Short lists for most of this year’s so-called Bus Oscars™ were announced yesterday. Ooops, we’re not allowed to call them Oscars any more, so may I rephrase: the UK Bus Awards 2009. In a sense, there are few surprises but you wouldn’t expect many as we’re looking at the best of the best. But there are some surprises.
One is that awards-shy Transdev Yellow Buses is at last at the party, up for no fewer than three awards in the categories of Young Manager of the Year; the Innovation section of the Technical Awards category; and Shire Operator of the Year.
In the last category are three Stagecoach subsidiaries (Bluebird, Fife, Warwickshire) and two further from Transdev (Coastline, Burnley & Pendle). Success here means TYB might get a chance at the prestigious Operator of the Year golden globe, the grand prix.
Stagecoach dominates this year’s lists. It’s shortlisted 14 times, twice as many as its nearest rivals, First Group (eight) and Arriva (seven). Aside from local authority-dominated ‘Infrastructure’, Stagecoach is having a punt at everything bar ‘Innovation’. It obviously can take no part in the Independent Bus Operator of the Year or the London categories.
Of the smaller operators, Reading Transport is up for three awards (People, Buses in the Countryside, Innovation); and Norfolk Green, Epsom Coaches and Nottingham City Transport, two each.
The various Bus Operators of the Year awards are obviously la crème de la crème of the Bus Oscars™ but the most significant category is the Technical Awards with its five sections. Here is the industry at the cutting edge, in applying marketing and innovation at winning new customers and carving out new business.
We’re not wishing any operator or local authority luck. Luck doesn’t form a part of it. Getting to the Bus Oscars™ requires sound business decisions, planning, forward thinking and determination. No, it’s not a question of non-existent luck. It’s a question of being the best.
Three years ago, the other Oscars pointed out to the UK Bus Awards that they should no longer use the protected term “Bus Oscars”™. But for many years, that’s what these awards have been known as.
i Bus Oscars™ UK Bus Awards 2009 Shortlist
(The Omnibuses poll associated with this post is now closed)
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Bus Oscars 2009
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7 comments:
What's equally interesting is those high quality operators who won't have anything to do with it!
Reading Transport up for Buses in the Countryside and Innovation! The new rural Vitality scheme was so innovative one route is now being withdrawn, and the whole company is loosing money too.
I vote for London Transport, Southdown, Ribble and Birmingham Corporation.
You would vote for Ribble? Old Ribble? Why on earth would you do that?
here, here Anon at 12:21!
Quite yer moaning anons at 1221 and 1950. Do I detect a note of jealousy? The awards may not be perfect but at least they are real awards that mean something and actually have the support of many in the industry.
Who makes up the panel which decides the winners ?
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