Bus firm wins award for helping NHS workers during Covid pandemic
STAGECOACH CONNECT APP SCOOPS TOP ACCOLADE
A LOCAL bus company has won an award for its effort supporting key workers during the pandemic.
Stagecoach East Midlands has won the Outstanding Partnership Award at the annual UK Bus and Coach Awards for its Stagecoach Connect initiative.
The scheme used a new app that allowed NHS workers to pre-book their travel to and from work by selecting the nearest bus stop they wished to be picked up from. It also allowed them to track their bus and get confirmation when it was nearby.
The dedicated service helped NHS staff get to work at local hospitals safely during the pandemic and gave them more control and freedom when commuting. IT was developed from concept to delivery in just two weeks to aid the Covid-19 response.
Stagecoach East Midlands worked closely with the Diana, Princess of Wales Grimsby Hospital (Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust) and North East Lincolnshire Council on the scheme, before its launch in May 2020.
Matt Cranwell, managing director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to have the Stagecoach Connect app recognised at the annual UK Bus and Coach Awards.
“The app was one way in which Stagecoach East Midlands were able to support our brilliant NHS staff with getting to and from their shifts safely and give them more peace of mind when it came to commuting during an extremely challenging time.
“We continue to look for ways to support our local NHS staff and key workers in Grimsby and want to thank our partners at the Diana, Princess of Wales Grimsby Hospital, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust, North East Lincolnshire Council and Via for their help in launching the initiative.”
Sally Yates, logistics and waste manager at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust are delighted that the Stagecoach Connect App has been recognised at the UK Bus and Coach Awards.
“The service that Stagecoach and the app provided to our staff during the height of the pandemic was instrumental to helping our staff get to work in a safe and timely manner, the app was very well received and allowed the site to remain staffed, ensuring that we could continue to provide the necessary care to our patients during this unprecedented time.”
Chris Snyder, CEO of Europe at Via, which developed the app, said: “Via is thrilled that Stagecoach East Midlands was recognised for its leadership in innovative transportation at this year’s UK Bus and Coach Awards.
“Stagecoach Connect is a prime example of how tech-enabled, ondemand transportation services can be scaled quickly to support essential workers and grow to keep a community thriving.”
We continue to look for
ways to support our local NHS staff and key
workers.
Matt Cranwell