You First Glasgow Spring 2016

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Spring 2016

The magazine for First people in Glasgow

Caledonia

LEARNING CENTRE IS

SCOTSTOUN TRIUMPHS AT INAUGuRAL

SIMPLYTHE BEST PAGE FIVE

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Board thank whole team for ideas and innovations

By First Glasgow Managing Director

Fiona Kerr IT was an exciting day for everyone as we welcomed members of the FirstGroup plc Board when they held their board meeting at Caledonia, and a huge thank you from me for all the effort that was put into the preparations for their visit.

The Board was given a comprehensive tour of the whole site, and were able to ask us lots of questions about our business.

It was clear in those discussions that safety was a priority with the Board, so it was great to hear positive comments in that respect. The challenge for us is to make sure we maintain a high safety standard everywhere, all the time.

They gave us some really great feedback which made it really clear how impressed they were, with the Chairman commenting “It was a great tour and I’d like to thank the whole team. So refreshing to see new ideas and innovations.”

Speaking of which this issue of You First highlights a number of innovations we are introducing to help grow passenger numbers.

For example the forthcoming mid-life refurbishment of 144 of our simpliCITY buses will see those vehicles looking like new, with repainted exteriors and fully retrimmed interiors to give our passengers a much more comfortable and enjoyable journey experience.

Lastly I would just like to highlight the terrific efforts of all employees involved in the consolidation of our Parkhead operations into Caledonia.

There were many obstacles to overcome, not least the emotional impact that a change of that scale brings, but I’ve been really impressed how people have worked so hard to make it happen and have risen to the challenge.

It is to their credit that we now successfully operate out of the largest bus depot in Europe!

YOUFIRST I SPRING 2016

Uniform Co-ordinator Susan Hannon, right, measures up Driver Katarina Wroblewska who is one of nine employees trialling the new uniform designs.

Staff trial new

UNIFORM DESIGNS RAND new uniforms are being trialled at First Glasgow – and employees will get the chance to give their views on the design.

Nine colleagues at Caledonia have been measured up and the new uniforms are expected to be delivered in May. First Glasgow is one of a small number of FirstGroup OpCos to be chosen at random to carry out the trials.

The volunteers will be issued

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with shirts, ties, scarves, gilets and outdoor jackets which they will wear for a four-week trial period. Following the trial, feedback will be sought both from the wearers and from colleagues working in the trial depot. They will be able to record their views via a page on betterjourneysforlife.com and via an online survey.

The uniforms have been designed with the hope of increasing comfort and practicality for employees while

providing a modern look.

The trial group will review them based on criteria including overall appearance, wear and tear, practicality and stain removal as well as comfort and ease of care.

Employees taking part in the Caledonia trail are Mark Crossey, Thomas Burke, Edward O’Hanlon, Jimmy Lillis, George Corbett, Denise Gunn, Jean Scott, Katarina Wroblewska and William Shillinglaw.

Awards scheme for going extra mile EMPLOYEES are to be recognised on a monthly basis through the newly launched Extra Mile Awards. Colleagues nominated in one of the five categories reflecting First’s vision and values could receive a

bronze or silver certificate.

Local teams would then review all silver certificate holders at the end of the year before awarding a gold certificate in each category.

These winners will go through to a best of the best section and

could win a diamond award at the national Excellence Awards. Nominations can come from both colleagues and customers.

First Bus Managing Director Giles Fearnley said: “These new awards are a direct result of your feedback on how we celebrate great performance.”

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NEWS 3

Meeting the

challenge

HE scale of the transfer of employees from the former Parkhead depot to their new home was unprecedented – but they rose to the challenge.

With an additional 276 drivers and administration staff being absorbed, Caledonia has now become the largest depot within the European bus industry with a total of 892 drivers and 415 buses.

Willie Wood, Operations Manager, has praised the “mammoth” efforts of people across all functions.

The Caledonia Consolidation took place on January 17 as two depots which need to function separately for most of the day were effectively set up in one location. A number of difficult challenges faced employees as new routines were introduced to ensure effective lines of communication.

