Bus talk issue 23 august 2013

No.23 • August 2013

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

September 10 is the deadline to meet...

DRIVERS: time is running out TO GET YOUR DQC! T

HE DEADLINE is looming for all PCV licence holders to obtain their blue Driver Qualification Cards (DQC) .

From September 10, if you are caught driving a bus without a DQC card you could face a fine of up to £1,000 and points may be added to your licence.

“From that date, every driver must have their

DQC card on them when they report for work,” said training and development manager Eric Dale.

“If you do not have your DQC card and you are not booked on any training courses then you must contact your manager.”

Any colleague who joined Go-Ahead London before September 10, 2008 must have completed 35 hours of periodic training over five years to obtain their card.

It is a legal requirement for drivers to carry their card with them while at work.

“The authorities will make an issue out of this. It is in both the interests of the company and of the individual to carry their card with them at all times while working,” said Eric.

This is what every driver should have!

BATTLE TO BE THE BEST: p3

DAVE PUTS YOU IN THE PICTURE: p6

Contact “If you do not have one, then you will not be able to drive as a bus driver after September 10.”

If any colleague believes they have completed all their required training but have yet to receive their blue DQC card, please contact your manager or the training school and they will make enquiries on your behalf.

EDDIE’S GRAND GESTURE: : p8

INSIDE: New faces join the fold... p4-5

Stuart snaps up the top prize PHOTOGRAPHY FAN Stuart Amey can now focus in on his photos using a smart new iPad, having won the first ever Go-Ahead Group employee photography competition.

Sutton driver Stuart’s victory is particularly impressive as the competition was open not only to Go-Ahead London employees, but to all 23,000 employees in the Group.

His photo of a Go-Ahead London bus going past the Houses of Parliament was chosen as the winner by the corporate affairs team and a leading London design agency. Stuart, who is pictured with his winning photo, has only been a photographer for a relatively short time and said he was surprised when he heard that his entry had won the iPad. “The first six months of me taking up photography involved a lot of reading and studying, but I’m delighted that all my hard work is starting to pay off,” said Stuart.

“The winning picture was taken last November using a long shutter speed

and rear curtain sync flash, and was already sitting on my computer when the competition was announced.

“I decided to enter it as it seemed to fit the specifications for the competition quite well.

Go by the book with Unpaid Fare Reports A

LL DRIVERS should study their Big Red Book to make sure they are clear on when to issue an Unpaid Fare Report.

If a passenger cannot, or will not, pay their fare, then they must be refused travel.

Children without their Oyster Card must also be refused travel unless they pay the adult fare.

However, common sense must always be applied in this situation. Do not leave lone children stranded if they are in a vulnerable position or in obvious distress – issue them with an Unpaid Fare Report and allow them to travel.

If there are too many under 18s to stop them all, then use the blue Youth Data Form to highlight problem areas, or call Code Red if you feel unsafe.

2

BusTalk l August 2013

To avoid any problems with incorrect change, drivers should have a cash float to cover reasonable amounts.

If change cannot be provided, drivers should give the passenger the option to pay with a contactless payment card.

If he or she is unable to pay using this method then inform the person firmly but politely that they cannot travel.

Inspector Any offenders repeatedly using large notes should be reported to the garage, where revenue protection teams will then be informed.

If a revenue inspector boards your bus and you have allowed someone to travel without giving change, then you should politely explain the situation to them

before they complete their checks.

If a passenger does seem vulnerable or obviously in distress, then you can issue an Unpaid Fare Report and allow them to travel.

When a ticket machine breaks down, it must be immediately reported so it can quickly be replaced.

Drivers are required to use their emergency ticket pack to collect any cash fares received and fill in the ‘reason for use’ at the end of the journey.

All customers who present a valid Oyster Card should be allowed to travel, while anyone without one should pay or show valid travel documents in the usual way.

If you would like to read more about the issues in this article, then see pages 120-122 in your Big Red Book.

“To actually win the top prize out of so many people is really flattering. The prize is great too, and I would like to see another similar competition take place in the future.”

