Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017
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Welcome to the Transport News 2017 Public & Passenger Transport Awards Daily, thousands of individuals rely on public transport to get them where they need to be. From air to road, sea to rail, health & safety to manufacturing, this industry strives to provide an outstanding level of service to members of the public. Therefore, the Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017 have been designed to recognise both companies and individuals who go the extra mile to provide exceptional service within the public transport sector. These awards honour those whose dedication, tireless efforts and innovative thinking has led them to achieve remarkable results.
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AAA Coaches Ltd: Best Coach Hire Company - Edinburgh
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BerlinMobil Frank Richert Gmbh : Best Bus Rental & Transport Company - Germany
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Coastline Travel : Best Airport Taxi Company - Southwest England
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Intelligence on Wheels: Best Train Collision Prevention System Provider - Germany
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Metro Cars Harlow: Best Taxi & Private Hire Company – Essex, Hertfordshire & London and Awarded for Excellence in Innovation & Customer Service
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Mullany’s Coaches Ltd: Best Private Coach Hire Company - London
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Phoenix Agritech (Canada) Ltd: Best Aviation Safety Equipment Provider - The Americas
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Angels Of Flight Canada Inc: Best Air Ambulance Company - Ontario
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Pine Bluff City Transit: Best Community Transit Company - Jefferson County
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Best Coach Hire Company Edinburgh
AAA Coaches are one of the largest coach hire companies based in Edinburgh offering a personal service to clients throughout Scotland. We profile the firm and explore how it has achieved the success it enjoys today.
Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017
AAA Coaches offer a high quality coach hire service, that provides luxury coaches for contract jobs, tours, schools, airport transfers and hotels. Each of the firm’s fleet of coaches, which seat between 29 and 70 passengers, are spacious, safe and comfortable, guaranteeing an enjoyable travelling experience. The firm regularly provide coach hire solutions for groups organising trips to Loch Lomond, Stirling, Loch Ness and further afield. With a wide range of coaches including luxury VDL coaches the firm has a coach to meet any need and is able to provide courteous and experienced drivers to convey passengers to their chosen destination.
Ultimately there is something for everyone at AAA Coaches. Whether the client is looking for a coach hire company to take on a contract for regular transportation in the local area or are looking for a coach to hire for a one off short break, holiday, day trip, wedding or even funeral, AAA Coaches’ professional coach hire service can be tailored to suit their requirements. Company: AAA Coaches Ltd Contact: Linda Sutherland Contact Email: linda@aaacoaches.co.uk Address: Unit 7 Raw Camps Ind. Estate, Kirknewton, West Lothian, EH27 8DF, UK Phone: 01506 883000 Website: www.aaacoaches.co.uk
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Best Bus Rental & Transport Company – Germany Berlin Mobil is a bus charter company located in Berlin, Germany. We profile the firm to find out more. Frank Richert founded Berlin Mobil in 1990, only a short while after the Berlin wall had come down. Back then he started alone, with only one used bus and a phone to make cold calls to prospects he did not know but was hoping they would be interested in chartering busses in the re-unified future capital of Germany.
have to re-invent ourselves and look for new ways to improve, only then we can stay ahead of the game”, says Frank. Overall, Berlin Mobil’s biggest asset are their staff, first and foremost their drivers. Berlin Mobile not only spends a great deal on security training but also customer support and communication, to ensure excellence and the continued success of the company.
