First to Know Winter 2017 by i•creation

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The magazine for First people in Hampshire, Dorset & Berkshire

know

COLLEAGUES HELP FUND

LIFESAVING DEFIBRILLATOR PAGE THREE

Winter 2017

Get set for crucial

survey PAGE FOUR

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It was love at first bite in the staff canteen for Angie and Michael Walder.

Punctual and reliable services are crucial By First Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire Managing Director

Marc Reddy WITH increasing congestion in our towns and cities, the importance of the bus has never been so high. However, as you all know, in order to attract more people into using the bus we have to maintain good reliability and punctuality. A lot of my time is spent with our various local authority partners exploring ways of making the bus more attractive. At the same time, we encourage authorities to make priorities for buses in order to uphold and reduce the current journey times for customers. A good example is the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit service between Fareham and Gosport where customers can travel much quicker by using the bus than using their car. In fact, 20 per cent of the customers using our Eclipse service have switched from using their cars. However, we can do more to try and improve journey times for our customers by making our fares simpler and giving more options for customers to pay for their travel off the bus. Our mTicket app has seen huge growth over the past year – which is great news as it helps to speed up boarding. We are now planning on introducing the technology for contactless credit cards to be used on our buses. Again, this is to help speed up boarding and also to attract new customers. The roll out of this will happen over the next few years. So we have some exciting times ahead with how we offer our customers an all encompassing approach to how they pay for their journeys.

WINTER 2017

on the buses Couple still together after two decades OEFORD Drivers Angie and Michael Walder met in the staff canteen more than two decades ago and are still together – and on the buses – to this very day. The couple whose eyes first made contact over a break-time glass of orange juice at Fareham, quickly fell in love, got married and will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary later this year. They now both work on the groundbreaking Eclipse service together – and colleagues have also swapped shifts to make sure they can have weekends off at the same time. Angie said: “I was working in the canteen back in 1994 when Mike came over and asked me for a glass of orange juice. It was pretty much love at first sight. “He asked me out, we had our first date in a

pub and have been together ever since. “About 13 years ago I swapped jobs and trained to become a driver which has ironically led to us both being drivers on the Eclipse Service. Sometimes when he is on early shifts and I am on the late rota we are like buses that pass in the night – but we like the time we get together at the weekends.” The couple will mark their 20th anniversary in August with a trip to Centre Parcs in Woburn. Mike added: “We like our holidays and it will be a great way to celebrate and remember that life-changing day in the Fareham canteen.” Employee Director Dave McVie praised the duo. He said: “Angie and Michael exemplify the kind of employee who is the backbone of our business. Good people reap good results no matter where or in what endeavour.”

Reaching out with new online videos THE use of social media is helping First get the message across to a wider online audience. Videos – or VODcasts – are now being posted on YouTube, promoting service changes, new buses and other initiatives that benefit customers. They complement information which is posted on twitter and Facebook and are regularly updated. The first VODcast relates to changes to the award-winning First Wessex Jurassic Coast service and promotes it as a great way to see the seaside town and scenery of the Dorset coast. ■ View it here: youtube.com/watch? v=pUr76Vj_r44

Driver Mark Harrison views a First VODcast about the award-winning Jurassic Coast service.

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Team photos are a

real icebreaker USTOMERS can be forgiven for doing a double take when they ride on the Eclipse priority bus network. That’s because First has commissioned professionally taken studio photographs of all the drivers, which now feature prominently on the vehicle interiors. The Meet the Team pictures, which are accompanied by their first names and the words “At Your Service” help people boarding the buses get to know the drivers better. Employee Director Dave McVie, who is one of the Hampshire priority bus network drivers, said: “The service is all about luxury. “We are trying to make people as comfortable as possible when they get on board and familiarising themselves with their driver is a great icebreaker and helps make the journeys more enjoyable. “Personally, I also think it’s a nice touch when someone steps on board and says ‘good morning, Dave. How are you today?’.”

Simon aims to prioritise issues on the frontline

Eclipse Driver and Employee Director Dave McVie points to the Meet the Team photography on his bus.

Lifesaving kit now in place MORE lifesaving equipment has been installed at Southampton following a fundraising drive. A state-of-the-art defibrillator is now in place at the Empress Road depot after colleagues raised around £1,000. Their efforts were then match funded by First. It follows a similar piece of emergency kit being installed at the nearby Pound Tree Road depot in 2016. The initiative was inspired by Driver Rob Marshall who witnessed first hand the life saving capability of the equipment. He saw how a bystander used a defibrillator to save his dad’s life after he suffered a heart attack. Many colleagues have now received training from St John Ambulance in operating the defibrillators, which can be used to revive someone who has had cardiac arrest.

