You First Manchester p1
19/1/17
12:17
Page 1
Winter 2017
Get set for
The magazine for First people in Greater Manchester
survey PAGE FOUR
PAGE THREE
You First Manchester p2
19/1/17
16:08
Page 1
2 NEWS
Support is assured for everyone affected by changes By First Manchester Managing Director
Phil Medlicott WELCOME to You First, the magazine for First Bus colleagues working across Greater Manchester. I joined First Manchester as the new Managing Director at the start of this year. I’ve worked in the bus industry since 1983 and it’s a great honour to lead this business. I’ve already been out and met quite a few colleagues at our depots. I want to get to know you and the teams you work in, so, if you see me around please stop me and say hello. I appreciate I’ve joined the business during a time of significant change and I recognise that many colleagues are affected by this, and that some of you will be finding this quite a difficult time. I’ve met with the management team and they have assured me that they are supporting everyone involved. While these changes may feel difficult, I believe they will help put our business on a stronger footing for the future and help us deliver what our customers need from their local bus services. I am looking forward to supporting everyone to reach their potential and deliver what our customers want and need. I’d like to hear your ideas on how we can make our business better so please email me at phil.medlicott@ firstgroup.com and I’ll get back to you with my thoughts. Thank you to everyone that has made me feel so welcome so far. Please remember to look out for this year’s Your Voice online staff survey – your feedback is really valued.
youFirst I WINTER 2017
Alan Ryan with his Silver Extra Mile Award certificate.
Lifesaver given Extra Mile Award LAN Ryan has been awarded a Silver Extra Mile Award after saving the life of a customer who fell and went unconscious after leaving his bus. The Oldham-based Lifelong Learning Project Worker – who was on driving duty at the time – is one of the recipients of the EMA awards which recognise the efforts of people going the extra mile. First Manchester is top of the First Bus league table for the number of awards it has given – 52 Silver and 69 Bronze – since the scheme was launched last April. Alan was working the 149 service when an
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84-year-old customer stumbled as he got off the bus. “He landed face-first on the pavement and I could see blood coming out of his head,” said the ex-Territorial Army soldier. Using First Aid knowledge gained during his spare-time role as a Cadet Instructor for Greater Manchester Army Cadet force, Alan gave CPR until the paramedics arrived. “The man came back to life and I put him in the recovery position,” said the lifesaver. “I have since met his daughter who called me her guardian angel.” ● To nominate a colleague who goes the extra mile visit www.firstgroup.com and click on the Extra Mile Awards logo.
Promoting voucher use DRIVERS are being urged to promote the use of change vouchers which have the following benefits: ■ Make it possible for customers to travel if drivers do not have enough change to give.
■ It ensures all revenue is collected, even if the new enhanced £50 float has been exhausted. ■ Change habits – customers are more likely to have change for their trip after receiving a change voucher.
You First Manchester p3
19/1/17
12:28
Page 1
NEWS 3
High-profile accolades recognise its success
View of the Vantage route from the bus. Driver Paul Foulkes is also pictured on the magazine cover.
Demand booms Guided busway is big hit with customers IRST Manchester’s unique Vantage guided busway is going from strength to strength. With public demand booming, a further five buses have been added to the premium fleet of 20 and an extra service is being launched. The V3 route has been created to provide an extension to Oxford Road in Manchester where customers can connect with the Manchester Royal Infirmary. It’s the latest chapter in the Vantage success story which has seen 1.5 million customer journeys since the service launched last April. In the first week 25,000 customers used Vantage but now 50,000 are being welcomed weekly. Passengers travel in style on purple-liveried Volvo B5LH hybrid double deckers on the four-and-a-half mile guided busway which runs from Leigh via Tyldesley to Ellenbrook. The vehicles then use bus lanes on the East Lancs Road before entering Manchester, in
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Route walk for charity
Customer Brendan Bates boards the Vantage service at Leigh. the case of the existing V1 and V2 services terminating at Stevenson Square. Comfort is ensured by e-leather seating, free WiFi, “next stop” audio and visual announcements, luxury seats, tables upstairs and USB charging points. Our main focus is
THE success of the Vantage guided busway, the first project of its kind in the North West, has been recognised with high-profile awards. First Manchester along with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Wigan, Salford and Manchester City Councils, scooped the Transport Project of the Year award at the North of England Transport Awards. The accolade recognised the close working relationship between the bus operator and its partners together with the various stakeholders in the scheme. Vantage forms the flagship element of TfGM’s bus priority project, a £122 million overall investment targeted at enabling faster, more punctual and more reliable bus services across the region. The award recognised that the busway represents a significant benefit to local communities, enabling customers to reach key destinations more easily as well as alleviating congestion and reducing emissions. Vantage was also highly commended at the National Transport Awards in the Engineering and Construction Project of the Year Category and it collected the Transport Policy and Planning Award at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport National Awards. Vantage’s positive environmental impact was recognised with an award for sustainability at the North West Construction Awards in July.
