Staying connected 4web

ISSUE 4

MANABUS.COM STAFF NEWSLETTER

MARCH 30 2015

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK...

MEET OUR NEW CONTROLLERS

Pg 2

Pg 3

STAYING CONNECTED IMPORTANT DATES FOR APRIL THURSDAY 2nd April School Holidays begin

FRIDAY April 3 Easter Good Friday

SUNDAY 5 APRIL

Daylight Saving ends

1 HOUR Monday 27 April ANZAC Day holiday (Monday-ised)

Surveying the scene...

As a way of benchmarking our business and service delivery we have released a customer survey to a database of nearly 10,000 people - all of whom have travelled with us over the last 5 months. The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between customer satisfaction and service quality. Customers are the most important stakeholders in our business and their satisfaction is a priority.

From these results we’ll have a better idea on some of the key areas we may (or may not) need to improve. Over the next few weeks we will share the findings among our teams.

Thank you to everyone for the smooth transition this week with the new roster and timetable. I acknowledge there was short notice given and despite this we didn’t miss a beat and this was very much appreciated. The fully reviewed timetable, which comes into effect on May 1, has now had its roster changes approved and this will be shared with all drivers and attendants after the Easter weekend.

Sheryll

SHERYLL OTWAY Chief Executive ManaBus.com

Sheryll SHERYLL OTWAY Chief Executive ManaBus.com

Steve Brattle, Manager at Dzine Signs (the people who produced the vinyls for the ManaBus.com branding) has shared this wonderful image taken by Keith Bennett of Proshoot Photography in Upper Hutt. The photo has been entered in the NZ Signwriters Awards with winners announced at the annual conference over Easter. We think it’s a sure winner!

STAYING CONNECTED OPERATIONS Reminders:

Let’s all learn about Luggage limits!

NEW STAFF please note: To open your electronic payslip enter your IRD number.

We urge all who assists in luggage handling with ManaBus.com, to familiarise yourself with the Terms & Conditions of Luggage. The reason our limits are different from other companies is due to:

Fuel Cards:

- The ability our coaches have to carry up to 80 passengers. At an average of 80kgs per person plus a 15kg weight luggage allocation per person the total overall weight comes in under the legal limit as set by Road Transport New Zealand.

To ensure Fuel Cards remain onboard at the end of each shift we are getting them attached to the bus key chain. In the menatime, please remember not to walk off with the card!

A BIG THANK YOU!

We’ve received some very positive feedback from our contractor in Taupo who says the toilet swap in Bulls is working very well. By adding the extra ‘download’ in Bulls, passengers are no longer being asked to hold-on until arrival in Taupo due to a full toilet capsule.

Result!

Keep it green!

Remember with Green Road to:

TAG ON / TAG OFF Daylight Saving

- As our fares are so cheap and the 15kg allocation is FREE, we suggest to passengers to book an extra seat for any additional items e.g. a backpack, suitcase etc.

Our terms and conditions clearly state: Unsuitable check-in luggage: The following items are deemed unsuitable for luggage stowed in the luggage lockers and if you do include such items in your stowed luggage, you do this at your own risk and ManaBus.com will not be liable for any costs for inconvenience, replacement, delay, loss or damage you suffer as a consequence of the items being damaged, delayed or lost: - Fragile, delicate or perishable goods - Passports and travel documents - Valuable items, such as money, jewellery - Cameras, video cameras etc or similar - Computers or computer equipment - Any item that is not sufficiently - Electrical or electronic devices packaged to withstand normal effects of - Business documents or important carriage by road transport. documents and Samples Click here to read the full Luggage Ts & Cs

Please take extra care on our highways this Easter break and stay in regular contact with our Controllers to report any delays.

Please DRIVE TO THE CONDITIONS and have a safe and happy Easter.

MOVE THAT BUS!

An extreme makeover has taken place as a humble touring coach loses her bright green livery and joins the red ManaBus.com fleet. Built in 1999 she’s a B12 Volvo already fitted with power points and wifi and is now a 50 seater (3 seats removed to install a loo) and ready to keep up with her big red double-decker mates travelling wherever she is needed!

