. We had to make sure we were well organised.

“The mayors were a pleasure to have on board and it was great to advertise Arriva on such a big stage.” Steve has worked for Arriva for 40 years and so was the perfect choice to take on the task. “My role as a driving examiner has helped me keep a cool head under pressure,” he said. “I think I’m also one of the few left who can drive a manual semi-automatic RMC Routemaster.” Commercial co-ordinator Phil Clark said: “It was a great event and we were very pleased to take part. Steve did a truly excellent job.”

Service quality leader Terry Pye in the iBus Control Centre at Finsbury Park.

iBus clocks up a decade of service

Steve Sparkhall at the wheel of the Heritage Fleet Routemaster carrying the mayors during the New Year’s Day parade.

ARRIVA London is proud to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of iBus. The automatic vehicle location system (AVL) tracks all of the capital’s 8,000 buses to provide drivers with information, passengers with audio-visual announcements and improved updates on bus arrivals. It can also trigger priority at traffic junctions. Bus technology manager Keith Norman led the first iBus system installation project in 2006. “We were the first company to trial the system,” he said. “We used Tottenham garage and the W4 as a trial and after a few teething problems the operation was successful. “We then delivered the system and service control work

stations to every garage in 18 months. “It was a huge job. Drivers and controllers had to be trained and we had a lot of equipment to install and commission to make the system work.” Service quality leader Terry Pye remembers the trial being launched and said: “Going from the Band III system to iBus was fantastic. “Before, we were using boxes fitted to lampposts to send signals down the telephone line and waiting up to 30 minutes to speak to our drivers. Suddenly, we could pinpoint our vehicles more accurately using iBus technology. “We were able to react to developing issues and warn drivers about traffic incidents

and road closures. We could also improve the headway between buses and ensure they ran to time.” The system was also beneficial for passengers. “Passengers used to have to ask the driver when they reached Liverpool Street,” said Terry. “With iBus they could now read the on-board information signs or listen to the announcements. It definitely improved the customer experience.” Keith said: “The technology at the time was groundbreaking and has proved to be a huge success with route performance.” TfL has plans to enhance the current radio system and switch it from analogue to digital within the next two years to improve availability.

Arriva Now! March 2016 7

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NATIONAL NEWS

Employee survey results shape action plans

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HE Arriva 2015 employee survey is complete and the results have been collated, with almost 11,000 UK Bus colleagues completing the survey. “Arriva HR director – UK Rachel Baldwin said “As with previous surveys, we had local survey champions across the business who engaged with colleagues to encourage them to complete the survey. Their hard work helped Arriva UK Bus get a 62 per cent response rate.” The overall satisfaction index for Arriva UK Bus remained static at 3.5, a number of operating companies have seen a positive improvement in their engagement score whilst others remained unchanged or regressed slightly. The survey consisted of many statements that colleagues had to rate in terms of agreeing or disagreeing with, split into topic areas. Here are the areas the company will now be focusing on going forward: A. Tasks and work itself This section was about the work that

colleagues do each day, the tasks they perform and whether they enjoy them. B. Working conditions Here, colleagues were asked whether they have the equipment, the right environment and right conditions to do their job correctly. C. Organisation of working time Colleagues were asked whether they able to complete tasks within working hours and whether their home and work life is in balance. D. Communication, information and involvement In this section, colleagues were asked if they are informed about key aspects of their area of work and have the information to carry out day-today tasks. It also looked at employees’

Striving for passenger growth

Improving employee and passenger safety A NEW role has been created at Arriva UK Bus as part of a drive to further improve safety and risk performance across the business. The first head of risk and safety is Jeremy Corfield, who has come over from Group to take up the position. Jeremy joined Arriva in 2009 as group head of safety and environment and has played a major role in raising safety performance levels. He will be helping local UK Bus businesses become “industry leading” in their approach to employee and passenger safety. “There has been a great amount of work over the years by the safety and risk functions at UK Bus to improve

interests and communication within the company. E. Working together This related to the working atmosphere, support received from other colleagues and co-operation between different areas of the company. F. Career development The focus here was on providing adequate opportunities for career development within the company and back-up training. G. My manager This section was relevant to management and their support for employees, the recognition they give when a colleague performs well and whether they lead by example.

There were also questions about general satisfaction, local issues and about the DB Group. Analysis of the survey results will help the company to improve its satisfaction ratings. For example, relatively positive results were achieved in the ‘tasks and work itself’ and ‘working together’ sections, but the challenge is to achieve even better outcomes in future. Managers are now talking to colleagues at a local level about how the survey results can help shape action plans to further improve their working lives. “During 2015, each operating company committed to a number of action plans designed to positively affect our engagement with colleagues and the results are now being analysed to review the effectiveness of the plans we set,” added Rachel. A full survey will take place in October 2016, when colleagues will again be able to tell us how we are doing and we will be able to measure the success of these action plans.

performance, develop good practice and seek external recognition,” he said. And he added: “This is an exciting time to be joining UK Bus as the business has recently given the goahead for progressive driver training to be rolled out across the UK. “This includes aspects of advanced driving techniques and is a clear indicator that UK Bus is serious about investing in all of its drivers and ultimately in great standards of road safety.” n Read more about the Arriva strategy for improving road safety across UK Bus regions in a special report in the June edition of Arriva Now!

