First Bus has announced a partnership with Strut Safe, a volunteer-run support line that provides reassurance to those travelling or walking alone.
The collaboration will see Strut Safe’s contact number promoted on 500 digital screens and posters across First’s fleet of over 2,200 buses, which cover Scotland, the Midlands, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, West of England and South West England.
The information will also be accessible via the First Bus app, shared across its social media channels and distributed to its customer database.
Strut Safe operates between 1900hrs and 0300hrs on Fridays and Saturdays and from 1900hrs to 0100hrs on Sundays. It offers “non-judgmental phone support” for any individual making their way home.
Additional funding from First Bus will see the service expand its hours to cover Thursday evenings too. The operator’s employees are being briefed on the new service to promote awareness and equip staff to become advocates for passenger safety.
Says Dee Harrison, MBE, Head of Health and Safety at First Bus: “At First Bus we are passionate about making a difference for our customers. The care we have for our passengers doesn’t stop when they step off the bus, and our new partnership with Strut Safe demonstrates our commitment to our customers.
“By working with Strut Safe, we aim to raise awareness of this fantastic organisation as well as offer our customers the chance to feel supported on every step of their journey.”
Rho Chung, Director of Communications at Strut Safe, adds: “We are so excited to be partnering with First Bus, making our service accessible to more people across the country and helping them feel safe from bus door to front door. The generous donation from First Bus means we can extend our opening hours to Thursday evenings in the near future, allowing us to provide more reassurance to passengers in need during their travels.”