customer care and our team of 80 drivers are all smartly presented and willing to go the extra mile,” said Busway Manager Barry Slater. “The premium Vantage service provides a stress-free means of travel and a fast, comfortable journey into the city.”
A planned walk along the Vantage guided busway to raise money for the Ben’s Wish charity is being supported by First Manchester. The event is in support of the charitable fund set up by Leigh Centurions rugby player Dayne Weston to raise money to help 11-year-old leukaemia and cerebral palsy sufferer Ben Robinson, of Leigh, go on the holiday of a lifetime.
WINTER 2017 I youFirst
You First Manchester p4-5
20/1/17
11:54
Page 1
4 NEWS
NEWS 5
Investing in drivers to boost
Technology and people are key to great services
customer service D
By GILES FEARNLEY, Managing Director, First Bus
SCAN GRAPHIC
NEW technology and a TO SEE VIDEO commitment to provide the very best bus services will be the cornerstone of 2017. New ticket machines, contactless payment and an exciting new app will all enable us a step change in the customer experience. But our people are vital in providing punctual, reliable services, which is also so vital to growing passenger numbers. I urge everyone to play their part. Much was achieved in 2016 despite very challenging conditions around the economy, congestion and low fuel prices which encourage some people to use their car. Manchester’s Vantage guided busway, which has seen passenger numbers increase by over 75 per cent in eight months, and the Leeds Partnership, a £180 million strategy to double customer numbers over 10 years, are excellent examples of us working successfully with local authorities. This is so crucial in unlocking the full potential of our bus services. I’m so pleased too that last year we saw continued investment in new vehicles. Most important of all is that so much of what we have done in 2016 has really benefitted our customers. We still, however, face the same challenges going into 2017, so everyone must focus on enabling us to make great strides in punctuality and reliability. This will be the year when we transform the technology we offer. But while technology
Complete it online from February 6!
www.yourvoice survey.com
“”
Password: BUS2017 is vital, people doing their jobs well is most important to deliver great bus services. I would urge all colleagues to complete the Your Voice survey in February to help improve our business this year. The 2015 survey has led to many local initiatives, but also to nationwide improvements like BeSafe and the Excellence Awards, projects on staff development, wellbeing and uniforms.
Most important of all is that so much of what we have done has really benefitted our customers.
We will continue to react to our local marketplaces to make sure we have strong foundations to operate successfully in our towns and cities. I know I can rely on all colleagues to meet these challenges, deliver great services and a successful 2017.
with the First Bus and First Scotland AR apps Download the First AR app or the First Scotland AR app from App Store or Google Play.
Scan the photo on the pages where you see this AR icon. SCAN PHOTO
TO SEE VIDEO
youFirst I WINTER 2017
■ New, informal job chats for drivers with their managers, based on what drivers want to talk about. The emphasis will be on responding to issues raised and making sure they feel heard and valued. ■ Allocating drivers to fixed routes to increase team spirit and ownership of route performance. Having regular drivers on a route also helps them build relationships with their customers. Other colleagues are included in the initiative. A special ‘Journey Makers’ training programme is being designed and will also be piloted in Bristol and York to help everyone (including non-driving colleagues) understand what customers need and and how everyone has a responsibility to do their bit to deliver the best customer service. Drivers are out on the roads every day, dealing with customers, and everyone can help make it easier for them to provide great service. The Journey Makers programme will be rolled out across all OpCos from April. Mel Rees, Interim Head of Customer Experience, said: “There’s no doubt driving buses is a difficult job, and it’s easy for our drivers to feel isolated. So we will be working hard to make sure
Informal job chats are part of supporting drivers in doing their jobs. Southampton Supervisor Jimi Kazi, left, talks with Driver Robbie Symms over a cuppa in the Empress Road depot canteen. colleagues understand the pressures they are under and how to support them. “I want our drivers to feel they have an army of people behind them when they go out on the road – so we will be working with all teams who can have an impact on this, from engineers to staff managers and radio operators, so we all become Journey Makers for our customers.”