ARRIVA’S UK Bus marketing and new product development director, Gillian Singh, has big plans for 2016. She aims to focus on a variety of strategic commercial activity, including smart ticketing, the improvement of customer data and insight and pushing Arriva’s plans to drive sustainable passenger growth in the UK bus market. “I am really pleased to be joining Arriva at such an exciting time,” said Gillian. “Our commitment to delivering connected mobility solutions across the group and a strong focus on retailing ensures we will be placed to deliver a great customer experience.” The marketing team will be focusing on a data-led process of customer research to validate its marketing strategies. “We ran a recent payment survey to find out how customers wanted to pay for their tickets,” said Gillian. “In response, we are developing contactless and PayPal channels, which we will now start to roll out.” Arriva is also improving its other marketing channels such as its website and developing a new customer database. “We will target email campaigns efficiently when we have

Michael Rowlinson, were handed down jail sentences ranging from four years and 10 months to five years and nine months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. ”Some locations were hit several times – and in quick succession – so the criminals obviously had collected information regarding the specific depots over a period of time,” said North West regional health, safety and environment

manager Ed Rogers. Ed and his team issued an appeal for staff to be vigilant, which triggered an early response. “One of the many pieces of information fed back came from employees at Bangor garage at Arriva Bus Wales,” Ed continued. “They identified a parked car late at night in the same, unusual place for several nights. They reported the registration and, using information from the national ANPR camera

THE national M.A.D. Awards are almost upon us! The dedication and commitment of staff across the business who have Made A Difference during 2015 will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on April 21. This year’s finalists are: M.A.D. Engineer Toby Cooper (Arriva North West and Wales), Pamela Chapman (Arriva Midlands), Audie Van Rheede (Arriva London), Trevor Hinch (Arriva Yorkshire). M.A.D. About Safety Gordon Lumley (Arriva Yorkshire), Andrew Weber (Arriva Southern Counties), Sammy Gardner (Arriva Transport Solutions).

a clear understanding of customer behaviours and transactions,” said Gillian. “The mobile journey app is already one of the market leaders and we will be developing a new mobile ticketing app this year. “We are continually looking at ways to significantly improve the customer experience from planning to postjourney.” Managing director of Arriva UK Bus Kevin O’Connor added: “We have a variety of exciting commercial plans and opportunities across the division and alongside our regional teams. I am delighted to welcome Gillian to Arriva.”

Crime-stopping colleagues see gang jailed

EAGLE-EYED Arriva colleagues have been praised for providing vital information leading to four men being jailed following break-ins at depots across the regions. The gang struck at Arriva garages at Winsford, Bangor, Cannock, Ware and Redcar during their targeted crime spree that also included raids on branches of Lloyds bank. At Newcastle Crown Court in January, the four, Nathan Green, David Bennett, David Murphy and

Annual awards for truly dedicated employees

system, the car was identified as being local to several break-ins.” And he added: “Without the hard work and vigilance from staff across Arriva, these successful convictions would not have been possible. “With the help of the latest monitoring technology, we have taken huge steps to revise and strengthen security procedures at our depots, which has ultimately increased the safety of our employees and the security of our properties.”

M.A.D. Team of the Year Durham MOT Team (Arriva North East), Shared Services South (UK Bus), Oswestry Depot (Arriva Midlands), Revenue Inspectors (Arruva North West and Wales). M.A.D. Giving Award Brian Kerr (Arriva London), Rose Forde (Arriva The Shires), Steve Humphris (Arriva North West and Wales), Nainesh Patel (Arriva North West and Wales). M.A.D. Learner Hayley Mason (Arriva North East), Gary Evans (Arriva North West and Wales), Trevor Dixon (Arriva The Shires). Delivered a M.A.D. Business Performance Chris Berry (Arriva London), Mark McKevitt (Arriva North West and Wales), Midlands Risk Department (Arriva Midlands). Continually M.A.D. Gary Paterson (Arriva Southern Counties), Patience Okezie (Arriva London), Ritchie Prescott (Arriva North West and Wales), Lee Turnball (Arriva North East). Our Unsung Hero Heath Halle (Arriva London), Ian Astbury (Arriva Midlands), Julie Morris (Arriva Southern Counties), Ray Howell (Arriva Midlands).

2 March 2016 Arriva Now! 8

Dennis Yau Arriva UK Bus

SIXTY SECONDS WE PUT an employee on the spot and ask them eight questions in 60 seconds. Our candidate, Dennis Yau, is head of commercial modelling at Arriva UK Bus. He has worked for the company for five and a half years. AN!: If you won a dream holiday, where would you like to go? Dennis: Venice in Italy. AN!: If you could have lunch with somebody famous, who would it be and why? Dennis: It sounds a bit crazy … but if it were possible, I would love to have lunch with Jesus Christ as I think he is the most influential leader in history so far. AN!: What are you watching on TV at the moment? Dennis: Whatever Cbeebies is showing … with my daughter. AN!: Which comedian makes you laugh? Dennis: Woody Allen – he is the best! AN!: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Dennis: Playing FIFA, travelling by public transport, watching movies, viewing property. AN!: Who do you most admire and why? Dennis: My wife, as she has such a good husband! AN!: When you were a child, what job did you want to do when you grew up? Dennis: Entrepreneur… AN!: What do you enjoy most about your current job? Dennis: Data modelling and analytics is so challenging and exciting, and it makes me even more joyful working with my lovely and professional teammates.

The

HOT Seat IN THIS issue, we put Arriva Southern Counties’ new HR director, Rachel Jones, in the Hot Seat to talk about her experience of the recent UK Bus two-day conference. The conference was invaluable to me as someone new to both Arriva and the bus industry. As well as considering inspirational case Rachel Jones. studies regarding innovations in ‘on demand’ public transport, we had the opportunity to review in depth the new UK Bus business strategy. It was exciting to see such ambitious and confident plans that will place Arriva at the forefront of modern, innovative public transport and at the centre of providing future-proofed transport options for the growing populations of our towns and cities. The next 10 years will see huge changes, both in the way consumers engage with our services and in their expectations of them. What I observed was a UK Bus leadership team comprising very experienced individuals from the industry as well as new members such as myself with different experiences and ideas all working together and excited by the opportunities ahead and up for the challenge. Our local business plans and strategies can now be shaped by what we learnt at the conference. When I translate the business strategy into people-related activities, I will apply my expertise to help shape the skills and competencies of our employees. Plus I have seen how Arriva can offer great opportunities for me to add value and gain new skills myself.

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Join us on our journey to... Green Impacts AS A public transport provider, we’re already on the road to creating a cleaner, greener environment for future generations. Simply by replacing many individual journeys in private vehicles with our services, Arriva helps to reduce carbon emissions, congestion and air pollution from travel every day. And the more people who switch to public transport, the greater the benefits will be. Plus we operate electric, gas and hybrid buses across Europe and in some places we use biodiesel, which has a smaller impact on the environment. Drivers are trained on how to drive efficiently to reduce the emissions of their bus and we’ve also taken measures to reduce our water and energy consumption in buildings. Plus we are trying to recycle more of the waste we create. So, as a mobility services provider, you could say protecting the environment is already part of our culture. But as a large company, Arriva knows there is more that it can do to reduce its impact on the environment in terms of the resources it uses. Would it surprise you to know that Arriva emits around 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 every year from its

Arriva has started out on an exciting journey to become an industry leading business on the environment … we call it the journey to Destination Green. Every Arriva employee across the 14 countries

in which the company operates can make a difference and play their part in getting there. We look at how Arriva is working to get its people on board for the journey to Destination Green.

