May 05 2020
Matt Davies, Managing Director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire, writes for CPT about the vital role all bus workers have in keeping essential services running.
I’m proud to be heading up Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire, which is providing such a vital service during what is undoubtedly a national emergency. Our services are helping key workers get to their essential jobs, from fruit and vegetable factory workers to hospital staff and care home employees. However, we wouldn’t be in a position to provide this service without all of our frontline and support staff so I’m delighted to be able to take part in today’s celebration of our bus workers.
Bus services are crucial at the best of times but right now they are even more important than ever. It has been inspiring to hear stories from our passengers of bus workers going out of their way to help those going to work or to allow them to deliver food to a friend or family member who is self-isolating. We have seen first-hand how grateful people are with our bus drivers getting thank you notes and even given easter eggs.
It’s important to remember though that while our passengers might often only see our drivers, all bus workers are playing a role in ensuring these stories can be told
As we move through the Covid-19 pandemic our services will become even more important in helping to kick start the economy by getting people back to work or to see family and friends after an extended period. I hope that this will mean we start to see even greater recognition across the country of what the fantastic people who make up the bus industry deliver for the nation. Be it drivers, cleaners, engineers, schedulers or the array of our other support staff you are all vital to both our success now and in the future and the nation’s fight against Covid-19.
As we celebrate bus worker support day, we want to have some fun and cheer up our customers during what is a difficult time for us all. We’ll be encouraging our key workers to get noticed by wearing fancy dress for the day and I’ll be joining our team by dressing up myself.
Thank you to all of our bus workers behind the wheel, spanner, fuel pump, mop, keyboard, telephone or computer for all you are doing and continue to do. #ThankYouBusWorkers.