Drivers are supported by colleagues in many ways. Here Aberdeen Incident Investigator Steve Gordon uses a model to help drivers avoid tailswing.
EXPERIENCE MORE... By downloading either of these two FREE apps on to your smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android) you can bring photographs in this magazine to life using the power of the augmented reality (AR) technology. To access the bonus video content with an innovative twist, simply follow the three easy steps:
RIVERS are at the heart of an exciting initiative to improve customers’ experience and attract more people to travel with First Bus. Significant pressures are faced by drivers every day, so the company has launched pilot initiatives in Bristol and York aimed at improving their experience and making them feel better supported. All of this will contribute to the company’s commitment to maintain and grow the business by addressing three key “pain points” experienced by customers. Research identified these as a lack of belief in the reliability of services; complexity in understanding ticketing; fares; payments and routes; and a lack of customer relationship. The principle is that by providing more support for drivers and making it easier to do their job, customer service will naturally improve. Moves are also underway to improve communications and technology to address the three “pain points”. Some of the changes proposed to improve the way drivers feel about their work are simple but should have a significant impact. These include: ■ Improving canteens to provide a better rest environment.
When the video starts double tap your screen for a full-screen view.
Hi-tech makes bus less fuss A huge advertising campaign has been launched to show customers how First Bus’s technology makes it easier to use the bus. It promotes the mTickets app, travel app, website and free WiFi on buses as tech that makes the bus less fuss. A video ad shows how a new animated character, called Ben, even gets an extra 10 minutes in bed by using tech to catch his bus. Around 35 million adverts will go out in the four month online and social media campaign. The ads all show the reasons why people don’t use the bus and counter this with a positive reason why they can, using the latest tech. Marketing Projects Manager Judy Giles said: “By encouraging the use of the tech there’s less fuss on the bus. Boarding is quicker, there’s not so much cash to handle, fewer change vouchers and it’s easier to check to counterfeit notes and tickets.” The video featuring Ben can be viewed at bit.do/getthebus withlessfuss
WINTER 2017 I youFirst
You First Manchester p4-5
19/1/17
17:27
Page 1
4 NEWS
NEWS 5
Investing in drivers to boost
Technology and people are key to great services
customer service D
By GILES FEARNLEY, Managing Director, First Bus
SCAN GRAPHIC
NEW technology and a TO SEE VIDEO commitment to provide the very best bus services will be the cornerstone of 2017. New ticket machines, contactless payment and an exciting new app will all enable us a step change in the customer experience. But our people are vital in providing punctual, reliable services, which is also so vital to growing passenger numbers. I urge everyone to play their part. Much was achieved in 2016 despite very challenging conditions around the economy, congestion and low fuel prices which encourage some people to use their car. Manchester’s Vantage guided busway, which has seen passenger numbers increase by over 75 per cent in eight months, and the Leeds Partnership, a £180 million strategy to double customer numbers over ten years, are excellent examples of us working successfully with local authorities. This is so crucial in unlocking the full potential of our bus services. I’m so pleased too that last year we saw continued investment in new vehicles. Most important of all is that so much of what we have done in 2016 has really benefitted our customers. We still however face the same challenges going into 2017, so everyone must focus on enabling us to make great strides in punctuality and reliability. This will be the year when we transform the technology we offer. But while technology
Complete it online from February 6!
www.yourvoice survey.com
“”
Password: BUS2017 is vital, people doing their jobs well is most important to deliver great bus services. I would urge all colleagues to complete the Your Voice survey in February to help improve our business this year. The 2015 survey has led to many local initiatives, but also to nationwide improvements like BeSafe and the Excellence Awards, projects on staff development, wellbeing and uniforms.
Most important of all is that so much of what we have done has really benefitted our customers.
We will continue to react to our local marketplaces to make sure we have strong foundation to operate successfully in our towns and cities. I know I can rely on all colleagues to meet these challenges, deliver great services and a successful 2017.
with the First Bus and First Scotland AR apps Download the First AR app or the First Scotland AR app from App Store or Google Play.