Green Pledges

direct operations? That’s about the same as Barbados, the country! Perhaps not so surprisingly, our biggest single source of carbon emissions is vehicle fuel use. How we manage resources and dispose of them is crucial to our future. Efficient resource usage also means reduced costs, and it’s becoming more and more important for transport businesses to demonstrate they are protecting the environment – not only in the eyes of their customers and the public but also when competing for new contracts and seeking to grow. Arriva recognises that reducing its impact on the environment is good for business but also that it’s the right thing to do, which is why the company is on the journey to Destination Green.

ARRIVA can make a difference – and as employees we can ALL help. Colleagues across the business are getting on board for the Destination Green journey by making a personal pledge to help Arriva get there. Engaging everyone in the campaign will be crucial to the business achieving its ambitious environmental targets, which include a reduction in carbon footprint, energy and water consumption and waste to landfill. Managing director of UK Bus Kevin O’Connor said: “Destination Green presents a real opportunity and I’m passionate about finding ways to use it to add value for the business. “I’ve seen first-hand how delivering action on the environment can bring benefits in terms of reduced impacts, improving our customers’ experience,

helping us grow, making us more competitive and saving the business money. “Moreover, this is about fulfilling our responsibility to do the right thing, and play our part in creating better environments for the communities in which we operate. “While we are at the start of this journey, a lot of good work has already begun. Now is the time to build on this by finding ways to capitalise on the opportunities we have – and for each of us to make a pledge to help us reach Destination Green.” Consider your day job, the Destination Green themes and use the pledge form (location on page). Here are some ideas to start you off, but the list is endless!

Fuel-themed pledges

Energy-themed pledges

n Don’t let your engine idle unnecessarily n Accelerate and brake gently n Turn off heaters and lights when you don’t need them n Make sure we don’t spill and waste any fuel.

n Don’t leave office or depot equipment on standby, especially at evenings and weekends n Ensure rooms or spaces aren’t heated or cooled when nobody is there n Turn off lights and monitors when they aren’t needed.

Water-themed pledges

Waste-themed pledges

n Look out for water leaks – report it, fix it! n Don’t leave a dripping tap n Don’t use more than you need, whether washing your coffee cup or a vehicle.

n Separate waste to enable recycling, use different bins or skips n Re-use materials or products if possible, like paper n Don’t use disposable materials like plastic cups.

Green Targets TO GUIDE us on our journey to Destination Green, we’ve set some targets to 2020. Our main target is to reduce our carbon emissions by 30 per cent per passenger kilometer travelled. Other targets for 2020 include: n 30 per cent reduction in annual building energy consumption n 30 per cent reduction in annual water consumption n 30 per cent of electricity use being from renewable sources n No more than 30 per cent of waste going to landfill.

Arriva Now! March 2016 9

Green Arriva UK Bus SO HOW are UK Bus businesses responding to the Destination Green challenge? Among the first to join the journey was Arriva North West and Wales with pledges including a commitment to reduce water use. Led by its directors, the region has pledged: “We will save at least 10 per cent of our water usage, by raising awareness at all locations and by identifying and rectifying leaks quickly.” Meanwhile, Arriva Transport Solutions has committed to reducing the use of chemicals as part of a range of initiatives to help it reach Destination Green. Smart dosing systems have been introduced on all ATSL sites to ensure staff use the exact amount of chemicals required to carry out a task safely and effectively. Since the introduction of Smart Dose systems, there has been a 75 per cent reduction in the amount of chemicals ATSL has purchased. Other green initiatives under way across the business include: n Arriva the Shires running electric buses with contactless charging n Arriva London operating London’s first all-electric bus route n Southern Counties incorporating environmental aspects into audit checks n Midlands conducting site-based checklist surveys to identify environmental improvements. More generally, UK Bus businesses are exploring the installation of high-efficiency LED lighting. And a register of environmental impacts has been compiled by regional environment managers to help inform planning. n See how your region is supporting Destination Green in future issues of Arriva Now!

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Engineering the way forward ARRIVA’s engineers excelled at the fourth Annual Arriva UK Bus Engineering Conference in Scarborough in December. The event, which was hosted by bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis, celebrated a year of engineering achievements. Engineering development manager Lloyd Mason said: “The engineering conference provides a great forum for colleagues to take a step back from the cut and thrust of daily operations and reflect on the year that’s been and to look forward to what the next year has in store. “It also enables us to celebrate and recognise individual and team performances that have contributed to Arriva’s success.” Among those rewarded were St Helens’ James Tant, who was named apprentice of the year and given a cheque for £300 from sponsor Imperial Engineering. He said: “I was unbelievably pleased to win. I didn’t expect it at all. “I’m learning so much at Arriva and to be recognised by the industry I am part of is excellent.”

James now works as a bodyshop electrician and wanted to thank line managers Colin Hayes and Frank Rooney and his mentor, Steve Mason, for their help. Marvellous managers Stephen Parry, Jon Harman, Cedric Dalton, Martin Blakelock, Frank Rooney and Adam Stead were awarded certificates for their outstanding achievements over the last 12 months. Wrexham engineering manager Stephen said: “I was very surprised to be recognised and extremely pleased! “I always try to go the extra mile and even jump in with a spanner myself when we are short staffed. “It was fantastic to be mentioned.”

