First Bus has topped the tables at this year’s IRTE Bus & Coach Skills Challenge – becoming the most successful operator at the event.

Scooping the top prize in the Bodywork Technician, Mechanical Technician and Master Technician categories, First Bus also took home three runners-up awards alongside the Judges’ Choice award.

First Bus and its trade union partner, Unite the Union, have reached a ground-breaking new learning agreement to improve opportunities for frontline colleagues across the business.

Born out of the National Joint Consultative Forum (NJCF), this new partnership sees a significant investment from First Bus, creating six learning centre hubs for its frontline colleagues across its UK operations.

A further six satellite sites will also be created to ensure every frontline colleague has access to a learning centre.

First Bus has officially become a Period Positive Workplace, supplying free period products to its colleagues. 

The transport sector is traditionally a male-dominated one, but this accreditation is another milestone for one of the UK’s largest bus operators, as it continues to improve gender equality across its business. The initiative is also part of a wider strategy to attract more women than ever before to First Bus, as it aims to diversify its workforce and become more reflective of the communities it serves. 

Following the full electrification of its commercial bus fleets in York, Leicester and Norwich, First Bus has today (Wednesday, August 28) announced that these three sites are now verified net zero-emission depots and are amongst the first in the country to achieve this milestone.

The depots have built on the progress of their fully electric commercial bus fleets by investing in the necessary additional carbon reduction requirements to claim net zero status. 

First Bus recently welcomed its latest cohort of engineering apprentices to its training academy at Reaseheath College in Cheshire – the UK’s first dedicated bus and coach engineering facility.  

The new wave of apprentices kick-started their induction with a team-building activity and talk from First Bus’ Director of Engineering Excellence, Chris Remnant – followed by a tour of the training academy. 

Bus operator First Bus is offering free travel for all veterans and UK Armed Forces personnel travelling to Remembrance Day activities on Remembrance Sunday (Sunday 10th November) and Armistice Day (Monday 11th November). 

To be eligible for a free return journey, veterans and military personnel can either wear their military uniform or show the bus driver their Service ID card. 

London, UK - 06 November 2024 – First Bus, one of the UK’s leading bus operators and global travel tech company FlixBus today announce a new five-year partnership, bringing eight new or expanded FlixBus coach routes across the UK next year - another move that signals First Bus’ commitment to growing the business and diversifying its services.

First Bus, one of the UK’s largest bus operators, and Centrica, the international energy and services company, are today announcing a major new partnership. The collaboration will see Centrica secure access to First Bus’ rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at bus depots nationwide.

This innovative new deal sees Centrica join the ranks of Openreach, DPD and Police Scotland, plugging into this shared infrastructure initiative from First Bus.

Due to a road traffic collision on Privett Road in Gosport all 9 9A services are currently diverting.

Diverting via Jellicoe Avenue and Stokes Bay in both directions. 

Bramley services are experiencing heavy delays.