Willie said: “Change, even when it makes perfect sense, can be difficult to accept and the majority of people don’t like to be taken away from their routine and out of their natural comfort zone, but everyone has worked really hard and has risen to the challenge.”

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Controller Joseph Ashbridge, left, one of the 276 employees who successfully transferred from the former Parkhead depot, is pictured by the bus allocation board at Caledonia depot with Staff Manager David Cameron.

Pictured after being presented with the Team Partner of the Year trophy at the Glasgow Airport Awards ceremony are, left to right, Caeldonia Depot Engineering Manager David Barr, Glasgow Shuttle Regulator Sammy Corrie, Travelex Manager Yvonne Dunlop (award sponsors), Glasgow Shuttle Regulator Derek McGhee and Airport Route Manager Frank Holmes.

Glasgow Shuttle team honoured for being a top partner THE Glasgow Shuttle has received a top accolade from the airport that it serves.

The service has been named as Team Partner of the Year in the annual Glasgow Airport Awards.

The award of a glass trophy at the ceremony in the Radisson Blu hotel signals that First Glasgow’s Glasgow Shuttle team is highly-prized among those working at the airport.

The team was sponsored for the prize

by Travelex who attended the ceremony along with other airport-based

organisations such as Ryanair, Thomson and Starbucks. “We were very pleased to get the award,” said Airport Route Manager Frank Holmes. “We are continuously striving to improve our service and we place a high priority on team work.”

Amanda McMillan, Managing Director of Glasgow Airport, said: “I am delighted to see that the First Glasgow team is recognised in the awards. They do an amazing job and are a big and hugely popular part of the airport team.”

The Glasgow Shuttle operates 24 hours a day, 364 days a year between the city centre and Glasgow Airport, and is staffed by a 34-strong team.

Each member of the team is not only an ambassador for First Glasgow but also for the airport, the city of Glasgow and Scotland.

Each day they embrace Glasgow Airport’s Customer Charter and show commitment to making a difference to customers’ experience by being friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

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Head of First Glasgow’s Regional Repair Centre Martin Brand, centre, talks with FirstGroup Board members during their tour of Caledonia depot, left to right, Non-Executive Director Jim Winestock, Company Secretary Robert Welch, Director of Strategy and Operational Performance Constance Baroudel, Chairman Wolfhart Hauser and Non-Executive Director Warwick Brady.

First Glasgow Engineering Director Kenny Dickson shares a light-hearted moment with FirstGroup Board Chairman Wolfhart Hauser.

Plc Board praise Glasgow team MPLOYEES had the chance to show off their state-of-the-art facilities when the Board meeting for FirstGroup plc was held at Caledonia.

The visitors were shown around the whole facility including the administration and support areas, the depot office and backroom staff area, the Engineering section and workshop as well as the Regional Repair Centre.

Many of the management team at First Glasgow were involved and presentations were given by Kenny Dickson, John Cahill, Willie Wood, Stewart McIntyre and David Barr.

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First Glasgow Managing Director Fiona Kerr talks with Non Executive Director Brian Wallace who is Audit Committee Chairman.

YOUFIRST I SPRING 2016

The Board meeting in the boardroom began with a presentation by the UK Bus executive team, outlining the strategy for the division.

This was followed by a presentation by First Glasgow Managing Director Fiona Kerr about First Glasgow itself. A review of First Scotland East was then presented by its Managing Director Paul McGowan.

Staff in the depot were given time to prepare for the visit and were made aware that they might be asked direct questions relating to their role.

First Glasgow Managing Director Fiona Kerr said: “I just wanted to say ‘thank-you’ to

Non Executive Director Imelda Walsh listens intently to one of the presentations made to the FirstGroup Board.

everyone who contributed to the highly successful running of the day.

“The Board were absolutely delighted with what they saw, and I was so proud of you all.

I hope you enjoyed reading their feedback on the staff notices!”

Wendy Findlay, First Glasgow Fleet Support Engineer, discusses engineering topics with FirstGroup Board members, left to right, Chief Executive Tim O’Toole and Non-Executive Directors Warwick Brady and Mick Barker.