The awards were not just limited to the conference. Arriva Midlands Wednesfield was visited by UK Bus engineering director Ian Tarran, who presented them with the inaugural award for the best Inspection, Diagnostic and Triage (ID&T) depot in 2015. ID&T is a depot efficiency project aimed at improving vehicle reliability and engineering efficiency. The Wednesfield team, which is headed by general manager Raj Chander, engineering manager Rob Davies and fleet engineer Mick Burkitt, were given a specially engraved trophy, certificate and cheque for £250. Rob said: “We were delighted to receive the award. The ID&T programme

has made a big difference because it involves looking at the root causes of breakdowns. The team have worked really hard and are now reaping the benefits.” The conference was treated to a series of speakers, including Ian Tarran, Arriva area managing director Phil Cummins and apprentice Pamela Chapman, who offered an insight into their Arriva journey. There was also a green theme delivered by head of strategy and technical innovation James Higlett. James spoke to the conference about Arriva’s zero emissions policy and the different vehicles which best offered commercial and technical value. He said: “The conference gave a great platform to be able to discuss the engineering strategic direction for Arriva. We have a lot to look forward to in the future.” Lloyd added: “The conference was a great occasion, full of information, inspiration and extremely worthy winners. We very much look forward to next year!”

WIN vouchers worth £500!

YOU could be the winner of £500 worth of vouchers to spend on a range of exciting items at The Village, or, in the case of Arriva London, a £500 holiday voucher to enjoy a glorious getaway. The Village is an employee benefits site specifically for Arriva UK people where you can save on anything from your

weekly shop to your summer holiday. To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, simply answer the following question: n What buns do people traditionally eat at Easter? Send your completed entry form to Arriva Now!, 81 High Street, Walton-on-

Entry form (cut out and post to above address)

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Prize competition – March 2016 Answer........................................................................................................

Thames, Surrey, KT12 1DN. Alternatively, email the answers and information required to arrivanow@ ruxley.co.uk. Entries from the same family, including children’s competition entries, can be

sent in the same envelope. Entries are limited to one per person. The first entry drawn on May 6, 2016, will win the prize, which is subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

Kids’ corner

Entry form (cut out and post to address, right)

Kids’ competition

March 2016

Name .......................................................................................................... Work place .................................................................................................. Home address ............................................................................................. ................................................................................................................... Postcode ........................................... Tel no. .............................................

Competition winners CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of our December competition, Paul Butcher, who works at Speke depot in Arriva North West. Paul has won £500 worth of vouchers to spend on a range of exciting items at The Village. n Well done to the following runners-up, who have all won Argos gift cards: Dennis Chaplin, Southend, Arriva Southern Counties; Dale Spragg, Bangor, Arriva Wales; Gary Ingham,

Wakefield, Arriva Yorkshire; John Tindall, Stockton, Arriva North East; Majod Bentaouit, Thurmaston, Arriva Midlands & Shires; Jamil Khattak, Barking, Arriva London; Michal Skurnica, Bolton, Arriva North West. n Molly Kennedy, aged 10, whose father Steve Kennedy, works at Telford depot in Arriva Midlands & Shires, wins our children’s competition. She will receive a cheque for £50.

Name ...........................................................Age................................. Address ............................................................................................. Guardian ...........................................Work place.................................

Help the Easter bunny and win £50! OH DEAR, looks like the Easter bunny has lost his way and could do with a little egging on! Do you think you could reunite him with his basket of yummy Easter eggs? If so, you could win £50 – and that’s a lot of chocolate eggs! All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is get a pen or pencil and mark the route through the maze that he will need to follow in a continuous line from start to finish. Then send the picture with the completed entry form to Arriva Now!, Ruxley Communications, 81 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1DN. The first entry drawn from the hat on May 6, 2016, will win the prize.

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Meet the new faces in the team A number of new people have recently joined Arriva London in engineering, schedules and HR roles. Here’s a short introduction to them.

u STUART ERSKINE Recruitment Manager Watsons Road

u TONY VINCENT Engineering Manager Thornton Heath

Stuart joined Arriva London from Ipsos MORI, where he worked as a recruitment manager. “I’m looking forward to developing the Arriva brand, streamlining the recruitment process and exploring new ways of advertising to get the best people in the roles,” he said. Outside work, Stuart is a keen marathon runner and Tottenham Hotspur fan. “Spurs are doing well at the moment, although I’m still waiting for the wheels to fall off!,” he said.

Tony joined Arriva London from Stagecoach, where he started as an apprentice mechanic before working his way up to assistant engineering manager. “I hope to achieve longterm stability at Thornton Heath garage and maintain performance and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators),” said Tony. On his days off, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Victoria, and one-year-old daughter, Elizabeth. He also plays bass guitar in a band.

u DEREK AMPONSAH Engineering Manager Barking

u KEVAN MARSHALL Engineering Manager Enfield

Derek used to work at Hackney Community Transport as a workshop support co-ordinator before joining Barking garage. He is interested in new vehicle technologies. “I want to keep the workshop working correctly and make sure that our vehicles are compliant and reliable,” said Derek. He likes to keep fit in his spare time and listens to a variety of music.

Arsenal fan Kevan worked at Metroline as assistant engineering manager before coming to Arriva. “I like working at Enfield and want to tackle repeat defects across the fleet and reduce mechanical loss mileage,” he said. In his spare time, Kevan plays football. “I used to play in goal but I’m not exactly the jolly green giant, so I’m better suited to left or right-back,” he said.

u DAVID BRANNAN Engineering Manager Palmers Green

u MARC SANDS HR Business Manager

Globetrotter David Brannan joined Palmers Green garage from waste collection service Veolia, where he worked as a workshop operations manager. He has lived in several countries, including Denmark, Germany and Canada. “I’m enjoying my time at Palmers Green and plan to continue the operational improvement of the garage,” said David. In his spare time, he likes to play golf and spend time with his family.