Scan the photo on the pages where you see this AR icon. SCAN PHOTO
TO SEE VIDEO
youFirst I WINTER 2017
■ New, informal job chats for drivers with their managers, based on what drivers want to talk about. The emphasis will be on responding to issues raised and making sure they feel heard and valued. ■ Allocating drivers to fixed routes to increase team spirit and ownership of route performance. Having regular drivers on a route also helps them build relationships with their customers. Other colleagues are included in the initiative. A special ‘Journey Makers’ training programme is being designed and will also be piloted in Bristol and York to help everyone (including non-driving colleagues) understand what customers need and and how everyone has a responsibility to do their bit to deliver the best customer service. Drivers are out on the roads every day, dealing with customers, and everyone can help make it easier for them to provide great service. The Journey Makers programme will be rolled out across all OpCos from April. Mel Rees, Interim Head of Customer Experience, said: “There’s no doubt driving buses is a difficult job, and it’s easy for our drivers to feel isolated. So we will be working hard to make sure
Informal job chats are part of supporting drivers in doing their jobs. Southampton Supervisor Jimi Kazi, left, talks with Driver Robbie Symms over a cuppa in the Empress Road depot canteen. colleagues understand the pressures they are under and how to support them. “I want our drivers to feel they have an army of people behind them when they go out on the road – so we will be working with all teams who can have an impact on this, from engineers to staff managers and radio operators, so we all become Journey Makers for our customers.”
Drivers are supported by colleagues in many ways. Here Aberdeen Incident Investigator Steve Gordon uses a model to help drivers avoid tailswing.
EXPERIENCE MORE... By downloading either of these two FREE apps on to your smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android) you can bring photographs in this magazine to life using the power of the augmented reality (AR) technology. To access the bonus video content with an innovative twist, simply follow the three easy steps:
RIVERS are at the heart of an exciting initiative to improve customers’ experience and attract more people to travel with First Bus. Significant pressures are faced by drivers every day, so the company has launched pilot initiatives in Bristol and York aimed at improving their experience and making them feel better supported. All of this will contribute to the company’s commitment to maintain and grow the business by addressing three key “pain points” experienced by customers. Research identified these as a lack of belief in the reliability of services; complexity in understanding ticketing; fares; payments and routes; and a lack of customer relationship. The principle is that by providing more support for drivers and making it easier to do their job, customer service will naturally improve. Moves are also underway to improve communications and technology to address the three “pain points”. Some of the changes proposed to improve the way drivers feel about their work are simple but should have a significant impact. These include: ■ Improving canteens to provide a better rest environment.
When the video starts double tap your screen for a full-screen view.
Hi-tech makes bus less fuss A huge advertising campaign has been launched to show customers how First Bus’s technology makes it easier to use the bus. It promotes the mTickets app, travel app, website and free WiFi on buses as tech that makes the bus less fuss. A video ad shows how a new animated character, called Ben, even gets an extra 10 minutes in bed by using tech to catch his bus. Around 35 million adverts will go out in the four month online and social media campaign. The ads all show the reasons why people don’t use the bus and counter this with a positive reason why they can, using the latest tech. Marketing Projects Manager Judy Giles said: “By encouraging the use of the tech there’s less fuss on the bus. Boarding is quicker, there’s not so much cash to handle, fewer change vouchers and it’s easier to check to counterfeit notes and tickets.” The video featuring Ben can be viewed at bit.do/getthebus withlessfuss
WINTER 2017 I youFirst
You First Manchester p6-7
20/1/17
16:20
Page 1
6 NEWS
THUMBS UP ON SAFETY: Swansea Operations Manager Mark Jacobs, left, has a Touchpoint conversation with Driver Brian Gorvett at the city’s bus station.
New mobile app will help drive more customers to mTickets FIRST Bus is set to launch a new mobile app bringing together its journey planning and mTicketing and significantly improving customer experience. The new app, which is on schedule to be trialled and launched between March and July this year, will offer a Google Maps-based journey planning and vehicle tracking service – complete with places of interest – with an option to buy tickets always on offer. The aim is to drive more and more customers to the mTicketing platform, which is already saving hundreds of hours a week in boarding time across the UK and makes operating the bus much more straightforward for the driver. First Bus Retail Development Director James Timperley said: “mTicketing significantly reduces boarding time and the amount of cash onboard a bus, so it improves journey times and makes life easier for drivers. “We are achieving revenues of £1 million a week through mTicketing and in some areas it accounts for 20 per cent of all ticketing sales. We expect the new app to significantly increase these numbers.”
