Black Country bus drivers to compete in final of UK Bus Driver of the Year
Three bus drivers for National Express West Midlands have made it through to the finals of the UK Bus Driver of the Year competition.
Liam Manuell from Wolverhampton, David Mulrooney from West Bromwich, and Lee Grantham from Acocks Green will compete next month for the chance to be crowned the Bus Driver of the Year.
14 bus drivers from nine different depots were recently put through their paces in the region’s biggest bus operator’s local qualifying round.
They completed a series of driving challenges, a bus simulator test and they also undertook a hazard perception test, with Lee, Liam, and David receiving the top scores on the day.
On September 3, the three Midlands drivers will compete in the national final in Blackpool, where the competition has been held since 1982.
This isn’t Lee’s first stint at the Bus Driver of the Year final, as he secured a spot in the UK competition last year too.
Lee said: "I’m over the moon to be going to the final again. This is the award every bus driver wants to win, so thank you to the training team for supporting us to take part."
Jenny Tocknell, UK head of engineering and operational safety at National Express, said: "National Express West Midlands drivers are some of the safest in the country. They play a vital role with the highest standards of service for our customers, helping them get to where they need to be.
"We’re really proud that we’ve got three brilliant drivers taking part in this year’s UK final and would like to wish the best of luck to Lee, Liam and David for September 3. We are all keeping our fingers crossed!"
National Express West Midlands’ is hoping one of their drivers brings home the trophy, having recently celebrated 130 Master Drivers and 15 Elite Drivers at the company.
The company’s award-winning Master Driver programme recognises excellence in driving, measuring the performance of drivers and identifying those with an impeccable safety record and outstanding driving and customer service skills.
Master Drivers must have achieved a grade A on their National Express West Midlands’ driver profile, 100 per cent in their most recent driving evaluation, completed the Institute of Advanced Motorists course, and have a clear record.
This year the company introduced a new tier called Elite Drivers, celebrating those Master Drivers who demonstrate high performance year after year.
With 17 years of dedicated service, Danielle Weekes recently became the company’s first-ever female Elite Driver.
Danielle’s journey is testament to her hard work, positive work ethic, and unwavering commitment to keep developing her skills. And not only that, but she’s been tackling gender stereotypes along the way too.
In the early stages of her career, Danielle says she faced sceptics who questioned her capabilities as a female bus driver. Recalling those moments, she said:
"Passengers would approach me and doubt my abilities, questioning if I knew what I was doing."
Remaining calm and composed, drawing strength from her training and the knowledge that she had successfully passed the required tests, Danielle took it all in her stride and has since expressed a profound sense of satisfaction at achieving Elite Driver status.
She said: "Being able to prove people wrong brings me great joy. Looking back at those situations and receiving Elite Driver status makes me truly believe I have done just that.
"My mum is my biggest supporter, and she is immensely proud of how far I've come in my career."