Specs open drivers’ eyes to vision issues

Eye-opener: Musa Dualeh tries walking in the specs, aided by OM Hannah Self.

DRIVERS had the chance to experience the issues visually impaired customers face first hand in June, when the RNIB came to visit Merton with some special pairs of spectacles. They replicate a variety of different visual impairments, with plenty of drivers keen to give them a go.

Guests from the RNIB, some of who are visually impaired themselves, were also given the opportunity to sit in the cab of a bus to experience things from a driver’s perspective.

Driver Musa Dualeh took part in the exercise, and he says it was certainly an experience. “You come across visually impaired customers regularly, so I really appreciated getting to try on the specs,” said Musa.

“Any chance to gain a better understanding of the problems our visually impaired customers face means we can offer a better service in the future. I would highly recommend the experience to any other drivers if the opportunity to try the specs comes to their garage.”

Nadia starts her career with an Outstanding award NEW driver Nadia Nobrega certainly has reason to celebrate, taking top honours in the Outstanding Newcomer category at the London Bus Awards on July 17.

The award goes to a driver with less than two years’ experience who TfL believes has stood out from his or her peers.

Stockwell driver Nadia was praised for her natural flair in customer service and greeting customers with a smile every day.

She also received praise from many customers, and independent assessments

by TfL rated her driving as comfortable and smooth.

“When I first started driving for Go-Ahead London, I did not think that I would be collecting an award just two years later,” said Nadia. “I was incredibly happy when they read out my name as I honestly wasn’t expecting to win.

Nadia Nobrega is congratulated by Kastriot Gashi, assistant operatiing manager at Stockwell.

“The event was fantastic and it was nice to actually be there, as I was feeling a bit nervous in the days leading up to it!

“I don’t really have a secret to success.

My advice to fellow drivers would be just to enjoy your job and to always do it to the best of your abilities.”

Nadia is also a successful graduate of the pre-promotion course and has recently become a controller at Stockwell.

Although Nadia was the company’s only winner on the night, congratulations must also be given to the other Go-Ahead London nominees who covered six of the seven total categories. They were Sutton’s David Taylor and William Carter in Action Above and Beyond the Call of Duty, Peckham’s Pinar Washington in Accessibility Champion, New Cross and Stockwell in Best Vehicle Care, Belvedere’s Ian Jarrett in Environmental Campaign Champion and Bexleyheath’s Alex Burrows in Outstanding Customer Service.

Battle to be the best!

DRIVERS FROM across Go-Ahead London came together on July 13 to put their skills to the test in this year’s regional Bus Driver of the Year competition.

The competition, which took place in Crawley, featured eight of the company’s best drivers tackling an obstacle course full of difficult manoeuvres.

Not only did the top three drivers have the chance to win first, second and third prizes of £200, £100 and £50 respectively, they were also battling out for this year’s trophy as well.

When the dust settled, Merton’s Stephen Appiah took first place, Camberwell’s Mark Alleyne came second and Waterside Way’s Stephen Chipperfield was third.

National The battle between Mark and Stephen Chipperfield was particularly close and had to be judged based on their highway code scores, as their obstacle course scores were completely even!

All three drivers will now go on to represent Go-Ahead London at this year’s national Driver of the Year competition, which takes place in Blackpool on September 8.

Every driver who participated in the competition also received a small memento to remember the day.

“It was another fantastic competition with a very high level of driving from everyone involved,” said training and development manager Eric Dale.

“However, only three drivers can go on to represent the company in Blackpool, and I am already looking forward to seeing how they do.”

SEVEN NEW APPRENTICES SETTLE IN...

A NEW set of apprentices have been learning the Go-Ahead London way since they started their training on July 15.

Every year the company looks at how personnel will change over the next three years and organises an appropriate amount of trainees in response.

This year it was necessary to recruit six new technicians and a stores apprentice, so the training department immediately started hunting for the best and the brightest.

After whittling down the 140-strong application list through a series of interviews, the seven apprentices were hired and have since been busy getting to know the various operations of Go-Ahead London.