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Brilliant Learning Centre strikes ALEDONIA’S workplace Learning Centre is the best in the UK – and that is official! The facility has long been widely praised for the way it brilliantly offers a range of training support and lifelong learning skills to employees.

Now it has been awarded the Centre of Excellence award in the Gold category at First’s latest Lifelong Learning Awards.

The Learning Centre is the home of the First Academy which makes available eight learning modules to each new employee of the company.

Jimmy Lillis, the Trade Union Learning Representative (TULR) at Caledonia was acclaimed as Regional TULR of the Year at the awards ceremony in Livingston.

Jimmy goes the extra mile to film route safety DVDs which are used in the centre’s Route Learning Information courses and which supplement the core safety brief at First Glasgow. He helps to co-ordinate courses at the Learning Centre which include the Unite-funded ECDL course

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TOP TUTOR: Trade Union Learning Rep Jimmy Lillis shows a route safety DVD to Drivers Arkadiusz Kidawa, left, and Lukasz Nowak who are featured with Jimmy on the magazine cover. Below, Jimmy is presented the Gold award trophy and a £2,500 cheque for Caledonia depot from First Bus Managing Director Giles Fearnley at the awards ceremony.

leading to a European driving licence, literacy and numeracy, French, Italian, photography and even playing the guitar.

Also highly popular are special courses for drivers of East European origin – introduced

by Jimmy – and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

A number of older drivers benefit from courses which help them to find their way around their smartphones.

First Glasgow provides the Learning Centre accommodation, internet access and paid release for the TULRs. Equipment such as computers is funded through various initiatives including the Union Learning Fund, the Scottish Union Learning Fund and prize money.

New camera club member, Driver Tony Mosson, left, receives technical advice from TULR David Cairns at the Caledonia Three Bothy Learning Centre.

David passes on his photo skills DAVID Cairns passes on his photography skills to colleagues in a lifelong learning setting. The Caledonia driver has set up a camera club for people who want to start snapping but are unsure about the technical aspects.

David, formerly based at Parkhead, will shortly be setting up his equipment at the Caledonia Three Bothy Learning Centre where he will advise novices on techniques like Photoshop.

The Trade Union Learning Rep also has an SQA Professional Development qualification from Adam Smith College.

The course equipped him with the skills required to develop, plan and deliver literacy learning in workplace contexts.

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6 NEWS Blantyre Mechanic Kenny Taylor makes checks on a wheel.

Vix machines roll out plan First Glasgow Managing Director Fiona Kerr presents the National Calender Competition award to Gordon McCallum.

Calendar is tribute to Gordon’s home city

A simpliCITY double decker is resprayed at the Regional Repair Centre as part of a complete refurbishment.

PROUD Glaswegian Gordon McCallum paid tribute to his home city when he compiled an award-winning calendar.

The Scotstoun Driver, announced as the winner of the National Calendar Competition at the Trade Union Learning Rep Awards, chose 12 striking shots he had taken when he re-focused his hobby after a lay-off.

Gordon puts his photos on his own Flickr site and when it came to choosing pictures for the calendar he selected various inner-city views with an interesting slant.

“I have been interested in photography for a while and I have taken numerous shots on foreign trips,” said Gordon. “But when I started again after a lay-off I suddenly realised I had never photographed my home city.

“So I began to visit the city centre, often starting out at 5am, to get views of the scenic area around Victoria Park and Glasgow Green.

Glasgow is a wonderful place for a photographer with its striking buildings and its great atmosphere.”

Among the unusual colour shots in the calendar – taken with a Sony a6000 – is one of a street performer mimicking the iconic Duke of Wellington statue. Gordon, who put his photographs into calendar format helped by TULR Ian Graham, won an iPad Air.

Blantyre refurb inspires

city fleet makeover

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SPRING 2016

£486,000 refurbishment of the simpliCITY fleet is on the way at Caledonia – with the initial inspiration for a makeover coming from Blantyre depot.

The engineering team at the Lanarkshire base pulled out all the stops and transformed a mid-life B10 BLE vehicle to make it look “good as new”.

First Glasgow Directors were so impressed when they saw it that they determined to build on the success with a fully-fledged programme. As a result, the Regional Repair Centre is set to carry out an extensive refresh of the simpliCITY buses after making its own presentation to the FirstGroup board.