Since then the firm has flourished and today Berlin Mobil employees a team of 120 women and men and operates a bus fleets with busses of the latest Mercedes and Setra range. “Our intention never was to become the biggest charter company in Germany – although today we are in the top five. We always wanted to give our passengers the best overall experience, from booking to the actual ride and payment arrangements.”, says Frank Richert, the owner of Berlin Mobil. When the wall came down, Frank knew that Berlin would become what it is today: one of the biggest and most exciting cities in Europe, and one of the most visited city. He dared to become self-employed because he wanted to partake in the tremendous development Berlin went through. It has been 20 years since Berlin Mobil launched an institutional quality management system to enhance the quality of every aspect of the charter experience. Structures and processes still get constantly reviewed and updated to increase reliability and punctuality while being able to offer the best-equipped fleet at the best, most competitive price. Also, as one of the first charter companies in Germany, Frank Richert has introduced telematics systems to all busses to constantly monitor trips and tweak efficiencies. “We always challenge the status quo at Berlin Mobil. Just because something worked well yesterday doesn’t mean it will tomorrow. We
Contact: Frank Richert Contact Email: Richert@berlinmobil.de Address: Zur Alten Flussbadeanstalt 5, (Zufahrt über Köpenicker Chaussee 1-4 ),Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg, D 10317, DE Phone: 0049 30 422 199 15
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Best Airport Taxi Company - Southwest England Coastline Travel is the only official taxi provider for Cornwall Airport Newquay, with a desk ideally located in the arrivals hall and is manned for all incoming flights. We invited Sara Rickard to tell us more. Coastline Travel supports a wide range of clients including tourists, professionals, schools and airline personnel. As Sara emphasises, the firm is committed to ensuring it provides clients with the very best service possible so they have an easy and relaxed trip. “At Coastline Travel we track flights that are arriving, so if your flight is delayed we will still have a driver waiting at our desk. Additionally, if flights are cancelled we are often requested
Contact: Sara Rickard Email: info@coastlinetravel.co.uk Phone: 01637 860006 Address: Cornwall Airport Newquay, Carloggas, St Mawgan, Newquay, Cornwall, TR8 4RQ
Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017
to provide transport to other airports, by the airlines, i.e. Exeter, Bristol, Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester. All of our drivers are qualified, trained and DBS checked. They have a good knowledge of our complicated, often very rural roads, and offer a professional service to all of our passengers. All of these factors combined ensure that clients have a hassle free experience when they use our services.” Cornwall Airport Newquay is located in North Cornwall and has easy access to all the main routes in and out of Cornwall, making it ideal for sightseeing and reaching even the remote areas of the county, as Sara explains. “If you want to see more of spectacular Cornwall, then we can provide you with a vehicle and driver to take you on a tour around the best known, and lesser known attractions. You can book a tour for ½ a day or a full day, in a 4, 8 or 16 seater vehicle. We also cover pickups and destinations anywhere from within Corn-
wall and rest of the country.” Over recent years Coastline Travel has evolved in order to meet the needs of its clients, and moving forward this will remain the firm’s focus, as Sara concludes. “Our fleet of vehicles has increased rapidly over the last three years, since Coastline Travel came to Cornwall Airport Newquay. We started in April 2014 with just 3 vehicles, we now have at least 15 vehicles in our fleet, which are plated and operational. These vehicles are 4 seaters, 8 and 16 seater minibuses, S Class Mercedes (executive) limo, 7 seater Mercedes Viano (executive) and a 16 seater Mercedes Coachbuilt Sprinter (executive). Also, we have a wheelchair vehicle. “This evolution in our fleet has helped us to keep up with the ever increasing demand for our taxi services, and moving forward we will continue to develop in order to support a wider range of clients.”
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Most Innovative Train Protection Technology Germany Intelligence on Wheels (IoW), a spin-off company of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), is committed to the commercialization of an innovative train collision avoidance system. We spoke to Thomas Strang to learn more about this innovative solution and the company behind it. Founded in 2012, IoW developed an innovative train collision avoidance system designed to change the market for the better and avoid potentially fatal accidents. Thomas outlines the firm’s creative solution in more detail and describes how his firm has worked to bring it to market. “Here at IoW, it is our vision that every train will be equipped with our technology as additional means of technical train protection. In doing so, the safety level will be lifted from whatever safety technology is installed along the track or in the train to a higher level. Our product can be permanently or temporarily installed on any rail vehicle including construction and maintenance vehicles. It can also be used to protect track workers. We also offer a variety of related services including the generation of electronic maps.” “So far we have done well in this aim, and we convinced the first customer in this traditionally conservative user domain to sign a contract as early as 2013, the first year of the product being available on the market. This central German regional train operator contracted us to equip the customer’s whole fleet of vehicles, which is in excess of 30, with our technology. Given the feedback we have received on various acquisition activities in Germany, Europe as well as internationally we feel certain that more customers will follow shortly.” “Within the train safety market it can be extremely difficult to get access to customers,
as there is stiff competition when it comes to providing technology to the railway market. However, we view this challenge more as an opportunity to achieve than an issue, and as such moving forward our vision is that in a decade all trains are equipped with our technology as a means of additional safety technology. Making this a reality will be an exciting opportunity for our company and we look forward to taking advantage of it.”