Marc joined Arriva London from Deutsche Telekom, where he worked as an HR business partner for around three years. He was attracted to Arriva London because the role has multi-site responsibility, it is a ‘people’ business and the job offered him the challenge he was looking for. “The people are great here,” said Marc, who enjoys DIY, playing football and going out with friends and family.

u KARA HO Schedule Compiler Kara was working in Hong Kong for a year as an administrative assistant when a previous schedules trainee told her about the Arriva London job. She was attracted to the job because it looked like the challenge she had been seeking and her skills appeared to match the requirements of the role. In her spare time, Kara enjoys dancing (she’s done ballet since she was three years old), seeing friends and going out for dinner.

u EMMA TYSON Schedule Compiler Emma was working on the Arriva Trains bid team at Euston when she learned about the job at Arriva London. She had been hoping to get into transport planning and was even considering doing a Master’s degree in the subject (she graduated in 2012 with a degree in digital film and 3D animation). In her spare time, Emma is finding her pet baby tortoise is taking up rather a lot of her spare time!

u GARY McCLAIR Schedule Compiler Before Gary joined Arriva London he had been a duty manager at Go Whippet for a year and prior to that he worked for Arriva at its Stansted/Harlow depots. At Go Whippet he worked on a schedules project and thoroughly enjoyed it. He has always been interested in statistics and figures, so when he saw the Arriva London job advertised he jumped at the opportunity. In his spare time, Gary is a keen, highly competitive fisherman.

u DARRELL MORRISON Schedule Compiler Darrell was self-employed as an ebay reseller when his dad, Joseph Simpson (a Finsbury Park controller), saw the vacancy for a trainee schedule compiler. The job appealed to Darrell’s analytical nature, so he applied for the position. In his spare time, Darrell makes YouTube videos and cycles. He also wants to travel, with Canada high on his “must visit” list, although he hopes to visit Stockholm soon to meet up with a friend.

What to do if you can’t reach your stop THERE are many reasons why a bus in service is unable to make progress and reach a bus stop ahead. In these situations, Transport for London allows drivers to open the doors to enable customers to alight if they wish. Drivers must make sure that it is safe and ensure the bus is

close to the kerb. This advice is in line with guidance given in the Little Red Book. To quote from the book: “If something is delaying you from reaching the stop, you can let passengers off, providing it is safe to do so.” The book says that drivers must

use their public address system to let passengers know and, if possible, they should be asked to leave using the front doors so that the driver can make sure they are safe. Drivers must ensure alighting customers are clear of the bus before the doors are closed.

From left, schedule compilers Kara Ho, Emma Tyson, Gary McClair and Darrell Morrison.

We help to get the capital’s rail service back on track ARRIVA London provided a rail replacement service for Southern Trains at Christmas. The service covered two key routes from East Croydon to Caterham and East Croydon to Redhill, which were

suspended due to Network Rail engineering works at Purley. Commercial co-ordinator Phil Clark said: “We were asked to assist Go-Ahead London from December 24 to January 4. “We had an excellent team of drivers,

who were performing 25 duties a day. “We also had controller Dave Monk, who was working at Gatwick and Purley. “All four South London garages did a fantastic job and we were pleased to be

able to keep the capital moving.” Go-Ahead London commercial manager Colin Farrant said: “Arriva provided an excellent standard of service throughout the entire operation.”

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Confidential staff reporting system comes on stream LONDON bus drivers can now report complaints to a third party company – Confidential Incident Reporting Analysis System (CIRAS). CIRAS is an independent, external organisation which takes calls from all staff, including drivers and managers, in the strictest of confidence. It listens to a range of concerns, including health & safety, training, maintenance, rules,

procedures and security. Once CIRAS has received a report, it will conduct an interview with the person who has made the complaint. A report will then be sent out to the company where they will seek to obtain a response within a certain timeframe. Operations quality & systems assurance manager Suzanne Stevens said: “We have our own internal whistle-blowing

policy and nominated transport managers at all garages for anyone who wishes to raise their concerns. However, CIRAS provides an alternative, third party, confidential reporting route for staff to raise safety concerns that they feel are unresolved. “In the majority of cases, they are concluded to everyone’s satisfaction. It also provides a back-up safety net to

capture and resolve issues and enables the company to learn from its members through sharing intelligence.” CIRAS cannot take reports about personal grievances, urgent real-time issues, personal issues or individual drugs or alcohol issues. Reports from members of the public will not be processed. Information cards and leaflets have been distributed to all locations.

Relentless in our pursuit of safety R

Alex pic escapes crushing fate t/c thanks to fellow driver THE quick-thinking of an Arriva London bus driver may well have saved a colleague’s foot when he had an accident on his motorbike. Tottenham driver Alex Lewis had been riding home on his 800cc Honda VFR after finishing work at about 11.30pm on January 11, which also happened to be his birthday. While travelling down Clayhall Avenue in Barkingside, about 10 miles into his 41-mile commute to his home in Southend, he slipped on some diesel at a roundabout. “It was the coldest night of the year and the diesel had frozen on the road, making it very slippery,” said Alex. “My bike skidded to the right, so I turned to the left to jump off but then my bike spun in the air and landed on my left leg. My bike weighs 249kgs and I had just refuelled it, so it was even heavier.” Because of the time of night, the area was deserted and so Alex lay in the street waiting for help. After about 10 minutes, Barking driver Andy Beckers passed through while working on route 128 (Romford to Claybury Broadway). “I couldn’t stop because it was a roundabout,” said Andy. “Just a minute or two later, I saw a police car and told the officer inside what I had seen. Of course, at the time, I

copy t/c

Alex feared he could have lost his foot in the accident. didn’t realise it was another Arriva London driver.” Alex said: “I’m very grateful that Andy took the initiative and alerted the police, who arrived very soon after. They arranged for the traffic unit to lift my bike off me, then got an ambulance to take me to hospital. I couldn’t feel my foot and I was sure

it was broken. It was a freezing cold night, too, and my body temperature had dropped below normal, so I was pleased when help arrived. I made a full recovery, with no broken bones. I am sure I would have lost my foot, though, if I had been lying there much longer, so I am very grateful to Andy for responding so quickly.”

