Leadership & Inspiration Award

Winner, Gold Award, Jim Thorpe – Uno Bus

Managing Director Jim Thorpe is an entrepreneurial and compassionate leader who inspires and motivates his team at Uno Bus to deliver a service that keeps the customer as its central focus. He is dedicated to creating innovative solutions and to advance customer satisfaction, which has stimulated passenger growth. Over the past two years he has secured a ú3.5m investment for new buses, on board enhancements and refurbishments. He has lifted customer satisfaction scores to an average of 95% across his network and many routes are now showing double digit growth. He has coupled this investment with a culture change programme led by his innovative ‘People Against Ordinary’ initiative.

Winner, Silver Award, Michael Gatenby – Arriva Yorkshire

Operations Manager Mick Gatenby faced his biggest challenge over the last 18 months as he almost single handedly keep Arriva Yorkshire’s Selby depot afloat. The garage was struggling financially following a number of tender cuts, and a dip in patronage and revenue. Something radical had to be done to keep the depot open and turn things around. The drivers agreed to take a pay cut to help ensure the long term future for their much loved depot, but almost 50% of the 67 strong team of drivers decided to leave. This could have proved disastrous, but one man kept things running through grim determination and commitment to his team. Mick Gatenby not only managed to recruit and retain enough drivers to replace the exodus of leavers, but he also managed to not lose any mileage for staff shortages. Mick is a local Selby lad who didn’t want to let the people of Selby down and worked tirelessly nearly seven days a week, often up to 10-12 hours a day, to keep everything running smoothly. Mick is a much loved and very popular manager who regularly goes above and beyond what is expected of him.

Winner, Bronze Award, Oliver Monahan – Arriva Southern Counties

Joining Arriva Kent and Surrey in late February 2017, Oliver Monahan had had no previous experience in the bus industry and has been a breath of fresh air. Breaking all the rules traditionally used by seasoned bus professionals, Oliver has turned a struggling business in a state of managed decline into a streamlined and efficient operation that activity seeks out new opportunities. Taking the lead across the business, Oliver drove a new multi-million pound depot in Tunbridge Wells from conception to opening in only eight months. He has driven profitability and formed new and exciting relationships with local authorities and external stakeholders. Oliver is approachable and thinks on his feet. He also develops the people around him taking them forward with him and has driven a greatly improved public image for Arriva in the area.