Blantyre’s refurb of a 13-year-old bus included replacement of various roof panels and a makeover of the interior.

The bus was given a good clean, the dashboard in the cab

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Internet learning EMPLOYEES are being urged to try their hand at anything from basic maths to IT skills and language courses to Scuba diving to celebrate National Learning at Work Week.

Tremendous opportunities are available at the Lifelong Learning Centres in most depots, but courses can also be accessed on smartphones and tablets, wherever there is an internet connection. Information will be posted on betterjourneysforlife.com in the run up to the special week from May 16-22.

Blantyre Electrician Scott Dunn carries out maintenance work.

Blantyre Cleaner Anj Walker thoroughly cleans a bus.

was repainted and two windows were replaced.

“The seats had been re-trimmed at HQ but we removed the old ones and replaced them,” said Engineering Manager Dougie Mair.

“There was an extensive re-painting programme and we also improved the electrics.

“We then took the bus to Scotstoun depot where we made a presentation to the Directors which included a journey out on the network.

“We were very passionate about the value of the refurbishment, which came about as a result of our Business Transformation initiatives.”

At Caledonia depot, when the FirstGroup board visited recently to hold their board meeting, the Directors were given a sneak preview of how buses in the £486,000 simpliCITY refurb will look.

A presentation was made

BRAND new smart ticketing machines are to be rolled out across all First Glasgow depots in the summer.

Dumbarton will be the first to receive the state-of-the-art Vix electronic ticket machines, which provide real time information, followed by all other depots.

Benefits of the machines include increasing the speed of transactions and providing a more secure revenue collection method, which will in turn allow the fleet to be managed more effectively.

Training sessions will be held for drivers across the depots, and they will each receive step-by-step guides and DVDs. A machine especially designed for training purposes will also be available at each depot, and learning reps will always be on hand to answer drivers’ queries.

Charity cash match funded

Blantyre Coachbuilder Eric Crow checks seat upholstery.

showcasing a seven-year-old refurbished vehicle which had been repainted in the latest livery and given a seating upgrade in

the Regional Repair Centre. Seats had been recovered in grey and turquoise e-leather, and the bus had received a deep clean.

EMPLOYEES are being reminded that First Glasgow will match any funds raised for Prostate Cancer UK during the last year.

First’s three-year partnership with its designated charity means the company generously matches all fundraising efforts between £50 and £200.

Prostate Cancer UK’s partnership with the football league gives fundraisers the opportunity to collect at match days up until the end of April.

People who are able to give up a couple of hours before a game – and receive a free match ticket in thanks – can find out more at the website at prostatecanceruk.org

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6 NEWS Blantyre Mechanic Kenny Taylor makes checks on a wheel.

Vix machines roll out plan First Glasgow Managing Director Fiona Kerr presents the National Calender Competition award to Gordon McCallum.

Calendar is tribute to Gordon’s home city

A simpliCITY double decker is resprayed at the Regional Repair Centre as part of a complete refurbishment.

PROUD Glaswegian Gordon McCallum paid tribute to his home city when he compiled an award-winning calendar.

The Scotstoun Driver, announced as the winner of the National Calendar Competition at the Trade Union Learning Rep Awards, chose 12 striking shots he had taken when he re-focused his hobby after a lay-off.

Gordon puts his photos on his own Flickr site and when it came to choosing pictures for the calendar he selected various inner-city views with an interesting slant.

“I have been interested in photography for a while and I have taken numerous shots on foreign trips,” said Gordon. “But when I started again after a lay-off I suddenly realised I had never photographed my home city.

“So I began to visit the city centre, often starting out at 5am, to get views of the scenic area around Victoria Park and Glasgow Green.

Glasgow is a wonderful place for a photographer with its striking buildings and its great atmosphere.”

Among the unusual colour shots in the calendar – taken with a Sony a6000 – is one of a street performer mimicking the iconic Duke of Wellington statue. Gordon, who put his photographs into calendar format helped by TULR Ian Graham, won an iPad Air.

