The Omnibus Society has invited operators, their employees and passengers to share their experiences of the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. The work will form part of a project that the Society has christened The COVID Journey and it will “create a record for future generations” of how the coach and bus industry and its people navigated the period.
The Society is looking for personal stories that are funny, moving inspirational “and everything in between.” The project asks operators and individuals to share those experiences, with a hope that as many insights as possible can be captured to create “a unique road passenger industry COVID jigsaw.”
Omnibus Society President and Go North East Managing Director Martijn Gilbert says: “The pandemic has had a massive impact on the world of passenger transport and the people who work within it.
“Transport’s key workers, and the companies that they represent, have had to adapt to many challenges. That has driven change in many areas, including some positives, and there is no doubt a whole lot more to come, but now seems like a good time for us all the reflect on our work and to document and celebrate this.”
Details on how to contribute can be found on the Omnibus Society website. It is offering a prize of £500 for the best submission and £250 for second place. All submissions will be stored as a resource at the Bus Archive and they will be available to those interested in looking back at this period of social history in the future. The Society also hopes that a selection will be published.