Company: Intelligence on Wheels Contact: Dr. Thomas Strang Contact Email: thomas.strang@intelligence-on-wheels.de Address: Argelsrieder Feld 13 (TE02), D-82234 Wessling, D-82234, DE Phone: 49 8153 29940 21 Website: www.intelligence-on-wheels.de www.transportnews-intl.com
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Best Taxi & Private Hire Company – Essex, Hertfordshire & London & Awarded for Excellence in Innovation & Customer Service Metro Cars Harlow are leaders in providing private hire services throughout Essex, Hertfordshire and London. We invited Kyle Harris from the firm to tell us more. Designed to provide excellence to clients, Metro stands for More, Efficient, Than, Regular, Operators. The firm transits a versatile client base from the public sector and corporate market space to everyday shoppers and OAP’s. Metro currently transports passengers in the region of 1 million private hire journeys per year and runs an increasing fleet of vehicles. As such, the firm is always seeking to improve its services in order to provide clients with the very best private hire solutions possible, as Kyle explains. “Metro uphold and continue to drive excellence through the company policies and installed work ethics. We continuously look for ways to innovate our operation to meet the demanding expectations of our growing client base, and are an approved supplier on the government frame work for transporting children under contract. Our reputation as a trustworthy and reliable supplier is paramount to us as a business and is vital to our success.” Within the wider public transport market, there is an increasing demand for public transport mainly due to the increasing costs of running a car, parking charges, fuel and living costs etc. can all be very expensive. Despite this, local Bus routes have been reduced and the local road infrastructure is always a challenge due to traffic at peak times to get the commuters to work or a connecting Train Station for work. As such, Metro cars have gained the right through Essex highways as a Private Hire Company to make use of the Local bus lanes; this has had a massive impact with reducing operation times and helps the firm meet the customers’ expectations on waiting times. Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017
The more government spending made on new homes and road improvements is key for the firm and its focus on growing in the local area, as Kyle concludes. “There is a high and growing commuter demand, and a network that has arguably suffered from decades of underinvestment. The Stansted Express operates multiple trains an hour from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport. It does so on the West Anglia Main Line, sharing the network with fast and local commuter services between Liverpool
Street and Stratford to the Lee Valley, and to Cambridge and beyond there are plans to improve and upgrade the West Anglia Main Line meaning more passengers will be flowing through our new office and we will see an uptake in bookings.” Company: Metro Cars Harlow Contact: Kyle Harris (Operations) Contact Email: admin@metro-cars.info Address: Unit 3A Mill Court, Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, CM20 2JA, UK Web Address: www.metro-cars.info
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Best Private Coach Hire Company London Mullanys Coaches is the largest independent bus and coach operator in South West Hertfordshire. We caught up with Sue Viney to find out more. Founded in 1967 and situated just 500 yards off the M1, a quarter of a mile off the M25 and 20 miles from the heart of London, Mullanys Coaches Ltd provides a comprehensive range of passenger transport services. Focused on private hire, the firm covers a wide range of private hire needs for both companies and individuals in addition to their own day trip and tour programme and tours for major companies. Sue discusses the firm’s service offering in more detail. “Whether it be a local service or extended tour, at Mullanys Coaches we are proud of all of our drivers and of their knowledge of the many towns and cities that they visit both in the UK and Europe and this is reflected in the many letters of