Blantyre refurb inspires

city fleet makeover

YOUFIRST

I

SPRING 2016

£486,000 refurbishment of the simpliCITY fleet is on the way at Caledonia – with the initial inspiration for a makeover coming from Blantyre depot.

The engineering team at the Lanarkshire base pulled out all the stops and transformed a mid-life B10 BLE vehicle to make it look “good as new”.

First Glasgow Directors were so impressed when they saw it that they determined to build on the success with a fully-fledged programme. As a result, the Regional Repair Centre is set to carry out an extensive refresh of the simpliCITY buses after making its own presentation to the FirstGroup board.

Blantyre’s refurb of a 13-year-old bus included replacement of various roof panels and a makeover of the interior.

The bus was given a good clean, the dashboard in the cab

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Internet learning EMPLOYEES are being urged to try their hand at anything from basic maths to IT skills and language courses to Scuba diving to celebrate National Learning at Work Week.

Tremendous opportunities are available at the Lifelong Learning Centres in most depots, but courses can also be accessed on smartphones and tablets, wherever there is an internet connection. Information will be posted on betterjourneysforlife.com in the run up to the special week from May 16-22.

Blantyre Electrician Scott Dunn carries out maintenance work.

Blantyre Cleaner Anj Walker thoroughly cleans a bus.

was repainted and two windows were replaced.

“The seats had been re-trimmed at HQ but we removed the old ones and replaced them,” said Engineering Manager Dougie Mair.

“There was an extensive re-painting programme and we also improved the electrics.

“We then took the bus to Scotstoun depot where we made a presentation to the Directors which included a journey out on the network.

“We were very passionate about the value of the refurbishment, which came about as a result of our Business Transformation initiatives.”

At Caledonia depot, when the FirstGroup board visited recently to hold their board meeting, the Directors were given a sneak preview of how buses in the £486,000 simpliCITY refurb will look.

A presentation was made

BRAND new smart ticketing machines are to be rolled out across all First Glasgow depots in the summer.

Dumbarton will be the first to receive the state-of-the-art Vix electronic ticket machines, which provide real time information, followed by all other depots.

Benefits of the machines include increasing the speed of transactions and providing a more secure revenue collection method, which will in turn allow the fleet to be managed more effectively.

Training sessions will be held for drivers across the depots, and they will each receive step-by-step guides and DVDs. A machine especially designed for training purposes will also be available at each depot, and learning reps will always be on hand to answer drivers’ queries.

Charity cash match funded

Blantyre Coachbuilder Eric Crow checks seat upholstery.

showcasing a seven-year-old refurbished vehicle which had been repainted in the latest livery and given a seating upgrade in

the Regional Repair Centre. Seats had been recovered in grey and turquoise e-leather, and the bus had received a deep clean.

EMPLOYEES are being reminded that First Glasgow will match any funds raised for Prostate Cancer UK during the last year.

First’s three-year partnership with its designated charity means the company generously matches all fundraising efforts between £50 and £200.

Prostate Cancer UK’s partnership with the football league gives fundraisers the opportunity to collect at match days up until the end of April.

People who are able to give up a couple of hours before a game – and receive a free match ticket in thanks – can find out more at the website at prostatecanceruk.org

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Amanda

wins photo competition

This stunning view of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay has been declared the winner of the YouFirst travel photography competition.

Customer Service Assistant Amanda Vine took the photo of the island – site of the notorious former

federal prison – while on a tour of the United States. Amanda wins a £20 voucher for impressing most in the competition which attracted numerous entries featuring beautiful landscapes, majestic mountains and stunning architecture.

Team working wins accolade COTSTOUN has been crowned with yet another high-profile accolade for its industry leading pursuit of excellence.

The depot received an Accountable for Performance title at the BeFirst Awards open to 110,000 staff in the UK and North America.

It confirms the depot is unique in the way its Traffic and Engineering departments work together in problem solving and for the way it goes the extra mile to make sure services run to time. The award was presented at a Manchester ceremony by FirstGroup Chief Executive Tim O’Toole to Operations Manager Tony O’Connor, Controller Danny McGibbon, Controller Michael McCandlish and Engineer Danny Rae. The inaugural BeFirst Awards recognised people and teams who have made significant contributions to First’s businesses and customers over the previous year.