Every apprentice went through a three-day induction, led by engineering training manager

Gerry Fleming. This taught them about policies and procedures and health & safety issues.

Following their induction, the seven were then assigned to their respective garages to begin their three-year training programmes.

“They seem like a very bright bunch so far and I am looking forward to seeing them develop over the next three years,” said Gerry.

“Now that they have all settled into their garages, they will really start getting to grips with what their roles entail.

“I also want to offer my congratulations to all of them for being selected out of such an incredible number of applications.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of our employees, and I know these seven new apprentices will be no exception.”

WELL DONE to the third year apprentices who have just passed out. Pictured holding their certificates are, from left, Jake Kier, Lee Onslow, James Vidal, Chris Sayers, Matt Fleming, Ben Trotter, and Ben Stacey, who was Apprentice of the Year. Michael Wynne won the title for year one and Ashley Jones for year two.

BusTalk l August 2013

3

We welcome some new f

It has been a busy summer for Go-Ahead London with a number of new Marie Parlanti has come from university to become Go-Ahead London’s new commercial assistant.

During the last three summers, Marie worked for a language school organising coach trips to London, Oxford and Cambridge - excellent preparation for a career on the buses!

“It took a couple of weeks to settle into working life, but I am really enjoying it,” said Marie.

“I am currently working on timetables and driver duties, as well as routes and maps. Dealing more directly with drivers is something I am particularly looking forward to doing in the future.”

Les Bishop I have worked with some of my new colleagues in the past...

Marie Parlanti

Steve Leona

E been e welco know worki every

Belvedere and Bexleyh Steve Leonard has tak worked for First Group “I recently spent a co Wood at Camberwell to “Everyone at Belvede welcoming and I know

Les Bishop took on the role of chief engineer from July 1, having previously worked for Metrobus as its engineering director.

“I have worked with some of my new colleagues in the past, which has really helped me settle in quickly,” said Les. “The first projects I will be working on include air conditioning and refurbishment work, and I look forward to getting my teeth stuck into them.”

... And two trainees join TWO new graduate trainees have started with the company. They are James Thorpe and Godfrey Junior.

Michelle Davidson is se taken on the role of pe “I worked for First Bu including driver, contro performance manager, “As a company, Go-A jumped at the chance t “It’s been a lot of hard has been really helpful

Your chance to WIN a fabulou THIS YEAR’S Fiat 500 challenge is fast approaching, with 24 drivers in with a chance of winning a Fiat 500 car worth around £12,000!

The competition, which has been running since March, takes place at Millbrook testing ground on September 19.

Drivers are being judged this year on acceleration counts, blue-key usage, RAG score and distance travelled.

We already have an impressive list of driver of the month winners, which can be viewed on the employee website. Only those with the best results and overall record will be nominated to take part in September.

4

BusTalk l August 2013

On the day of the main event, participants will not only take on a series of driving challenges but they will

also be given the opportunity to two-mile circular track at 160m driver!

“The event is always a memo involved and I’m looking forwa our drivers can do this year,” sa assistant and co-organiser Gre “Go-Ahead London is commit carbon emissions and we hope shows how committed we are quality, green driving.”

faces to the fold

w appointments recently taking place...

ard

CAMBERWELL n AN IMPRESSED Miss Sedlak has praised Charles Frimpong for the help he gave her when she was lost, adding that it “restored her faith in London”. n DRIVER Richard Alveranga has been commended for his consistently “happy and helpful” attitude. n LATOYA GILLIES has been thanked by a customer for the “pleasant journey”.

Michelle Davidson

heath have a new general manager. ken on the job, having previously p as head of service delivery. ouple of weeks working with Nigel o learn the ropes,” said Steve. ere and Bexleyheath has been extremely w I will enjoy working with everybody.”

ettling in at Northumberland Park having erformance manager from July 15. us for more than 10 years, in roles oller, IBus controller and panel r,” said Michelle.

