Travel & Tourism Awards 2021

www.lux-review.com Page 7 LUX 2021 Travel & Tourism Awards A transport company with a focus on social responsibility and the building of an excellent internal culture, Northern Travel Services is becoming a true force for good in its industry. NorthernTravel Services Best Minibus Driver Training Company - Northern England Feb21133 A company founded in and operating out of Leeds in the UK, Northern Travel Services provides mini coach, minibus, and full-size coach hire services throughout the UK. Its clients vary greatly, serving a wide variety of sectors from airport transfers and costal trips to meetings and music festivals. All of these and more form a diverse customer base, and Northern Travel Services rise to meet their demands every time. This business also provides regular contract services for local institutions and organisations that make of both its mini coach and minibus vehicles. Both vehicles are adapted to be wheelchair friendly, making its services accessible. It takes great pride in being a ‘complete passenger transport company’, and in all its operations, it strives to put the customer first. By keeping sight of the person-first mentality when it comes to serving its clients, it ensures that every customer feels valued and seeks to cater to the specific needs of the task at hand. Its contracted transport services are also in high demand, and such things include school transport, patient transport, leisure and event transport, emergency transport, and rail replacement. Its business model is such that a potential client need not commit to anything until they have filled in a form on its website to receive a free quote. As well as providing exemplary transportation services, it also provides MiDAS minibus driver training in partnership with Link Community Services. Link Community Services is a social responsibility non-profit organisation that seeks to create a fairer society, one focusing on facilitating the safety and equal treatment of all people in the community. Northern Travel Services works in tandem with Link Community Services, allowing it to support its service users with transport links that would otherwise be unavailable to them. These include offering training services that teach service users to drive minibuses and therefore vastly increase their opportunities. It delivers these bespoke minibus driver awareness training programmes throughout the year, and the achievement of the MiDAS certificate allows a person to rent and safely drive any of the minibuses in its fleet – MiDAS is the national standard for both the voluntary and public sector. Its MiDAS training is delivered by experienced tutors have had years of practical experience behind the wheel of large transportation vehicles. The course consists of classroom sessions and separate individual driving assessments, including the teaching of what legal responsibilities one should have in the driving of a minibus as well as the practicalities. The certification lasts four years upon successful completion. Between its staff, Northern Travel Services have 50 years of joint experience in the coach and bus industry, and so have an intuitive and empathic understanding of what its customers seek. It has also taken on board the lessons of several learning curves over the course of its existence. One such improvement to its services was moving from its previous headquarters in an industrial complex to a relaxed, homely environment that gives it a comforting and friendly atmosphere. Its brand-new home base, once an old riding school, has been converted into offices that are comfortable for visitors and staff. Additionally, the equine denizens that used to use the school are still nearby, making for excellent neighbours. Its staff is the core of the operation. With a forward thinking and innovative team that wants nothing more than to make a difference in the community, it cultivates an internal culture of free thinkers with can-do attitudes. Training is also something that this company has a constant focus on, forever seeking to better its services – in this way, its staff benefit from upskilling that benefits their entire careers. It has also created an internal professional development system which allows its staff to grow within the business and outside of it. The pandemic put significant pressure on 90% of its operations, and it has been a tough year for Northern Travel Services. However, even as its revenue streams were being hit hard and the future was uncertain, it came together as a team to figure out a solution. The response it put into action was securing a new contract with the NHS as part of the children’s multidisciplinary 0-19 home visiting teams. Drivers were enrolled on further specific training to help them understand and manage Covid-19 safety procedures. Going forward, it intends to help Britain get back on its feet by supporting the travel industry with a fantastic schedule of tours for the Summer of 2021. Company: Northern Travel Services Contact: Nixi Jhakra Website: www.northerntravelservices.co.uk