Greenest bus drivers receive top performance award

Photo: Journeaux

Greenest bus drivers receive top performance award

The best and greenest bus drivers at First Manchester have received a special commendation for their top driving performance.

111 First Manchester bus drivers have been presented with the ‘GreenRoad Fleet Elite Award’, designed to reward and recognise the company’s greenest drivers on the road. The number of First Bus drivers to achieve the much heralded Fleet Elite status has increased every year since its introduction with 35 more drivers achieving fleet elite status in Greater Manchester, joining the seven per cent of all First Bus drivers who have achieved the distinction.

All First Bus drivers are measured on their ‘DriveGreen’ performance - First’s unique system designed to provide customers with a safer, smoother journey, whilst also helping reduce the company’s fuel consumption.

A DriveGreen ‘traffic light’ monitor is fitted to vehicle dashboards on every one of First Bus vehicle, which helps show the driver how well he/she is driving. The monitor displays a static green light if the driver is driving at low risk, or flashes amber or red if a bus driver carries out an unwanted driving manoeuvre such as heavy braking or rapid acceleration. Points are given for each event and the fewer points a driver has, the better their DriveGreen score is.

Phil Medlicott, Managing Director, at First Manchester, said: “Our drivers have embraced our groundbreaking DriveGreen technology and as a result are providing customers with better, safer, more comfortable journeys and reducing our carbon footprint. I’m very proud that so many of our drivers have earned the Fleet Elite Award – it’s a very tough distinction to earn.”

Lucy Allen from the suppliers of DriveGreen, GreenRoad, said: “We would like to congratulate all First Manchester drivers who achieved GreenRoad Fleet Elite awards in 2016. First Bus continues to be a top safety performer with some of the tightest thresholds for safety events in our marketplace so attaining Fleet Elite status again this year is a major achievement. We are proud to support First Bus by helping drivers continuously improve their driving standards, creating a safer, greener and more comfortable experience for First Bus customers.”