Ahead London is really going places, so I to join the team. d work so far, but everyone at the garage l while I’ve been finding my feet.”

us Fiat 500

orable day for everyone ard to seeing what aid communications eg French. tted to minimising e the Fiat 500 challenge to rewarding high-

BEXLEYHEATH n A CUSTOMER has thanked Franklin Jalloh for helping an elderly customer who needed to use the ramp to board his bus. n MS MOTHOBI has described Colin Ferguson as “polite and obliging” when asked to release the ramp.

BLUE TRIANGLE n THE KIND and considerate manner of William Strachan has been commended by Mr Mughal who says he “sets the standard for customer service”.

Everyone has extremely oming and I I will enjoy ing with ybody

o be driven round a mph by a professional

COMMENDATIONS

MERTON n A GRATEFUL passenger has thanked Peter Doran for greeting her with “a big smile” and says she was “very happy” with his service. n A RELIEVED Miss Ingram has praised Paul Morgan for “keeping his passengers safe” after an incident. Paul made sure everyone involved was okay before completing the necessary checks and reports.

NEW CROSS n MR NURSE has described Stephanie Amajoutt as “very nice” and a “good driver”. n A COMPLIMENT has been sent to Adou N’Guessan by Mrs Purser who says he was very helpful when helping a mother with a pram onto his bus. n AN IMPRESSED Miss Theodoru has written in to thank Jonathan Johnson for the way he dealt with customers who refused to pay for their journey.

PECKHAM n A DELIGHTED customer has thanked Maria Demetriou for her “positive and friendly” attitude when dealing with a passenger with learning difficulties.

PUTNEY n SIMON Farnham-Smith has received a commendation for his “nice and helpful manner”. Simon helped Ms Merolla find her way home and she says she was impressed by his “positive attitude”. n A COMPLIMENT has been sent to Sasa Jovetic by Ms Cole who described her as “friendly, nice and courteous”.

SUTTON n A GRATEFUL Miss Warriner-White has written to express her gratitude to Colin Dorling for his “refreshing customer service”.

BusTalk l August 2013

5

Watch out for signs of tiredness

I

In our Face 2 Face column we chat to Jackie Francis, a driver at Mandela Way who has worked for the company for nine years. We ask Jackie a series of lighthearted questions.

Q: What was your first car?

A: A red Renault.

F YOU are continually experiencing extreme tiredness or fatigue while at work, it may be caused by an undiagnosed medical condition.

A person will be more likely to be involved in an accident while driving if they are not alert; a health problem could be the underlying cause.

One of those conditions is sleep apnoea, a sleep disorder that affects four per cent of middle aged men and two per cent of middle aged women.

A sufferer of sleep apnoea will experience tiredness during the daytime due to the fact that sleep is interrupted without the sufferer realising it. Those who have the disorder have pauses in their breathing or periods of very low breathing while asleep.

In very extreme cases, sleep apnoea could mean a driver falling asleep at the wheel and endangering his or her own life, and the lives of the passengers.

You must tell the DVLA if you have sleep apnoea with symptoms. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell the DVLA about a medical condition that

signs and symptoms of sleep apnoea: n Loud and chronic snoring n Choking, snorting, or gasping during sleep n Long pauses in breathing n Daytime sleepiness, no matter how much time you spend in bed affects your driving. If you’re involved in an accident, you may be prosecuted.

It is thought that anywhere between four and 31 per cent of the occupational driver population suffer with sleep disorders. Eighty per cent of those are undiagnosed.

If you are suffering the symptoms of sleep apnoea, then it is very important that you consult your doctor, and inform you manager as well as the DVLA .

You can also visit the British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Association at www.britishsnoring.co.uk for more information.

Dave puts you in the picture...

Q: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

A: Super fashion sense.

Q: Which famous person would you most like to have dinner with?

A: Victoria Beckham.

Q: If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: Ackee and salt fish.

Q: Where would you most like to visit?

A: Milan, Paris and New York, the homes of fashion!

Q: If you could be a professional sportswoman, what sport would you choose?

A: Sprinting.

Q: What is your favourite thing about your job?

A: The atmosphere and the people I meet.

Q: What is the best present you have ever been given?

A: A Chanel bag.

