Independent audit finds Go North East has best driving standards in the country

An independent audit of passenger services provided by Go North East has praised the quality of driving and found the bus operator to be one of the best in the country.

The audit was carried out by three ‘seasoned bus travellers’ from independent passenger watchdog, Bus Users UK, who reported that they had ‘never encountered such consistently high driving standards anywhere in the country.’

The audit looked at all aspects of the customer experience when using Go North East’s services from timekeeping and the condition of the buses to cleanliness at bus stops and bus stations and driver behaviour.

Go North East drivers scored a high of 82% for their overall driving standards which looked at everything from driving at the correct speed to smooth braking and pulling in close to bus stops. Drivers were also found to be considerate towards passengers and smartly dressed.

Punctuality of services also scored highly with 69% of journeys leaving on time or up to only a minute late or early.

The assessors were impressed with the number of high standard, modern, low floor newer buses and gave high scores overall for the bright, comfortable and welcoming bus interiors.

In addition to the high levels of service provided by the buses, the audit found that the quality of passenger waiting areas and passenger information were high, particularly in areas where Nexus has responsibility.

Standards of cleanliness were found to be good at 76% of bus stops and bus stations, shelters were provided at 96% of stops and seats at 88%. A total of 92% of stops were deemed to be good in relation to passenger convenience and lighting was provided at 85% of locations.

Areas where Go North East were thought capable of better performance included improved customer care training for drivers; replacing mid-life vehicles and including route maps in leaflets and on their website.

Martin Harris, Commercial Director with Go North East said, “Since the audit was carried out we have addressed most of the ‘could do better’ observations, for example introducing a customer care course, equivalent to NVQ Level 2, for all our driving staff; undertaking a programme of replacement for mid-life vehicles and improving our timetable and leaflet standards with the addition of route maps and other supporting passenger information.”

Gavin Booth, Chairman of Bus Users UK said, “We were greatly impressed when we took a close look at Go North East from the passengers’ point of view. Of course, it wasn’t perfect – no bus company is – but passengers are getting a pretty good deal and any problems identified can easily be fixed. Overall, we were very happy with what we saw.”

The Bus Users UK audit was carried out over a six week period between February and March this year, covering just over 100 separate bus services across Go North East’s operating area. To make sure of a representative sample, the assessors travelled on a variety of services including weekdays, weekends, early mornings and late evenings.