Confidential support FREE 24-hour confidential advice and support is available to all First Bus colleagues through the company’s Employee Assistance Programme. Anyone with a problem at home or work can contact the team by calling freephone 0800 015 5630. Trained operators are there to help with issues from legal and financial enquiries to debt management and wellbeing.
youFirst I WINTER 2017
Positive messages in the workplace ORE than 1,400 supervisors and managers have completed a two-day training course on BeSafe principals and how to put them into practice in the workplace. Since BeSafe was launched a year ago, each OpCo has selected dedicated champions who are there to provide help, with access to a library of materials and a dedicated training/support and quality assurance team. BeSafe is all about recognising when colleagues are working safely, positively reinforcing these safe behaviours so they continue
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and happen more often. It encourages everyone to have conversations (touchpoints) about safety, making safety a personal core value and helping us all to reach the goal of zero harm. Norman Wood, Divisional
Health and Safety Project Manager, said: “We want to recognise, praise and positively reinforce our safe behaviours. This can be as simple as saying well done when someone is doing the right thing. “BeSafe also allows us all to constructively challenge someone if they are working unsafe. Rather than just telling them off, we want colleagues to understand why it is unsafe and be able to self-correct and to work safely in the future.” All safety leaders have learned about techniques to support colleagues by having BeSafe conversations in a natural way.
Brew and bake for chosen charity TEA and cake events will be staged throughout First Bus in February to raise money for our employee-voted charity of choice, Prostate Cancer UK. Packs including posters, bunting and labels are available for colleagues organising Brew and Bake sessions between February 13-19. Group Partnerships and Events Manager Kirstin Aram said: “We’re urging colleagues to
get the kettle on, bake a cake and help beat the most common cancer in men.” Colleagues can order Brew and Bake packs by contacting: firstgroup@prostatecanceruk.org or telephone 020 3310 7061. Since the start of the partnership in April 2015, FirstGroup has donated in excess of £400,000 in employee fundraising, corporate donations and Gift in Kind advertising.
You First Manchester p6-7
19/1/17
17:32
Page 2
NEWS 7
Stylish new uniforms set to be rolled out EW uniforms will be rolled out to thousands of First Bus drivers starting at the end of February. Colleagues are advised to keep an eye on notice boards for local timings of the introduction which will see drivers and supervisors receiving 22 items of clothing for work. Updates include: ■ Men’s shirts in a classic or tailored fit. ■ Women’s blouses fitted with modesty buttons. ■ Slimmer ties and more delicate women’s scarves. ■ Trousers with an elastic waistband for extra comfort. ■ Redesigned outdoor jackets which are more practical for all types of weather.
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Two new items have been added to the uniform range to provide even more flexibility. The sholo is a cross between a shirt and a polo and is available to all drivers. The shirt-style front looks smart and means drivers can wear a tie or scarf, but the back is made of polo material making it breathable and flexible on warm days. There is also a bodywarmer which provides an extra option on cool days. Carol Jones, Head of Indirect Procurement and Project Lead, said: “We trialled the uniform in five depots across the business in the summer, and made changes based on the feedback we received to make sure we made the final designs work for everyone.”
Bradford Supervisor Jodie Warburton and Manchester Supervisor Chris Bradbury model the stylish new uniforms.