ISK management is at the core of Arriva London’s Safety Management System (SMS). An SMS provides a way to identify hazards, control risks and implement a continual improvement process. Risk manager Paula Tansley said: “Our focus is to keep our passengers and drivers safe. We have a number of processes in place to ensure this continues and look forward to developing new initiatives this year. CCTV will continue to be used to defend claims and handle incidents. The forward facing cameras on newer buses are now able to capture 10 frames per second (FPS) as opposed to one. Senior CCTV analyst Paul Bonny said: “The forward-facing cameras running at 10 FPS are a giant leap forward. They give a much clearer picture of the movements of traffic ahead, traffic lights, braking and indicating sequences. “This enables us to form a greater picture of an incident and helps to determine fault and defend claims made against Arriva.” Paula said: “We also have plans to work closely with drivers and local managers in order to receive first-hand suggestions about how we can increase safety. One of the ways we can do this is by introducing incident focus boards, and continue with the incident focus roadshows.” Incident focus boards are being placed in every garage and will be updated regularly by the local team. They will provide information such as how many incidents each route has been involved in, identify hotspots for incidents and they will also have risk-related posters displayed to help raise awareness of any particular issues with the overall aim being to reduce incidents. “We are also looking to introduce route champions at each garage. This person will enable driver colleagues to have a point of contact to share ideas and concerns connected to safety,” said Paula. “We also have a bi-monthly incident reduction working group where managers discuss ways of reducing incidents. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure a safe environment for Arriva, its drivers and customers.”

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Great day out for high-flying graduates Then & GRADUATES of Arriva London’s schedule compiler training programme teamed up with the rest of their department for a graduation day. The four graduates are John King, Henry Mak, Sarah Ventry and Joanne Rickard. They enjoyed the opportunity to drive a New Routemaster bus at North Weald aerodrome followed by a meal at a restaurant in Enfield.

Now

The new graduates and their colleagues at North Weald aerodrome.

Getting on course for NVQ success n Page 1 picture story

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BATCH of apprentice technicians are forging ahead at Arriva London’s training centre at Edmonton. The raring recruits are studying for their NVQ level 3 in bus and coach engineering and maintenance. Training manager Heath Halle said: “We have 25 apprentices at the moment, with another 15 due to start during this year. The training is going really well. The apprenticeship used to be taught externally making it hard to adapt the course to suit both the needs of the apprentice and the business but because we are now offering it in-house we can bespoke the modules to benefit both the apprentices’ and Arriva’s needs.” The NVQ covers a variety of topics, including identifying and repairing routine mechanical, electrical and body faults. It also includes an engine module, where the apprentices assist the garages, with

Chenique Cawley with mentor Neo Panayiotou. compression testing and oil pressure testing. Heath said: “Apprentices are given live vehicle faults to work on, such as a singledeck vehicle which was fire damaged. The third year apprentices have stripped the engine to see if they could salvage anything. “This not only saves the company

money but also lets the apprentices learn from a real-life situation. There is also no loss of connection because their college lecturers work closely with them and their engineering management team to ensure they are practicing the new skills they have learnt at college while working at their respective garages. They are also assessed and reviewed by the same lecturers.” One of the new apprentices is Chenique Cawley, who started in September. “I’m really enjoying the course,” she said. “It’s very hands-on and it makes a big difference to be able to do it at the training centre. “I think it’s really important for women to be in this industry. One of my managers is a female, which is great. “I don’t mind working with boys at all, I get to boss them around!” Chenique added: “I can’t wait until I am fully qualified. I am getting such a good grounding with Arriva London – I’m excited about the future!”

This time it is farewell – after 39 years!

Tony, centre, gets a great send-off from control centre colleagues.

A TRIP to New Zealand is one of the many activities on Tony Ferris’s horizon following his retirement from Arriva London after 39 years’ service. Tony joined the then Grey Green in June 1977 as a coach driver, later becoming a driver on the flagship route 24 service. He then spent three years as an inspector followed by three years as a GS, based at Stamford Hill. When Stamford Hill closed, he moved to Tottenham garage as a controller at the service control centre. “I was going to finish work in 2013 but I stayed another three years because I liked the

job so much,” said Tony, who retired on his 68th birthday. “The job has been stressful at times, but it’s been a good career and there was always a great camaraderie in the iBus room. I’ve met a lot of people over the years who I am going to miss but I will be popping in now and then” As well as the New Zealand trip, where he will be spending time visiting family and friends, he hopes to see more of the world. He got a flavour for travel as a coach driver travelling all over Europe and looks forward to taking wife Jane with him this time.

Annette Ryland joined Arriva London in 1998 as a driver. In this issue, Annette compares life at Arriva London today to how it was 15 years ago. Job title Then: Controller Now: Operating manager Location Then: Brixton Garage Now: Thornton Heath Major challenge of the job Then: Providing a reliable service through all the daily central London road closures.  Now: Meeting the expectations of the workforce. Pastime Then: Football  Now: Wood carving and wood turning.  Best part of job Then: knowing you achieved goals set from start of shift through to end of shift Now: Working with a great team and achieving our goals together A personal aim Then: To make a difference.  Now: To try and understand our ever changing world.  My next career step Then: To progress to a management role Now: To become a general manager  My ambition Then: To remove all injustices in the world.  Now: To spend a day in a position where I was  able to make a real positive difference to people’s lives.   I relax by... Then: Playing/watching football.  Now: Sharing laughter with my family and friends.  A great day at work is Then: To feel at the end of your shift you have achieved the best you can. Now: Getting through the day knowing your team is with you all the way.

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New driver mentors get on board A

Tying the knot Vegas style! NOT every bride can say she was given away by Elvis at her wedding, but that’s what happened to Caroline Bell when she married Wayne Haley in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day. Wayne, who is also a driver and based at Tottenham, said: “I met Caroline 10 years ago on a BTEC course. We started dating soon after and have been inseparable ever since.” The happy couple married at the Graceland Wedding Chapel and were joined by their children, best man Nicolas, bridesmaid Jade, flower girl Crystal and Caroline’s sister and her family. Palmers Green driver Caroline said: “It was the first time we had been to Las Vegas. I’m a big Elvis fan and was even serenaded by him afterwards! It was an amazing experience. “Wayne’s mother Elsie and my father John could not be with us but they were very much thought of during the day.” Commenting on the groom’s fetching top hat, Caroline said: “It was just as well he wore it – I’m six inches taller than him!”

Chapel date for Wayne and Caroline.

RRIVA London welcomed two new driver mentors in January. Driving instructors Perry Hunt and Carlos Samuel are the latest recruits to join the mentoring team and have been assigned to North London. Training manager Jayne Steer said: “Mentors perform an extremely important role for our new drivers. Whether it’s an arm around the shoulder on the first day or an onboard assessment at the end of the training, they are instrumental in drivers’ confidence and success.” Mentors look after new drivers for three months. They begin with a garage induction and take them through their paperwork. They then observe the new drivers out on the road on a number of occasions over the three-month period.

