A bus depot in Sunderland is celebrating hitting top spot after beating strong competition to become the top national depot at the UK Bus Awards.
Local bus operator Stagecoach North East took the Gold Award in the Top National Bus Depot at a glittering ceremony at The Ballroom on London’s South Bank before an audience of over 620 industry movers and shakers.
The depot at Sunderland, where the head office for Stagecoach North East is based and which employs over 250 staff, has been recognised for its excellence, quality and first class standards of operation in the industry’s top national awards.
The judges were particularly impressed by the depot’s excellent lost mileage (0.3 per cent in 2014) and 97 percent punctuality. The panel said the depot ran reliable, friendly services with high engineering standards and good operational performance and praised the depot staff for their involvement in local community and fundraising events.
To receive the top prize, Stagecoach’s Sunderland team were required to demonstrate first class operational standards and a high level of commitment to environmental objectives, which it has achieved through programmes such as its Green Road eco-driving initiative and Green Week environmental campaigns.
The award also acknowledge the depot’s dedication to the community, team spirit and sense of fun, with regular events for local charities, schools and the wider community taking place, including growing moustaches for Movember, dressing up as Santa for Christmas collections and working with children and community groups through Green Santa competitions to promote awareness of their local environment, energy saving and recycling.
