Three bus drivers from Bangor are on the shortlist to be crowned as the ‘Arriva Busketeer’ for Wales – The bus driver that always goes that extra mile to show you how much they care.
Towards the end of last year Arriva asked for nominations of helpful, caring and committed bus drivers from across the UK. After careful consideration, judges have selected the top driving supremoes for each region and are now turning the decision back to the public to choose who you think should become your region’s number one champion.
The bus drivers from Arriva’s Bangor Depot are Amanda Young, Luke McCall and Michelle Spragg.
Name: Amanda Young
Depot: Bangor
Age: 42
Where are you from? Bethesda
Where do you live? Bethesda
Do you have any children? – Yes, I have a boy of 6
How long have you worked for Arriva: 12 years
Is this your first job with Arriva? Yes
What do you enjoy most about being a bus driver? Meeting all the different passengers, day in, day out
What did you want to be when you grew up? RAF pilot
What was your first job? I used to be in the Army
How do you feel about being nominated for a Made A Difference (MAD) award? I was really shocked – it was nice!
What would it mean to win the overall award? It would be great to get a bit of recognition
How do you think your passengers describe you? Chatty, friendly, helpful
What is your favourite route to drive? My favourite is the Holyhead service
How do you think the bus system helps your local community? The bus system helps a lot. We live in a rural area and it helps the elderly and the young.
Name: Luke McCall
Depot: Bangor
Age: 35
Where are you from? I was born in Southampton, but I have lived in North Wales since I was 2 years old.
Where do you live? Bangor
Do you have any children? Yes, I have 4. Two daughters aged 13 and 8 and two boys aged 12 and 6.
How long have you worked for Arriva? 10 years
Is this your first job with Arriva? Yes
What do you enjoy most about being a bus driver? I’ve always liked driving. I enjoy meeting new people and I get satisfaction from providing a smooth and safe journey for passengers.
What did you want to be when you grew up? An author
Have you had any previous careers – and why did you change? My first job was working in the warehouse in Pringles, Llanfairpwll. I moved on to retail management but as I was required to travel to several stores every few months. I looked for something closer to home. I’ve always liked driving and customer service so I thought I’d enjoy working for Arriva.
How do you feel about being nominated for a MAD award? It’s a great feeling. I never expected to be nominated.
What would it mean to win the overall award? It would feel great to be recognised.
How do you think your passengers describe you? I would like to think that they think I am always friendly and drive carefully. I always make sure they are sitting down before I move off.
What is your favourite route to drive? I like driving the 4/X4 between Bangor and Holyhead.
How do you think the bus system helps your local community? A lot of people rely on our buses to get to and from work or school/college. Also people such as the elderly or those without a licence to drive depend on us.
Name: Michelle Spragg
Depot: Bangor
Age: 39
Where are you from? Bangor
Where do you live? Llandegfan
Do you have any children? Yes, a daughter of 7
How long have you worked for Arriva? It will be 15 years this August.
Is this your first job with Arriva? Yes
What do you enjoy most about being a bus driver? Being with my passengers and being happy.
What did you want to be when you grew up? Bus driver
How do you feel about being nominated for a MAD award? Absolutely over the moon and ecstatic.
How do you think your passengers describe you? They love my driving. I never stop smiling, am always one of the best, go above and beyond and help them out the bus.
What is your favourite route to drive? It varies… probably the Llandudno route.
How do you think the bus system helps your local community? We provide a regular bus service, in and around the area and provide a good service.
To Vote CLICK HERE – Choose Wales and Vote for the driver you think should be crowned ‘Arriva Busketeer’ 2019 #VoteBangor