The team at Scotstoun, eligible because they won a First

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Scotstoun Engineer Barry Sullivan, left, and Controller Peter Macdonald with the coveted BeFirst trophy.

Anglers visit Loch Fyne THE Caledonia Angling Club began its season at to Loch Fyne with around 15 anglers making the trip.

The members’ next big turn-out will be for the first leg of the Davie Moffatt Trophy at Fort William, with the second leg being held towards the end of the year.

YOUFIRST I SPRING 2016

The club has already pencilled in a number of trips further afield including Minehead, Hartlepool, Rhyl and Ireland for the Tope Festival.

Excellence Award last year, decided to give their entire prize money of £500 to charity although they could have kept half for themselves.

The beneficiary is Clyde 1’s Cash for Kids which helps support the most vulnerable children in local communities across Glasgow and the west of Scotland.

“We were delighted to receive the award which goes to the whole Scotstoun team, recognising their pride in ensuring the buses get out on time while at the same time doing it safely,” said Tony.

“Unusually for a large depot, our Traffic staff and Engineers work side by side, resolving problems before they develop.

“If a driver phones in with an issue, the controller can refer it immediately to an engineer and often it can be solved over the phone – for example, by a simple re-set procedure.

“We have recorded reduced lost mileage and breakdowns by working together. Controllers or even managers will go out on road sometimes to make sure buses run.”

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Three Bothy is in ideal location recreation facility has been opened in the east end of Glasgow to provide a resting place for drivers following the closure of Parkhead depot.

The Caledonia Three Bothy at Fielden Street on the Gallowgate is being warmly welcomed as occupying a key position near the various relief points.

Less than two miles from the former Parkhead depot, the accommodation was set up following staff consultation and feedback over a period of weeks before the move.

The Bothy is a refurbishment of an existing building and has been completed to an extremely high standard.

At the centre of the provision is a recreation

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MD in TV interview on bus at Caledonia BBC Scotland television visited Caledonia depot while making a programme marking the 10th anniversary of the introduction of concessionary travel in Scotland.

Managing Director Fiona Kerr was interviewed in her role as Chair of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).

She talked about the success of the scheme which allows people aged 60 and over and those with a disability to travel for free on local or Scottish long-distance buses.

Fiona told senior journalist Ian Hamilton, who is blind and was accompanied by his well-trained German Shepherd guide dog Renton, how the initiative delivers excellent value for money with every £1 spent generating at least £2.87 in benefits.

These are felt not only by passengers but also by other road users as well as the wider

CHEERS! Driver Paul Anderson toasts the new Caledonia Three Bothy with a cuppa. area with basic supplies including hot and cold water, drinks and a snack dispenser.

Drivers are also benefiting from a gym and a Union Learning Centre with WiFi. “The site was chosen because it had the

potential to create an excellent facility that the employees could be proud of,” said Operations Manager Willie Wood. “The Bothy is a fully functional unit with all necessary requirements for comfort and wellbeing.”

Journalist Ian Hamilton, accompanied by his guide dog Renton, interviews First Glasgow Managing Director Fiona Kerr about the concessionary travel scheme.

community through transport network and health and well-being improvements.

The concessionary travel scheme also helps to improve access to services for older and disabled people and supports social inclusion.

The TV crew had earlier filmed on a First Glasgow bus supplied by the team at Dumbarton, where they interviewed a number of local concessionary card holders about how the scheme has benefited them.

taste of the

seventies THE Seventies were brought back to life in a flurry of Babycham, sherbert fountains and flares as the “Ladies of First Caledonia” held a charity soiree.

With food, music and party games as well as outfits emphasising the 1970s theme the event raised nearly £600 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity.

Spam, Smash, Findus crispy pancakes and vol-au-vents filled with chunky chicken were on the menu.

Everyone was given a gift bag containing SSAFA-themed items, sherbert fountains, Dib Dabs, Wotsits and other Seventies treats.