6

BusTalk l August 2013

Waterloo driver and keen photographer Dave Ludlow.

SNAP HAPPY Dave Ludlow enjoys nothing more than to spend an afternoon pursuing his interest in photography.

Waterloo driver Dave has been an avid photographer since he was 11 years old, when he picked up the bug from his older brother.

His first photos were taken on family holidays with his trusty Kodak Brownie 127, which he

recently found waiting to be used again in his loft!

Nowadays, Dave mostly uses his talents, as well as a Canon 5D Mark III, to take photographs of people, and has done a number of parties and weddings.

There are even a few of Dave’s snaps on display in the Waterloo canteen!

“Hiring a photographer for

events can be quite expensive, so I do it for friends and family at a low cost,” said Dave.

“I love taking photographs and really enjoy any opportunity to get a bit of practice in.

“Having a photograph or two up in the canteen is really nice too, it’s always good to see your work somewhere people can actually view it.”

Trio take on the tough triple peak challenge

Tender news

from across the capital TfL has only awarded one tender since the last edition of Bus Talk.

Route 634 – Muswell Hill to Barnet Hospital (1 PVR) has been awared to Metroline.

The results of a number of tenders are yet to be announced, including four routes for which we submitted bids in March.

Merton’s puppy tale of kindness and generosity

Cheers: Celebrating their three peaks climb are, from left, Derek Parker, Danny Baker and Nigel Pike.

C

ONQUERING three mountains the real obstacle.” And so it proved to be! in three countries in 24 hours The intrepid team left Dartford at 5pm was the gruelling challenge on Friday May 17 and made the long three engineers from New Cross set journey north. They began their climb themselves in May. of Ben Nevis at Organiser Danny 5am on Saturday.

Baker managed Unfortunately the to convince his bad weather they colleagues Derek encountered on the Parker and Nigel way up – strong Pike to join him in a winds, snow and quest to climb Ben ice – hindered their Nevis, Scafell Pike progress and put them and Snowdon in a behind schedule. race against the clock Following this, their -– the Three Peaks climb of Scafell Pike Challenge. was completed in A wave from the top of Ben Nevis.

They were joined by darkness and rain six others raising money towards a new and they arrived at Snowdon when minibus for the Stone (Dartford) Scout they should have been completing group, of which Danny is leader. the challenge! They eventually finished Having already undertaken some around mid-day on the Sunday, some 29 training, which included successfully hours after they started the first climb. completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks On finishing, Derek said: “It was a relief!

Challenge the month before, the We were all so tired and hungry, but engineering trio were not too worried raising the money we have, made it all about the prospect of tackling the highest worthwhile.” mountains in Scotland, England and Danny, Derek and Nigel would like to Wales. thank their friends, family and staff at Derek said: “Completing the three New Cross who sponsored the trio, and climbs within the timescale would prove helped raise over £2,000.

MERTON isn’t just the name of a GoAhead London garage anymore; it’s also the name of a trainee guide dog as well!

The garage wasn’t sure what to do with the £5,000 it received for winning the London Bus Garage of the Year award at last year’s UK Bus Awards.

Instead of sharing it out among employees, driver Andy Newman came up with the idea of using half of it to sponsor a guide dog puppy.

Merton the Golden Labrador will now go

through a seven-year process of training, with both dedicated volunteers as well as with his eventual owner.

Good cause Andy says he is glad to see the money go to a good cause and hopes the garage’s association with the Guide Dogs charity will continue for many years to come.

“Hopefully in the future we can continue to win awards and perhaps add another guide dog to the GoAhead London family!”

We name this puppy... Merton!

BusTalk l August 2013

7

Company gives Lions a great start to season PUTNEY Lions are preparing for another season, with the help of sponsorship from Go-Ahead London.

Following an excellent third place finish in division four of the Morden and District league, the team is hoping to build on its success next season as it enters division two.

The team is made up of a multitude of Go-Ahead London employees, from garages including Camberwell, Putney, Stockwell and Mandela Way. This season Go-Ahead London will be providing the team with match fee sponsorship, something

Camberwell operating manager and manager of the team Derek Barker says was a huge help.