Team Leader Wendy Serrant and Driver Rob Marshall with the new defibrillator and first aid kit at the Empress Road depot.

BERKSHIRE General Manager Simon Goff, pictured, has also been appointed as General Manager for Southampton as well as Slough. He took up the position, overseeing operations at the Empress Road and Pound Tree Road depots, at the beginning of January. It means the start of a new, extended role for him and also the end of an era for his predecessor – Chrissie Bainbridge who is retiring after nearly four decades. Chrissie, who started in the industry in June 1978 as a bus conductress, worked her way through the ranks to become Business Performance Director for First Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire and General Manager for Southampton. During the transitionary period she is working three days a week until she calls it a day at the end of March. Simon said: “Over the next few weeks I will be meeting as many colleagues as possible and getting to grips with the issues that affect our frontline staff. I welcome views from anyone in helping to improve the business going forward. “I would also like to wish Chrissie all the best in retirement – anyone who knows her knows she put everything into her job.” Chrissie said: “I have so many memories it is impossible to pick out one above others. I’ll miss the team and wish them and Simon all the very best.”

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Investing in drivers to boost

Technology and people are key to great services

customer service D

By GILES FEARNLEY, Managing Director, First Bus

SCAN GRAPHIC

NEW technology and a TO SEE VIDEO commitment to provide the very best bus services will be the cornerstone of 2017. New ticket machines, contactless payment and an exciting new app will all enable us a step change in the customer experience. But our people are vital in providing punctual, reliable services, which is also so vital to growing passenger numbers. I urge everyone to play their part. Much was achieved in 2016 despite very challenging conditions around the economy, congestion and low fuel prices which encourage some people to use their car. Manchester’s Vantage guided busway, which has seen passenger numbers increase by over 75 per cent in eight months, and the Leeds Partnership, a £180 million strategy to double customer numbers over 10 years, are excellent examples of us working successfully with local authorities. This is so crucial in unlocking the full potential of our bus services. I’m so pleased too that last year we saw continued investment in new vehicles. Most important of all is that so much of what we have done in 2016 has really benefitted our customers. We still, however, face the same challenges going into 2017, so everyone must focus on enabling us to make great strides in punctuality and reliability. This will be the year when we transform the technology we offer. But while technology

Complete it online from February 6!

www.yourvoice survey.com

“”

Password: BUS2017 is vital, people doing their jobs well is most important to deliver great bus services. I would urge all colleagues to complete the Your Voice survey in February to help improve our business this year. The 2015 survey has led to many local initiatives, but also to nationwide improvements like BeSafe and the Excellence Awards, projects on staff development, wellbeing and uniforms.

Most important of all is that so much of what we have done has really benefitted our customers.

We will continue to react to our local marketplaces to make sure we have strong foundations to operate successfully in our towns and cities. I know I can rely on all colleagues to meet these challenges, deliver great services and a successful 2017.

with the First Bus and First Scotland AR apps Download the First AR app or the First Scotland AR app from App Store or Google Play.

Scan the photo on the pages where you see this AR icon. SCAN PHOTO

TO SEE VIDEO

WINTER 2017

■ New, informal job chats for drivers with their managers, based on what drivers want to talk about. The emphasis will be on responding to issues raised and making sure they feel heard and valued. ■ Allocating drivers to fixed routes to increase team spirit and ownership of route performance. Having regular drivers on a route also helps them build relationships with their customers. Other colleagues are included in the initiative. A special ‘Journey Makers’ training programme is being designed and will also be piloted in Bristol and York to help everyone (including non-driving colleagues) understand what customers need and and how everyone has a responsibility to do their bit to deliver the best customer service. Drivers are out on the roads every day, dealing with customers, and everyone can help make it easier for them to provide great service. The Journey Makers programme will be rolled out across all OpCos from April. Mel Rees, Interim Head of Customer Experience, said: “There’s no doubt driving buses is a difficult job, and it’s easy for our drivers to feel isolated. So we will be working hard to make sure

Informal job chats are part of supporting drivers in doing their jobs. Southampton Supervisor Jimi Kazi, left, talks with Driver Robbie Symms over a cuppa in the Empress Road depot canteen. colleagues understand the pressures they are under and how to support them. “I want our drivers to feel they have an army of people behind them when they go out on the road – so we will be working with all teams who can have an impact on this, from engineers to staff managers and radio operators, so we all become Journey Makers for our customers.”