The money raised, which included gift aid and a First match-funding contribution of £200, will be passed to the Glasgow branch of SSAFA to benefit veterans, serving personnel or their families living in the area.

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True story videos analyse cause of accidents FOUR drivers involved in road traffic accidents have retold their stories to help others avoid similar situations.

The short films use CCTV footage to analyse what went wrong and then apply Smiths principles – rules which when applied can help drivers drive more safely and avoid collisions – to show how safer driving practice would have helped in each scenario.

The campaign reinforces the five Smiths principles of Aim High ® In Steering, Get The Big Picture ®, Keep Your Eyes Moving ®, Leave Yourself An Out ® and Make Sure They See You ®, which are known to reduce accidents when kept at the front of drivers’ minds. ● Look out for the videos on betterjourneysforlife.com and on leaflets and screens around the depots.

Simple, smart and seamless plan for future VERYONE at First Bus is being urged to place a new focus on customer service to build a more successful future for all.

Research is underway to help the company understand customers’ changing expectations of public transport and develop services which fit.

At the heart of the drive is the plan to make everything the company does to look after its customers simple, smart and seamless.

Discussions with customers, employees and even people who don’t use the bus has shown a clear need for improved information, easier access, more reliable services and a better customer experience all round.

First Bus Commercial Director Mark Powles said better use of technology and more relevant information would help customers integrate bus transport into bigger journeys, which might start

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and finish by bike, on foot or in a taxi.

And he said everyone had a role to play in building customers’ trust of services, vehicles and staff to push bus travel up their list of priorities.

Mark said: “Feedback from the research will be shared with colleagues in April and we will use it to prioritise action to create a better customer experience.”

He said everything from providing better technology and information to cleaner buses and giving a friendly smile and welcome to the bus would make a difference in making sure more customers choose the bus as part of their journey.

Moves are already underway to achieve this.

Two existing apps, for mTicketing and journey information, will be relaunched later this year in a new, improved single app.

A huge investment in new

Travel Shop Assistant Vanessa Cooke helps customers Susan Tatton, centre, and Ann Newton, at the travel shop in Stoke-on-Trent bus station. vehicles will continue this year, with more double deckers being introduced on key routes. And work has started on developing smart, modern new uniforms, with employees being consulted on design and practicality.

Mark said: “I see huge opportunities to be more customer focused, to improve customer numbers and revenues, and this drives the profit we need to continue to invest in First Bus and its employees.”

Bring the page to life with our exciting mobile app

Download our free First Scotland AR app from the app store.

YOUFIRST I SPRING 2016

Scan the photo or logo where you see the ‘Scan Here’ marker.

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

Nominate now for Awards 2016 HUNDREDS of nominations have already been received for this year’s First Bus excellence awards.

The awards will recognise outstanding achievement where First Bus people have excelled over the last year, gone above and beyond and done a fantastic job.

Any employee can nominate colleagues for an award across 15 categories.

To nominate visit firstgroup.com/excellence awards, pick a category; nominate a colleague or a team; write a few words about why they should win; and click submit.

For each nomination received, First Bus will donate £5 to Prostate Cancer UK. In the last year First Group has donated over £350,000 to its Charity of Choice.

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GILLIAN MULHOLLAND, Forward Allocator at Blantyre depot, who has worked for First Glasgow for 10 years, takes time out to answer our questions.

What do you like most about your job?

Every day is different – the schedules always need revising to take account of different factors, so that everything balances.

What is your most valuable possession?

My family. I have been with my partner for more than 27 years and have two children, 17-year-old Liam and 25-year-old Nicolle, who both still live at home.

What do you do in your spare time?

I like to help with my son’s football team, the under-17s at Carbrain Boys Club in Cumbernauld. I help to organise the excursions, booking the travel arrangements, and I also help with fundraising. I enjoy long walks to the Carron Dam with my dog, a three-year-old Staffie called Fluke.

If you had a time machine what period would you go back to?

I would love to experience the 17th century when the pace of life was much slower – no mobile phones or TVs.

Gillian Mulholland at her desk in Blantyre depot.

Favourite film?

I watch a range of movies from adventure to comedy. Recently I especially enjoyed American Sniper directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper, about a US military marksman in the Iraq War. What is your favourite music?