We’re reminding our customers (and staff) about the end of Daylight Saving through our text messaging, our facebook and website as well as the Contact Centre are reminding callers who book by phone. With this being a long weekend most passengers will return home on Monday / Tuesday so hopefully it will only be the Easter Sunday passengers that may slip up.

0800 637 483 0800 M DRIVE

Meet our Operations Controllers Easter egg giveaways & prizes all Easter weekend!

PROMOTION Over Easter weekend our passengers are in for a treat! From Good Friday through to Easter Monday attendants will hand out eggs once the journey is underway.

A random selection of a booking number on each trip will be made with lucky winners receiving a refund on their trip. There’s also a second prize draw for a great big Easter egg and a ManaBus.com facebook comp to win free trips also running all weekend.

Check the Memo for script guide and full details.

STAFF PROFILE: Jack Chen Bus Stop Attendant

As part of the re-structure we published in the organisation chart in issue 3, we have appointed three controllers who will man the 0800 M Drive line, stepping away from the customer service call centre.

Scott, Jaala (above) and Karl are our bus crew support and first point of contact for day-to-day vehicle running. From information received, they will notify decisions made, including informing crews of vehicle swaps. They will also focus on vehicle performance and our time keeping aspect so that we can aim for a 90% plus on-time running at all times! Yes, this means at times they may be calling you to ask why a bus hasn’t departed, afterall Greenroad is a great tool but it can’t see what the driver always sees on the road. We ask for patience as they come up to speed over the coming few weeks and we expect to have the team fully operational by the time the new timetable is operating.

Twenty-two year old Jack Chen can be relied on to keep the bus stocked, check off the manifest, load the luggage and even jump into the hot seat in the Contact Centre at a moments notice! Jack joined ManaBus.com over the summer to help fund his Fashion Design degree (actually, to help pay for fabric!) With University back, he now works just weekends and holiday breaks for ManaBus.com but also puts in a 12-hour day to his studies during the week. He doesn’t find that hard because he just loves the industry he has chosen and with a desire to specialise in mens fashion he was rapt to hear the news from London that men are now spending more on fashion than women! Jack hopes to have a career designing mens suits and shoes.

Jacks’ concept (left) has been chosen to enter the Arts of Fashion Foundations competition The design is inspired by an article involving 2 space enthusiasts encouraging kids to hold onto their dreams of space travel.

“A daily consumption of morning and after school cartoons and video games affects our lives and we fear the idea of Space, assuming there will be monsters, as well as superheroes...”

Days like these...

ManaBus.com driver, John, is seen here behind the wheel with the beautiful backdrop of one of Rotorua’s stunning lakes.

John was enroute to Turangi to provide back up following a breakdown.

Thank you to attendant Kiely for the great pic!

WHANGAREI - CONNECTING WITH OUR SUPPORT CREW WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE that family company, Whangarei Bus Services (WBS), has gone from 45 staff to just eight in nearly 45 years you may be forgiven for thinking that this isn’t looking like a success story. But the opposite is true. WBS operated urban, school and city-to-city routes within the 80s and 90s, a time of much change in the public transport industry. But couple Shona and Gavin, who’s father began the business in the early 70s, diversified into charters, corporate contracts, shuttles and luxury sedans and tour coaches. They have built a solid company with a loyal base of permanent staff and a widespread reputation for flexibility and quality service.

So it was a no-brainer for ManaBus.com to contract WBS for cleaning services and back-up support. Our Whangarei drivers Stewart, Heather and David are assured of a professional and reliable service, in particular by star operator General Paul. With an eye for detail, General updated the original checklist for the ManaBus.com contract and his efficiency and reliability and ability to go over and above the call of duty earns him 5 stars!

And you don’t get a much higher rank than a General! A grateful thanks to the entire Whangarei Team - including WBS staff and our own driving crew!

Husband and wife team, Shona and Gavin seen here with General Paul... and the hat says it all General! A big thank you from the ManaBus.com management and crew for your awesome support.

With our ManaBus.com double deckers powered by Volvo we thought you might enjoy this video clip of some precision Volvo technology and driving using stuntman Jean Claude van Damme, supported only by the wing mirrors!