Carlos said: “There’s a lot going on for a new driver. By preparing them for their drive and being with them for part of it, they gain the confidence to navigate the road and use the radio. “We iron out any mistakes and make sure they know exactly what they’re doing. Some drivers will take longer than others but it’s important that they feel ready.” At the end of the mentoring programme, each driver will complete an in-service driving assessment. Carlos added: “The mentoring scheme is excellent. The drivers are extremely grateful and I hope that we can make them feel at ease and enable them to fulfil their potential.”

Helping build confidence: New mentors Carlos Samuel, left, and Perry Hunt.

n chris curtis Clapton driver Chris Curtis died last month (February) following a long battle with cancer. He had devoted all his life to the public transport industry, with one of his many roles being garage manager at Bow. He took redundancy from that job and joined Grey Green’s Stamford Hill garage a number of years later as a driver on route 24. Chris then transferred to Arriva London’s Stamford Hill garage with the 24 when Grey Green’s base was closed. He moved again with the 24 to Tottenham, where he was promoted to controller. Later, he became a driver on Clapton’s route 38. Soon after he became ill, Chris left but stayed in close touch with his colleagues. During the later stages of his illness, he moved to Clacton. His funeral was at Weeley crematorium early this month, with many of his former colleagues in attendance. “I’d known Chris for around 20 years and he was a likeable, popular member of this garage,” said operations manager Jim Oughton.

assistant Hayden Cheremeh.” Hayden said: “It was a great day. I assisted the crew on the bus while they were filming an action sequence along Whitehall. “Actor Maj Mikkelsen was playing one of the bad guys and he and his associates ran past me. “There were more than 200 crew members and it was very exciting.” Phil added: “It all went very well and the team deserve well-earned credit for their involvement.” The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr Strange and is due for release in November.

n minhaz hussain ALSO sorely missed is Clapton driver MInhaz Hussain who passed away unexpectedly on October 29, aged 24. Minhaz, who collapsed after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage, was a much-loved member of the garage staff and an excellent footballer. He had worked for Arriva for three years. Operating manager Jim Oughton said: “Minhaz was a popular member of the team, who will be greatly missed. Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to his family.”

Strange happenings on New Routemaster LT238!

CLAPTON garage was in the spotlight when it supplied a bus and crew for a Hollywood film in January. The garage was asked if it could assist with the new Marvel Comics movie Dr Strange, which was being filmed in Whitehall. Commercial co-ordinator Phil Clark said: “We were contacted by TfL, who told us that the film company wanted to use one of our New Routemasters and a driver.” Clapton deputy operating manager Phil Eaton said: “We lent the film production company LT238 along with driver Felix Barber and customer

Obituaries

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Commendations n The following are just a small selection of the commendations sent in by customers praising Arriva London’s gallant Knights of the Road. n Ash Grove Astrit Nela has two recent commendations! In the first, he was thanked for the “amazing service” on route 106. The customer, who was with a group of friends, said that Astrit was “friendly, funny and generally a very nice chap”. The second commendation was from a customer who said Astrit was “outstanding” and kind to everyone who boarded. n Barking “Top man” is how a customer described route 128 driver Wilfredo Tolentino! The customer observed Wilfredo and said he was “polite, patient and considerate … totally on the ball.” A customer has thanked route 173 driver Jallal Miah for assisting him with comprehensive directions. “A wonderful act of kindness,” said the customer. “It really did make my day.” n Brixton A visitor from Transport for London has commended colleagues at Brixton for their response following an accident that took place near the garage. Staff, who were on their break, went to the scene and took control of the situation. “Their response was amazing,” said the TfL visitor. A wheelchair-user has informed Arriva London of how much he appreciated Sam Ameyaw following proper procedure in deploying the bus ramp during his journey on route 319. The customer said Sam made boarding and alighting easy. Georgios Ganotakis has been praised for correctly following procedures for a wheelchairuser on route 59. The customer said that Georgios saw he wanted to board, put the ramp out straightaway and heard the buzzer when he wanted to alight. “I wanted to say thanks,” said the customer. n Croydon A Go-Ahead driver was so impressed with Derek Lewis that he felt compelled to let Arriva London know. The Go-Ahead driver was travelling on route 264 and observed Derek’s overall professionalism and skill. “He is a real credit to bus drivers. Keep up the good work,” said

the Go-Ahead driver. Route 312 driver Charles Asafu-Adjaye has been praised for making his customers feel welcome and safe on his bus when they are travelling home late at night. Ramesh Nadarajan has been thanked for coming to the aid of a wheelchair-user travelling on route 60. Beverley Edgerton has received two commendations! Both made reference to her smile and great approach to customer service while driving on route 194. Sukumaran Rajendran’s care for elderly customers on route 412 has been praised. Sukumaran was polite and helpful to all customers. “This driver was excellent,” said the customer. n Dartford Jakub Godziewski has been praised by a customer for his patience in letting the elderly and disabled sit down before moving off and for driving responsibly. Route manager Jason Pettit has been praised by a customer on route 229 for keeping the bus warm, for driving smoothly and for his consideration towards his customers. A wheelchair-user travelling on route 469 has praised Jazz Dhillon for his kindness in proactively deploying the ramp. Jazz was not only polite and friendly but he made the customer’s day. n Heathrow E10 driver Pat Lamb has been praised by an “amazed” customer for waiting for an elderly passenger who was running to catch the bus. n Norwood Leroy Jackman’s pleasant attitude and considerate driving put a smile on the face of a customer on route 133. Rupert Lawrence has been praised by a customer on route 2 for his care of elderly customers. Rupert waited for them to be seated before pulling away and was generally helpful. Bob Beaven’s clear explanation to customers of diversions while driving on route 176 was much appreciated. n Palmers Green A customer travelling on

route 102 has thanked Nicos Nicolaou for his punctuality, enabling him to get to work on time.

Astrit Nela.

Wilfredo Tolentino.

Jallal Miah.

Sam Ameyaw.

Georgios Ganotakis.

