Press Releases

Simon Pearson, Chief Commercial Officer at First Bus, comments on customer centricity; what it looks like in practice, and how changing perceptions is central to bus becoming a bigger part of the transport mix.

• First Bus have awarded a contract to fully convert 12 Optare Versa buses from existing EV Generation one system to Equipmake’s Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED)
• Conversion work underway on the first Versa bus at Equipmake’s headquarters in Snetterton, Norfolk
• The first of the 12 buses is expected to be back in operation on the roads of York in November
• Equipmake’s patented HVAC system will have a guaranteed range of 150 miles in all UK weather conditions for the upgraded York fleet

• First Bus data shows half of UK adults would take the bus more often if they knew that decision would have a direct positive impact on the environment.
• No parking hassles (45%), saving money (36%) and protecting the environment (29%) are three biggest benefits of choosing bus travel.
• 47% of Brits who live in London agree that taking the bus helps with their mental health more than other modes of transport

• McGill’s Group will take ownership of the business from 19^th September
• Both businesses pledge to put all staff and customers at the forefront of their plans

• First Bus and Optibus have been working in partnership since 2018 to develop technological solutions that improve the lives of their frontline staff.
• Optibus’ advanced AI system allows the two parties to discover efficiencies and improve roster design and shift patterns for frontline staff.
• The Optibus system has been rolled out across the entire First Bus UK operations, supporting dozens of schedulers managing 4,000 vehicles across the UK.

• Largest ever UK EV bus order outside of London
• UK-built buses will secure green jobs in the UK
• Includes introduction of world’s most efficient double-decker buses
• A total investment of £81m in new Zero Emission vehicles to support bus services across England split between First Bus and the Department for Transport.

FIrst Bus announce new Partnerships Director

• Shifting journeys from car to bus and coach once a month could save millions of tons of C02e emissions
• Half of Brits would take the bus more if services were better
• Just one fully loaded bus can take 75 cars off the road

Gareth Hind, Head of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) at First Bus, discusses the importance of ED&I, First Bus’s plans to build a work culture that supports ED&I, and why it’s necessary to make small incremental changes to make a difference.

Isabel McAllister recently completed First Bus’ new exec team when she joined First Bus as Chief Sustainability and Compliance Officer, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of sustainability from her time in the built environment sector. For International Women in Engineering Day, she reflects on what she wants women who are considering joining the industry to know, and why it’s so important to improve gender diversity in STEM.

A crack team of cyclists from First Bus have raised over £10k for Action for Children, following a monumental bike ride challenge from London to Paris.

Glasgow is now home to the UK’s largest electric vehicle (EV) rapid-charging centre as First Bus completes the major transformation of its flagship Caledonia depot.