praise that we receive. “As part of our vast service offering we run 17 home to school contracts utilising both the oldest and newest vehicles in our fleet and also operate local bus services. In addition, we are proud to have been working in partnership with Warner Bros for almost five years moving circa one million passengers per annum. “In view of the comprehensive range of services undertaken, we use a diverse range of vehicles, by both manufacture and age, the earliest in main service being 1995 and the newest being 2016, with new vehicles due shortly, thus providing a significant challenge from an engineering perspective. We proactively undertake vehicle inspections on a four weekly cycle and are proud to be a ‘green’ operator and enjoy an MOT pass rate above National Average.” Overall, the bus and coach industry is a challenging and competitive industry, and as such Mullanys Coaches operates a relatively
flat management structure. This approach provides the firm with the ability for faster decision-making and therefore, a faster response to new business opportunities. This will help the firm, moving forward, as it seeks to build upon its current success and continue to serve its clients to the very best of its abilities, as Sue concludes. “Whether it’s helping an elderly passenger on a day trip, a foreign visitor to Warner Brothers, delivering schoolchildren to a sports fixture, offering help to another company with a breakdown or simply trying to get an item of
lost property back to its rightful owner, everyone at Mullanys Coaches performs to the very best of their ability and this will remain our ongoing focus. As the Director of the Company I am proud of all my staff.”
Company: Mullany’s Coaches Ltd Contact: Sue Viney Contact Email: sue@mullanyscoaches.com Address: Brookdell Transport Yard, St Albans Road, WATFORD, Herts, WD25 0GB, UK Phone: 01923 279991 Website: www.mullanyscoaches.com www.transportnews-intl.com
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Best Aviation Safety Equipment Provider - The Americas Phoenix Agritech (Canada) Ltd specialises in developing new and improved electronic bird deterrents using the latest technology. We profile the firm to learn more about the solutions it provides. Established in 1991, Phoenix Agritech designs and develops innovative systems designed to deter birds from areas where they are a nuisance, or can be hazardous. Around 60% of the firm’s market is involved with agriculture, horticulture and viticulture, where birds eat crops such as grapes, cherries etc. An additional 15% of the company’s systems go to industrial clients to deter birds from such places as building rooves, or polluted tailings ponds etc. The remaining 25% of the firm’s production is for airports to deter birds from the runways where they can be hazardous to aircraft. Birdstrikes to aircraft can be lethal when birds get ingested into jet engines, entangled in wing flaps or collide directly with a plane, especially during landing or take-off. As such, the Phoenix Airport Runway Bird Deterrent System is located beside the runway emitting ever changing natural sound sequences across and above the ground. These sounds are specific to the bird species which are indigenous to, or have caused problems at each airport equipped with the Phoenix system. i.e. It is site specific, aiming to create a bird-free zone. Phoenix Agritech is located in Atlantic Canada, which is a perfect location to be for accessing North America and Europe. Halifax International Airport has had 7 Phoenix Airport Wailer systems beside the runways since 1993. Other airports equipped with these creative systems are St.John’s, Regina, Grande Prairie, San Francisco and others. The firm has also designed and supplied systems for helipads on land and for oil platforms.
Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017
Image: Visit to Phoenix Agritech by officials from Bali Airport, Indonesia Overall, Phoenix Agritech has supplied its runway bird deterrent systems to many countries around the world., and moving forward the firm will continue to supply these dynamic and vital solutions to airports and other clients in order to meet their needs.