Derek Lewis.

Charles AsafuAdjaye.

Ramesh Nadarajan.

Beverley Edgerton.

Sukumaran Rajendran.

Jakub Godziewski. Jason Pettit.

Jazz Dhillon.

Pat Lamb.

Leroy Jackman.

Rupert Lawrence.

Bob Beaven.

Nicos Nicolaou.

Eileen Leete.

Clement Grant.

Cyrus Wilson.

Sait Turkoglu.

Frank Owusu.

Khurram Shahzad.

Sabina Asif.

Thomas Clear.

George Costas.

Teddy Gabregziabiher.

n Stamford Hill Eileen Leete has been praised for helping an elderly customer alight the bus and provide information on how to get to her destination. n Thornton Heath Popular Clement Grant has received two commendations. In the first, he was praised for the role he played in getting a bag with medication back to the customer. In the second commendation, Clement was praised for greeting each customer individually and with a smile. n Tottenham Route 149 driver Cyrus Wilson has been thanked for his pleasant attitude and professionalism. “A very professional gentleman” is how a customer described route 149 driver Sait Turkoglu for explaining that his service would be terminated at Liverpool Street. A customer travelling on route 243 has described Frank Owusu as “fantastic”. Khurram Shahzad’s excellent driving on route 76 has been observed by a customer. “The driver accelerated and braked smoothly, anticipating road conditions. It was a very smooth experience,” said the customer. A grateful customer who left a valuable parcel on the bus has expressed his appreciation for the assistance Sabina Asif provided in its recovery. Sabina, a driver on route 243, helped the customer remain calm while she contacted the garage about the loss. n Wood Green Thomas Clear has been thanked for doing “a great job” on route 184. George Costas has been praised for ensuring that customers had access to the buggy space on his crowded 221 bus. A disabled and blind customer has described Teddy Gabregziabiher as “helpful and polite”. He always helps the customer on and off the bus.

From right, drivers Lorraine Robertson and Jose Mostafa-Rodriguez, driving instructor Ian Acott and driver Patrick Hanlon.

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England call-up is Ellisha’s big goal CLAPTON customer assistant Ellisha Dee gets a real kick out of rugby, which she plays semiprofessionally. She is a member of Richmond Women’s Rugby, the team that won the Women’s Premiership final against Saracens 28-17 in January. “I started playing rugby when I was 21,” she said. “My background was in individual athletics but I love being part of a team, whether we win or lose.” When she won against the Saracens, it was a bittersweet time for Ellisha. “It was my old club,” she said. “It was nice to see everyone again but I’m really happy Richmond won.”

Ride out to help raise cash for sick kids

The plucky prop trains twice a week and goes to the gym every day. “I have to keep my fitness up,” she said. “You do get hurt in rugby but if your body is prepared you can minimise the pain. That’s not to say I’m not aching on a Monday morning!” Ellisha would like to thank Arriva and her operating manager, Tim Hatari (now at Brixton garage), for arranging her shifts around her training. “Everyone has been very supportive,” she said. Ellisha added that she hopes to play for England one day. “They are watching me at the moment, she said. “So if I work hard, who knows what could happen? It would be a dream come true.”

Ellisha in possession during a recent match.

Control centres gear up to face new challenges

Ride organiser Samson Ghebreindrias. IF YOU like the idea of a charity cycle ride that takes in the serene landscape of Hertfordshire then why not join your colleagues on April 10 for a 60-mile challenge in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. The bike ride will start at Palmers Green, taking in Cockfosters, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Stevenage, Ware, Hertford, Essendon and then back to Potters Bar before returning to Palmers Green. “It will be a gentle ride,” said organiser and senior GS Samson Ghebreindrias. “Naturally, you will have to have a certain level of fitness but it will be a leisurely rather than competitive journey.” Samson said each cyclist taking part will be asked to contribute £5 towards the fundraising drive – and he hopes at least 50 people will take part across Arriva London. “We aim to take around six hours,” said Samson. “It will be a good opportunity to meet colleagues from across Arriva London and raise money for a good cause too. Colleagues are welcome to bring their families.” If you are interested in taking part, contact Samson at Palmers Green or on 07949 078528. Alternatively, email him at ghebreindriass.london @arriva.co.uk

Colleagues from Arriva London control centres.

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HE management structure at Arriva London iBus control centres has changed to meet the challenging needs of the business going forward. The control centres have been market-leading in embracing technology and meeting the performance levels expected by our customers. Each site now has its own leadership team, made up of a performance team leader (PTL), service quality leader (SQL), senior controllers and controllers. Performance managers for individual routes and area controllers are being replaced by the new control centre teams. The PTL is responsible for the training and development of the controllers. Existing PTLs Annette Pratten – Purley Way and Terry Butler – Finsbury Park are joined by

Ayhan Guzeltas – Tottenham. The SQL is accountable for the service Arriva London provides to its customers on all the routes within their allocated control centre. The new SQLs are Richard Simmons – Purley Way, John Lawson – Finsbury Park and Terry Pye – Tottenham. Cover SQL/PTL is Ranjit Mann, who will cover both roles in line with the needs of the business across all sites. Senior controllers have a new shiftbased role with coverage across the operational day, seven days a week. They are responsible for providing support and guidance to controllers and taking control of all reportable incidents. The new senior controllers are Daniel Worrell, Hazel Jackson, Keith Topping and Allan Rennison – Purley Way, Warwick Cochrane-Andrew, Lee Ashton, Tony Lambrou and

Michael Martin – Finsbury Park and Yusuf Yagiz, Ziya Uyguc, Mo Haseeb and Paolo Loriga – Tottenham. General managers Micky Gilroy and Wasim Mohammed are the overall team leaders and are responsible for the control and management of the centres. “London is a growing city, which constantly presents us with new challenges,” said Micky. “Whether it’s the Crossrail construction works or the cycle superhighways, we have to be geared up to give the best guidance to our control teams.” Mildmay Park control centre will be closing, as it does not have the capacity to be upgraded to the latest design and configuration now in place at Purley Way, Finsbury Park and Tottenham. Its routes will be reallocated between the other sites.

Arriva Now! is a quarterly publication. Look out for the next issue in June 2016!