I enjoy all current pop music. Pink is a special favourite and

I went to see her in concert at the Hampden Park stadium.

Which famous people, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party?

I would invite Kevin Bridges, the Scottish comedian, because he is very funny.

Also Neil Lennon, the former Celtic captain and manager. I have met him a few times and he always has time for you. He would give me the inside story about the club and he also likes to have a laugh.

What is your favourite place in the world?

Although I have previously enjoyed holidays in Spain and Tunisia, I am looking forward to going to New York with friends in May. We want to see a show – and we have already decided where we are going to do our shopping!

What did you want to do when you were a child?

I wanted to be in the police force.

What is the best piece of advice ever given to you?

Always think positively – given to me by my parents.

Aiming to persuade train users to travel by bus FIRST Glasgow’s simpliCITY network is at the forefront of a marketing campaign to persuade train users to switch to using the bus instead.

Research has indicated that some of the simpliCITY services have a strong competitive

advantage when compared to trains going into the city centre.

With the aim of getting train travellers to trial using the bus, free Glasgow City Day tickets have been handed out at key stations at peak times.

Newspaper advertisements

have raised awareness of value for money, frequency and connectivity.

Follow-up emails have been sent to customers who opted into receiving more

communications when redeeming their free day tickets.

Getting people to make the “modal shift” from train to bus will result in revenue and passenger growth across the First Glasgow network.

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12 NEWS Drivers Ian Graham, left, and Davie O’Hara with the First Bus book which included their short stories.

New showers are a boon for gym users FITNESS enthusiasts are welcoming the new showers which have just come on stream at the new Caledonia Three Bothy.

New gym equipment acquired at Parkhead depot just before it closed has been transferred to the East End facility and drivers are flocking to use it.

“The showers, which were the last element of the building to be enabled, mean that people can now go through their fitness regimes and freshen up before going out on shift,” said Albert Barr, one of the Staff Managers for the Bothy alongside colleague Stephen Connolly.

“We are inheriting a lot of drivers, both male and female, who were keen users of the gym at Parkhead and want to continue using the weights and cross trainers.”

Accolade for leadership

Story tellers take to

the airwaves WO Scotstoun drivers took to BBC Radio Four’s airwaves to wax lyrical about their award-winning entries in the First Bus short story competition.

Davie O’Hara and Ian Graham contributed to a half-hour programme called Bus Lines which was broadcast at the start of the year and is still to be found on BBC iPlayer.

Ian, who has been a Trade Union Learning Rep for 10 years, said: “We got a call at the end of last year asking us if we’d like to go over to Caledonia to record some interviews with Radio Four. We each spent about half an hour talking about the competition and our stories – mine was called The New Swimming Pool.

“The programme makers spoke to First staff

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from Wales and England too so I suppose we all had a wee bit of fame.”

Davie’s story was a “there but for the grace of God” tale about a down and out he had spotted while driving in the city centre.

“I’d felt pity,” said Davie. “It was when the short stories were in vogue. Ian told me it would make a good story and to get my pen out. When we did the radio interviews I felt a bit intimidated but just sat down and had a bit of a blether.”

Ian added: “We’ve entered loads of stories over the years. It’s great fun writing at your leisure, using your imagination and coming up with ideas.

We now have a calendar competition in its place but you never know, we might introduce the stories again and get everyone writing.”

CALEDONIA Operations Manager Willie Wood received an accolade for the way he leads by example at the BeFirst Awards presented

by FirstGroup at a ceremony in Manchester.

Willie, who has been at the helm of the transition from Larkfield to Caledonia becoming Europe’s biggest depot, was given an Individual Award in the Setting the Highest Standards category.

His nomination highlighted the way he goes above and beyond the call of duty, constantly demonstrating the best way of doing things. Willie maintains effective relationships with staff by operating an open door policy, ensuring colleagues are not afraid to raise issues.

Have you got news for us?

IF you have any stories for the next issue of YouFirst, or would like to send comments, please email Emma Latimer on emma.latimer@firstgroup.com and put “You First” in the subject box.