Drivers are supported by colleagues in many ways. Here Aberdeen Incident Investigator Steve Gordon uses a model to help drivers avoid tailswing.

EXPERIENCE MORE... By downloading either of these two FREE apps on to your smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android) you can bring photographs in this magazine to life using the power of the augmented reality (AR) technology. To access the bonus video content with an innovative twist, simply follow the three easy steps:

RIVERS are at the heart of an exciting initiative to improve customers’ experience and attract more people to travel with First Bus. Significant pressures are faced by drivers every day, so the company has launched pilot initiatives in Bristol and York aimed at improving their experience and making them feel better supported. All of this will contribute to the company’s commitment to maintain and grow the business by addressing three key “pain points” experienced by customers. Research identified these as a lack of belief in the reliability of services; complexity in understanding ticketing; fares; payments and routes; and a lack of customer relationship. The principle is that by providing more support for drivers and making it easier to do their job, customer service will naturally improve. Moves are also underway to improve communications and technology to address the three “pain points”. Some of the changes proposed to improve the way drivers feel about their work are simple but should have a significant impact. These include: ■ Improving canteens to provide a better rest environment.

When the video starts double tap your screen for a full-screen view.

Hi-tech makes bus less fuss A huge advertising campaign has been launched to show customers how First Bus’s technology makes it easier to use the bus. It promotes the mTickets app, travel app, website and free WiFi on buses as tech that makes the bus less fuss. A video ad shows how a new animated character, called Ben, even gets an extra 10 minutes in bed by using tech to catch his bus. Around 35 million adverts will go out in the four month online and social media campaign. The ads all show the reasons why people don’t use the bus and counter this with a positive reason why they can, using the latest tech. Marketing Projects Manager Judy Giles said: “By encouraging the use of the tech there’s less fuss on the bus. Boarding is quicker, there’s not so much cash to handle, fewer change vouchers and it’s easier to check to counterfeit notes and tickets.” The video featuring Ben can be viewed at bit.do/getthebus withlessfuss

WINTER 2017

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Page 1

Investing in drivers to boost

Technology and people are key to great services

customer service D

By GILES FEARNLEY, Managing Director, First Bus

SCAN GRAPHIC

NEW technology and a TO SEE VIDEO commitment to provide the very best bus services will be the cornerstone of 2017. New ticket machines, contactless payment and an exciting new app will all enable us a step change in the customer experience. But our people are vital in providing punctual, reliable services, which is also so vital to growing passenger numbers. I urge everyone to play their part. Much was achieved in 2016 despite very challenging conditions around the economy, congestion and low fuel prices which encourage some people to use their car. Manchester’s Vantage guided busway, which has seen passenger numbers increase by over 75 per cent in eight months, and the Leeds Partnership, a £180 million strategy to double customer numbers over ten years, are excellent examples of us working successfully with local authorities. This is so crucial in unlocking the full potential of our bus services. I’m so pleased too that last year we saw continued investment in new vehicles. Most important of all is that so much of what we have done in 2016 has really benefitted our customers. We still however face the same challenges going into 2017, so everyone must focus on enabling us to make great strides in punctuality and reliability. This will be the year when we transform the technology we offer. But while technology

Complete it online from February 6!

www.yourvoice survey.com

“”

Most important of all is that so much of what we have done has really benefitted our customers.

We will continue to react to our local marketplaces to make sure we have strong foundation to operate successfully in our towns and cities. I know I can rely on all colleagues to meet these challenges, deliver great services and a successful 2017.

with the First Bus and First Scotland AR apps Download the First AR app or the First Scotland AR app from App Store or Google Play.

Scan the photo on the pages where you see this AR icon. SCAN PHOTO

TO SEE VIDEO

WINTER 2017

Drivers are supported by colleagues in many ways. Here Aberdeen Incident Investigator Steve Gordon uses a model to help drivers avoid tailswing.

When the video starts double tap your screen for a full-screen view.

WINTER 2017

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THUMBS UP ON SAFETY: Swansea Operations Manager Mark Jacobs, left, has a Touchpoint conversation with Driver Brian Gorvett at the city’s bus station.