Company: Phoenix Agritech (Canada) Ltd Contact: Bruce Blacklock Contact Email: phoenixagritech@uniserve.com Location: 475 MacElmon Road, Unit 10, Debert, Nova Scotia, Canada, B0M 1G0 Postal Address: P.O.Box 10, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada, B2N 5B6 Phone: 1-902-662-2444
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Best Air Ambulance Company Ontario Now in its 29th year, Angels of Flight Canada Inc. serves travellers around the globe who experience a medical emergency including injury or illness, supporting the needs of healthcare providers, hospitals, a variety of government agencies, insurers, businesses, and families. We invited Gail Courneyea to tell us more. As a healthcare based company, Angels of Flight Canada focuses on the detailed coordination of our medical transport, including air ambulance, commercial airlines, and ground ambulance services. The firm’s highly trained and experienced Registered Nurse Case Managers advocate, guide and support those in medical crisis, facilitating their necessary travel requirements. Gail explains the importance of the firm’s offering and how it works to ensure clients receive the very best of care. “Without the benefit of flight training or education, there can be difficulty in transportation decision making by medical professionals. Our Flight Registered Nurses on the other hand have received comprehensive instruction on all the critical elements of flight. By providing ongoing specialized aeromedical education and training to medical teams who are charged with the care of clients in this unique environment, we reduce potential risks to the already compromised client during transport. “Fundamentally, we are unified in our purpose as we work with people who are at their most vulnerable point. Clients need to trust that the decisions being made will produce positive outcomes. Navigating the medical repatriation of a client is a complicated process. Extracting a patient prematurely from a clinically secure environment for
example, may put them at risk, or could prove to be life threatening. Often treating physicians will not release the patient until they receive assurance that a hospital bed has been acquired at the destination. In today’s healthcare climate, it takes determination and perseverance to achieve that requirement.” Overall, Gail believes that Angels of Flight Canada’s dedication to excellence has led the firm to the success it enjoys today. “In order to ensure that we offer the very highest standard of support and care to our clients, we rely on the latest communication technologies to maintain continuous contact with our medical teams and track the progress of our flights. All medical data is securely stored electronically, HIPPA compliant and is accessible by our RN Case Managers anywhere, anytime.
“Ultimately, maintaining a reputation for honesty and integrity is vital particularly when serving the healthcare community. Our duty is a sacred trust for those who will rely on a complete stranger to make possible lifesaving decisions on their behalf, and we will continue, moving forward, to offer them the very highest standards of care and support.”
Company: Angels Of Flight Canada Inc Contact: Gail Courneyea Contact Email: gail@angelsofflightcanada.com Address: 10-799 O’Brien Drive, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 6X7, Canada Phone: 001 705-743-5433 Website: www.angelsofflightcanada.com www.transportnews-intl.com
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Best Community Transit Company - Jefferson County Pine Bluff City Transit is an innovative transit system based in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. We profile this unique organisation to learn more about the services it offers and how it works to support the community it serves. The city of Pine Bluff has had a transit system since 1886, when it was operated by Walter “Wiley” Jones. Jones became one of the first African Americans in the nation to receive a franchise to operate a mule-drawn streetcar system. Pine Bluff Transit is the oldest transit system in the state of Arkansas. In 1974, Pine Bluff Transit became a city owned and operated transit system. The system consists of eight fixed routes and an American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) paratransit service. The organisation’s short and long range goals is to provide services to its citizens’ dependent on the Transit for transportation. The objective is to provide transportation to places of employment, shopping, medical services, social services, educational services and recreation facilities. The service area has been designed to provide service to all areas of the city of Pine Bluff. All Pine Bluff City Transit buses are ADA accessible and equipped with wheelchair lifts and securement devices. They are also all lowfloor buses allowing for more convenient, safer boarding and alighting by both wheelchair and ambulatory passengers, ensuring that everyone can use this vital service. Passengers over the age of 62 are able to ride for free as part of the transit firm’s commitment to supporting the wider community. This commitment will continue as the Pine Bluff City Transit looks towards a bright and exciting future.
Public & Passenger Transport Awards 2017
Company: Pine Bluff City Transit Contact: Charlina Lacy Contact Email: clacy@cityofpinebluff.com Address: 2300 East Harding, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, 71601, USA Phone: 001 870-543-5130 Web Address: www.cityofpinebluff.com/pbar
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