Supreme Court ruling clarifies law on wheelchair space priority use THE Supreme Court in London has made a ruling on the long-running court case involving the priority use of the wheelchair space onboard buses. The case dates back to 2012 when customer and wheelchair user Doug Paulley could not get on a bus in West Yorkshire because a pushchair user refused to give up the wheelchair space – despite being asked to move by the driver. First Bus Managing Director Giles Fearnley explained: “We are currently awaiting further details from the Supreme Court which will help us interpret the decision and make any necessary changes. However, I’m pleased to report that drivers will not be required to remove customers from vehicles. This is really important. Throughout the legal process we fought hard to ensure drivers would not be
required to remove passengers from the bus. From what we understand drivers can verbally be more forceful and advise customers they are ‘required’ to move. We will alert all drivers and other relevant colleagues to any changes as soon as we can. “In the meantime, I’d ask drivers to please continue to adhere to our current policy around the use of the wheelchair space. Our policy makes clear that in the event of a wheelchair user wanting to board, and if the space is already occupied by other passengers, our drivers should request firmly, but politely, customers using that space to vacate it. “If a customer refuses to, or cannot, move from the wheelchair space, the driver should apologise to the wheelchair user, ask them to wait for the next bus and call Control so they
are aware. The driver should also complete a ‘failure to uplift a wheelchair’ form.” The Supreme Court judgment is attracting a lot of interest from national and local media. In the unlikely event that a First Bus employee is approached by a member of the media they should decline to comment and refer them to the First Group media team on 0207 725 3354. If a customer wishes to discuss the ruling, employees should apologise and explain that they are unable to discuss the case. Giles added: “Please rest assured that First Bus remains committed to supporting vulnerable customers, and our work with a range of agencies – including Disability Action Alliance, the RNIB and Age UK – to find ways of supporting customers’ access to our services will continue.”
WINTER 2017 I youFirst
You First Manchester p8
19/1/17
12:41
Page 1
8 NEWS
Top team provides crucial back up ERSATILITY is the name of the game for First Manchester’s Service Performance Team. By day they carry out a wide range of tasks from monitoring the performance of more than 500 buses out on the network to liaising with local councils and Transport for Greater Manchester. In their spare time they pursue a wide range of interests including running for charity, drum playing and wild swimming. The Service Performance Team (SPT) was set up just over a year ago at Queens Road depot to provide a centralised radio location and boost service performance. Using an GPS-powered system which relays information from drivers’ cabs, the 11-strong team can proactively manage the bus services which are mapped on screens. As well as looking at the “big picture” and maximising mileage by adjusting services that are early or late running, the SPT talks to external partners about service issues, to councils and contractors to alleviate network issues and roadwork delays and to First Manchester’s Commercial Team so that punctuality can be safeguarded. It also actions breakdown call-outs by talking to depot engineering departments. “The team are extremely knowledgeable and they
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Running the service performance desk and running for charity – Supervisor Claire Rowley.
are continuously collating and recording information,” said Carl Ogden, Senior Service Performance Manager. “We manage services by corridors and areas – and we rely on drivers to point us in the right direction by letting us know if they are experiencing issues on the network.” The members of the Service Performance Team listed with their hobbies are: Service Performance Managers Simon Williams, a wild swimmer in his spare time, and John Ogg, a “karaoke king”. Supervisors Claire Rowley, a runner who raised money for Cancer Research UK by joining the First Manchester team in the Race for Life; Joel Moore, who volunteered to update Bury depot’s Better Journeys for Life web page in his spare time as an interim measure; Vaughan Leonard, an ex-naval officer; Aaron Davis, a percussionist who was the first Vantage Guided Busway driver; Josh Griffiths, motorbike enthusiast; Mark Mills, an ex-jockey who plays the steel drums; Michael Bromley, a whisky connoisseur; Damian Olive, an ex-Rugby League player, and Ray Senior, ex-coal miner and Territorial Army member.
Bid to cut early running A campaign called Ride on Time is underway to eliminate early running. Drivers are being urged to adhere to the times on their running boards and flag any areas of concern up to their local management team. Buses should not depart from a starting point or any registered timing points more than 60 seconds early. The internal campaign, with posters and briefings posted on staff noticeboards and the Better Journeys for Life website, aims to dispel common myths about early running. The initiative comes after the Traffic Commissioner, who has powers to take action against bus operators and individual drivers, raised real concerns about First Manchester’s early running performance. Concerns were raised over early departures at starting points and timing points along routes and the impact this has on customers.
Consultation on services
MEET THE TEAM: back row left to right, Joel Moore, Mark Mills, John Ogg, Josh Griffiths, Damian Olive, Aaron Davis. Front row, Mark Newbon, Carl Ogden, Simon Williams, Vaughan Leonard, Claire Rowley and Ray Senior. youFirst I WINTER 2017
DRIVERS and customers have been taking part in a consultation exercise about services in the Oldham, Saddleworth and Middleton areas. Colleagues who want to share an idea should contact the Commercial Development Manager at dwayne.wells@ firstgroup.com