New mobile app will help drive more customers to mTickets FIRST Bus is set to launch a new mobile app bringing together its journey planning and mTicketing and significantly improving customer experience. The new app, which is on schedule to be trialled and launched between March and July this year, will offer a Google Maps-based journey planning and vehicle tracking service – complete with places of interest – with an option to buy tickets always on offer. The aim is to drive more and more customers to the mTicketing platform, which is already saving hundreds of hours a week in boarding time across the UK and makes operating the bus much more straightforward for the driver. First Bus Retail Development Director James Timperley said: “mTicketing significantly reduces boarding time and the amount of cash onboard a bus, so it improves journey times and makes life easier for drivers. “We are achieving revenues of £1 million a week through mTicketing and in some areas it accounts for 20 per cent of all ticketing sales. We expect the new app to significantly increase these numbers.”

Confidential support FREE 24-hour confidential advice and support is available to all First Bus colleagues through the company’s Employee Assistance Programme. Anyone with a problem at home or work can contact the team by calling freephone 0800 015 5630. Trained operators are there to help with issues from legal and financial enquiries to debt management and wellbeing.

WINTER 2017

Positive messages in the workplace ORE than 1,400 supervisors and managers have completed a two-day training course on BeSafe principals and how to put them into practice in the workplace. Since BeSafe was launched a year ago, each OpCo has selected dedicated champions who are there to provide help, with access to a library of materials and a dedicated training/support and quality assurance team. BeSafe is all about recognising when colleagues are working safely, positively reinforcing these safe behaviours so they continue

and happen more often. It encourages everyone to have conversations (touchpoints) about safety, making safety a personal core value and helping us all to reach the goal of zero harm. Norman Wood, Divisional

Health and Safety Project Manager, said: “We want to recognise, praise and positively reinforce our safe behaviours. This can be as simple as saying well done when someone is doing the right thing. “BeSafe also allows us all to constructively challenge someone if they are working unsafe. Rather than just telling them off, we want colleagues to understand why it is unsafe and be able to self-correct and to work safely in the future.” All safety leaders have learned about techniques to support colleagues by having BeSafe conversations in a natural way.

Brew and bake for chosen charity TEA and cake events will be staged throughout First Bus in February to raise money for our employee-voted charity of choice, Prostate Cancer UK. Packs including posters, bunting and labels are available for colleagues organising Brew and Bake sessions between February 13-19. Group Partnerships and Events Manager Kirstin Aram said: “We’re urging colleagues to

get the kettle on, bake a cake and help beat the most common cancer in men.” Colleagues can order Brew and Bake packs by contacting: firstgroup@prostatecanceruk.org or telephone 020 3310 7061. Since the start of the partnership in April 2015, FirstGroup has donated in excess of £400,000 in employee fundraising, corporate donations and Gift in Kind advertising.

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Stylish new uniforms set to be rolled out EW uniforms will be rolled out to thousands of First Bus drivers starting at the end of February. Colleagues are advised to keep an eye on notice boards for local timings of the introduction which will see drivers and supervisors receiving 22 items of clothing for work. Updates include: ■ Men’s shirts in a classic or tailored fit. ■ Women’s blouses fitted with modesty buttons. ■ Slimmer ties and more delicate women’s scarves. ■ Trousers with an elastic waistband for extra comfort. ■ Redesigned outdoor jackets which are more practical for all types of weather.

Two new items have been added to the uniform range to provide even more flexibility. The sholo is a cross between a shirt and a polo and is available to all drivers. The shirt-style front looks smart and means drivers can wear a tie or scarf, but the back is made of polo material making it breathable and flexible on warm days. There is also a bodywarmer which provides an extra option on cool days. Carol Jones, Head of Indirect Procurement and Project Lead, said: “We trialled the uniform in five depots across the business in the summer, and made changes based on the feedback we received to make sure we made the final designs work for everyone.”

Bradford Supervisor Jodie Warburton and Manchester Supervisor Chris Bradbury model the stylish new uniforms.