“The costs really add up quickly, so to have a bit of help from the company is very much appreciated,” said Derek.

“Putney Lions is comprised almost entirely of GoAhead London employees, so it’s great to see the company really getting behind the team.

“Everyone on the team has shown excellent commitment and I particularly want to thank Putney drivers Mo Henry and Dennis Augustus for their support during the season.”

Eddie’s charity walk is a GRAND day out!

B

RAVING THE hot summer sun was all in a day’s work for Eddie Howard when he took on the Alzheimer’s Research Big Walk on June 9.

The ten-mile event has been running for a number of years to help raise money for further research into dementia.

Bexleyheath satellite manager Eddie was joined by his daughter Laura for the walk, and together they completed the course in two hours and 25 minutes.

Not only did they finish ninth and tenth out of more than 400 walkers, they also managed to raise nearly £1,000 as well! The charity is particularly close to Eddie’s heart as his father-in-law suffers from the disease.

“To see someone in your family suffer from dementia is heartbreaking, especially when you knew them before they were ill,” said Eddie.

“You can see an incredibly significant change in personality in a short space of time, which is what makes it so hard to come to terms with.

“We have taken part in the walk a number of times and will continue to do so. I want to thank everyone that donated to us too - it means a lot.

“It’s a really important cause to get behind and I know even a small donation goes a long way towards research into Alzheimers.”

8

BusTalk l August 2013

Party ensures Charlie bows out in style FRIENDS and colleagues at Camberwell said farewell to Charlie Skelton on June 24 after more than 36 years of service.

Charlie started his career with London Transport in 1976 as a driver, initially working at Peckham.

Some years later, he was given the opportunity to move to Camberwell – the garage he called home until his retirement.

A farewell party was also organised by the garage to make sure they saw Charlie off in style.

“It was sad to say goodbye, but I’ve been finding the whole retirement experience really nice so far,” said Charlie.

“As well as returning from a holiday to France recently, I have also had a lot more time to dedicate to my love of fishing.

“If there’s one thing I will miss about the job, it’s all the people I had the pleasure of meeting over the years.

“That being said, I am thoroughly enjoying the extra time to put my feet up!”

Obituary Did the walk, got the T-shirt!

Fundraiser Eddie Howard.

Garry cycles to the sea for a cause very close to his heart KEEN CYCLIST Garry Battman completed the London to Brighton cycle ride on June 16 to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Stockwell driver Garry decided to take on the challenge due to his love of cycling and his desire to support the charity, as his mother-in-law passed away due to heart problems.

Garry made sure to take a few rides round Bushy Park in preparation for the event, as well as commuting to work by bike every morning. All this proved worthwhile, as Garry managed to raise nearly £300.

“It was amazing to see so many people on their bikes in such a small space,” said Garry.

“The event was great but next time I take part I am going to try and start earlier so I have a bit more room to build up some speed!

“I am also hoping to take on the London to Paris bike ride in the near future. The charity is a very important cause to support and I am extremely grateful to everyone who donated.”

Garry wasn’t the only Go-Ahead London representative at the event. A team from Merton raised more than £600 and a team from New Cross raised more than £100.

“It was a very enjoyable day and all for a good cause too,” said driver and New Cross team organiser Hugh Braithwaite.

Sad passing of ‘witty’ Peter

DRIVING instructor Peter Heppell died on July 23.

He had suffered a brief illness before he passed away, leaving behind his wife, Tish, and seven children.

Peter was a hard and happy worker, and had spent many years in the bus industry.

He started in 1981 as a conductor under London Transport and slowly worked his way through the ranks to become a highly respected driving instructor/classroom tutor in Go-Ahead London.

Colleague and friend James Mitchell led the tributes by saying: “To his friends, he was a man with a quick-witted answer to any comment made, to his wife, he was her husband and her best friend and to his children, he was their world!”

Published by Go-Ahead London. Produced by Ruxley Communications, Walton-on-Thames. Printed by Evolve Print Solutions, Rickmansworth.