Yellow Buses has been named as a finalist in the prestigious 2019 UK Bus Awards – the ‘Oscars of the bus industry’.
The Bournemouth-based, locally-owned bus company has been shortlisted in the marketing initiative category in the UK’s premier public transport awards scheme.
The nomination is for the marketing campaign undertaken last year when the company swapped its route names back from letters to numbers and simplified the network.
The successful campaign, communicated using the strapline ‘Easy as 1-2-3’, reached the final following a robust judging process and despite intense competition from across the country.
Yellow Buses Managing Director David Squire said: “I’m really proud of all the team for delivering a fantastic marketing campaign and to all of our staff for delivering a superb product day in, day out.
“The changes we implemented made a hugely positive difference for the 15 million passengers across the Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset areas that rely on our punctual, reliable and affordable high frequency network.
“And the way the changes were delivered to our passengers through traditional and modern methods really captured the imagination – hence our shortlisting for the bus industry ‘Oscars’.”
Yellow Buses had to demonstrate that the campaign got the message across about services to the target market through advertising, PR activity or sales promotion schemes and had to show it created an impact, won ‘hearts and minds’ and created or developed a strong brand or improved the image of bus travel.
The winners will be announced during a glittering lunchtime ceremony on Tuesday, November 19 at The Troxy, an art deco former cinema now converted into an events venue in Stepney, east London.
Launched in 1996 and revamped in 2005, the UK Bus Awards recognise excellence and outstanding achievement in the bus industry and are operated and financed by an independent not-for-dividend company, the Bus Industry Awards Ltd.
Yellow Buses operates a fleet of 140 buses and 16 coaches with more than 410 staff. The fleet covers almost five million miles a year, calling at 1,000 bus stops.
Yellow Buses was acquired by its management team – David Squire, Managing Director; Simon Newport, Commercial Director and Phil Pannell, Service Delivery Director – from RATP Dev in a management buyout in July 2019 for an undisclosed sum.