Amazing turnaround of Derby bus depot from 'dark days' of past

Arriva says customers rarely complain after a complete overhaul of its Ascot Drive base

A bus operator's Derby HQ has undergone a complete turnaround from the "dark days" of the past to becoming one of the best in the UK - and it says customers now rarely complain. Arriva says its depot in Ascot Drive is "completely different" to the low point of 2017 - and has cited a lack of complaints and happy staff as proof.

The depot was recently announced as a finalist in the UK Bus Awards in the category of Top National Depot despite once making a loss, with budgets overspent, low customer satisfaction and an "eye-watering" staff turnover. But today, it deems itself among the "best in the business".

A spokesperson for Arriva said: "A combined team of 240 dedicated public transport champions ensure bus passengers of Derby are well-served on the 2.6 million miles of passenger journeys made in and around the city each year. This is a depot that has turned its fortunes around and is now in the top flight.

"The depot is leading the way for Arriva and for other bus operators as an example of how a depot can go from zero to hero. In 2024, the depot is much different to the dark days of 2017, with every business target being smashed."

It has cited low lost mileage, high punctuality, stable staff levels and rare complaints from customers as prime factors for the business's success. Derby’s site manager Raj Chander took a pragmatic approach to the depot’s previous problems and has been key in its sharp turnaround. One of his main objectives in driving growth has been to "put people first".

Raj puts employee engagement at the top of the list and makes sure every member of the team knows why they do what they do and where they fit in making bus transport the top choice for people. A welfare committee organises days out for employees from anything from a trip to Skegness to an afternoon of axe-throwing to boost employee engagement.

Raj said: “It’s a great place to work now and we’re constantly building on every success. I manage this depot with total transparency – we faced up to things when things were going badly and I still rely on transparency to get the job done, but now that means praising people for their efforts and rewarding a job well done.

“In turn that makes people feel valued and that is really important. I have a great team of people who really care about all playing their part in making the depot even better. I am thrilled for the team that we've made the shortlist for the UK Bus Awards."

Arriva employs around 34,000 people across Europe and delivers around 1.6 billion passenger journeys across 10 countries. The UK Bus Awards finals will be held in London in November.