Supreme Court ruling clarifies law on wheelchair space priority use THE Supreme Court in London has made a ruling on the long-running court case involving the priority use of the wheelchair space onboard buses. The case dates back to 2012 when customer and wheelchair user Doug Paulley could not get on a bus in West Yorkshire because a pushchair user refused to give up the wheelchair space – despite being asked to move by the driver. First Bus Managing Director Giles Fearnley explained: “We are currently awaiting further details from the Supreme Court which will help us interpret the decision and make any necessary changes. However, I’m pleased to report that drivers will not be required to remove customers from vehicles. This is really important. Throughout the legal process we fought hard to ensure drivers would not be

required to remove passengers from the bus. From what we understand drivers can verbally be more forceful and advise customers they are ‘required’ to move. We will alert all drivers and other relevant colleagues to any changes as soon as we can. “In the meantime, I’d ask drivers to please continue to adhere to our current policy around the use of the wheelchair space. Our policy makes clear that in the event of a wheelchair user wanting to board, and if the space is already occupied by other passengers, our drivers should request firmly, but politely, customers using that space to vacate it. “If a customer refuses to, or cannot, move from the wheelchair space, the driver should apologise to the wheelchair user, ask them to wait for the next bus and call Control so they

are aware. The driver should also complete a ‘failure to uplift a wheelchair’ form.” The Supreme Court judgment is attracting a lot of interest from national and local media. In the unlikely event that a First Bus employee is approached by a member of the media they should decline to comment and refer them to the First Group media team on 0207 725 3354. If a customer wishes to discuss the ruling, employees should apologise and explain that they are unable to discuss the case. Giles added: “Please rest assured that First Bus remains committed to supporting vulnerable customers, and our work with a range of agencies – including Disability Action Alliance, the RNIB and Age UK – to find ways of supporting customers’ access to our services will continue.”

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Network Controller Adrian Cook with the competition entry which led to this City Red bus being named after the cruise ship Aurora.

Vital support for inner city mission EMPLOYEES at Hampshire, Dorset and Berkshire have been working with an inner city mission to donate clothes, food and other essentials to help vulnerable and homeless people. Everyone from senior management to frontline employees collected unwanted items for the Southampton City Mission. The charity helps more than 8,000 local residents a year with more people than ever relying on its services during the winter months. Dave Osborne, Southampton City Mission’s Basics Bank Manager, said: “We are delighted to have the support of First – particularly in the winter months. The service we provide is incredibly busy, so all donations we receive go such a long way. “We rely solely on the generosity of others and it’s great to know that so many people will have access to essential items.”

Buses named after

famous ships OUNG school children were asked to name some of the company’s buses in a competition linking into Southampton’s proud maritime history. Pupils from the Wordsworth and Highfield primary schools were given the task of drawing their favourite ships that have docked or are berthed at the city’s famous cruise liner and cargo port.

More than 100 entries were submitted with the best 10 being chosen as winners. Several City Red vehicles that operate on the Southampton to Millbrook service and on city routes have now been named after these vessels. They are: Britannia, Grace Dieu, Canberra, Ventura, Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, Aurora, Oriana and Harmony of the Seas. Southampton Staff Manager

Kerry Grant said: “Southampton has a great maritime history, boasting one of the three busiest ports within the UK. “So we thought it would be very appropriate to capture some of this proud spirit of the seas through our competition. “All the buses bear their names on their liveries by the passenger door and link in very well with the great cruise liners that dock here on a daily basis.”

Community journalists given a lift FIRST Southampton’s operation is backing a new campaign to give budding citizen journalists a chance to air their views about the place where they live. We Make Southampton is being launched in early 2017 with the aim of inspiring a new wave of community reporters to come up with stories for online distribution.

WINTER 2017

The idea is to get people out and reporting about the city and its surrounding areas and to interview local residents about what they believe is great about their community. First has supported the campaign by renovating and donating an old bus, which will be used to travel to areas of Southampton and give the

newshounds a mobile newsroom to work from. The founder of the campaign, Claudia Murg, is currently training for her PCV licence – courtesy of First Bus – so she will be able to drive the vehicle and travel around the city. The words Claudia’s Bus have also been added to the livery on the front of the vehicle.

Top work on the frontline FRONTLINE employees have been thanked for their support as new service changes came into effect. First Dorset introduced revised timetables for Service 10 and Service X51 in and around Dorchester, which implemented in mid January. Drivers have been helping customers get to grips with the new services, which feature amended running times as well as additional trips. First Wessex General Manager Simon Newport said: “So far so good. Colleagues have done a great job in spreading the message to complement the information that has gone out on the website and through social media.”

Have you got news for us? IF you have a news item please contact Oliver Lewis, PR Executive (South Coast), by emailing oliver.lewis @firstgroup.com or by calling 07568 102555.