- Public thank bus and coach workers for running essential services
- Public transport continues plays a vital role in the country’s efforts to beat COVID-19
Buses continue to deliver vital links for key workers and are crucial in connecting people with medical care, supermarkets and other essential places. Many local communities and groups have thanked Stagecoach Staff for their hard work.
Across West Scotland, drivers have been reporting various acts of kindness from passengers. In Annbank, Ayr, bus stops in the village have been decorated with rainbows and thank you messages for bus drivers, shop workers and NHS staff.
One local said, “It’s been nice to be able to show our appreciation for the hard work the key workers are doing during this tricky time. Living in a small village, a lot of us rely on public transport to get to town for work and essential shopping trips – so we wanted to say thank you to the Stagecoach staff.”
At the bus company’s Dumfries depot, the staff were treated to a donation of chocolate from the local Morrison’s supermarket, the message attached saying simply “Thank you, from one key worker to another.” As well as the chocolate treats, a ‘clap for key workers’ arranged by the depot was attended by local refuse collectors, emergency services including the police, fire service and ambulance crews, as well as local postal workers. The key workers all applauded, socially distanced from each other, at 8pm on a Thursday evening, to show their appreciation to the NHS and fellow key workers. Dumfries supervisor, Mark Wattret piped along with the applause, having also piped ‘the Battles O’er in tribute to the 75th Anniversary of VE Day earlier in the month.
In Cumbernauld, on the X19 service at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, a member of the public gifted driver Robert Turnbull a present as a thank you from the Children’s Ward of the hospital. The tag said, “You are a hero. Thank you!”
Across West Scotland, bus driver’s children have been colouring in, creating crafts and writing messages of support for their key worker parents. The bus company has been posting the thank you messages on their Twitter feed, along with the drawings of buses and rainbows. In Moffat, a rock decorated with a Stagecoach bus and a thank you message was left at a bus stop for the driver to find.
Stagecoach Managing Director for West Scotland, Fiona Doherty said: “There are thousands of bus and coach workers right across the country who are doing a fantastic job in helping to keep the country moving, ensuring links are available for key workers and other essential journeys.
I would like to add my heartfelt thanks to everybody who is working hard at this time to deliver these crucial transport links. We know from the positive feedback we’ve seen just how appreciative people are of everything we are doing.
Moving forward, buses in particular will be critical to the country’s recovery and re-starting our economy. We are working together with our industry partners and the government on the measures needed to support Britain’s most important mode of public transport, and on the steps to keep people safe and reassured.”
Stagecoach is strictly following government and public health guidelines, including those from the World Health Organisation, to keep its employees and customers safe. A number of extra measures have been put in place including:
- Asking passengers to pay by contactless wherever possible, or have the correct change for their journey if they can. Alternatively payments can be made online or via the App.
- Supplied thousands of bottles of personal hand sanitiser to employees with larger refill bottles at depots.
- Ensured that nearly all buses are fitted with security screens which have been adapted to provide a barrier to help prevent transmission of the virus.
- Launched an enhanced cleaning regime of buses and workplaces, which is being strictly adhered to and includes extensive cleaning of the key touch-points such as the ticket machines, hand poles, and cash tray.
- Carried out extensive customer communications asking people only to travel if necessary, and to practice social distancing by using a single row per person if possible, avoiding the two rows directly behind the driver and keeping a safe distance between the driver and other passengers.
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