Winter brings several challenges for the coach and bus sector.
For bus operators, passenger numbers – and thus revenue – drop off in December as commuters finish for the festive period and students end the school term. The start of January is usually sluggish too, as people conclude their Christmas holidays and eventually drag themselves back to work a few days later.
For all operators, winter brings with it several ailments that drive higher levels of staff sickness and work coverage pressures.
Some operators now offer employees fully funded flu jabs. Others shy away from that, pointing at the potential liabilities of offering a funded flu jab to someone whose medical history might not allow for it.
Good cab and workplace cleanliness and sanitation is a strong place to start to combat as much winter absence as possible, but it is not possible to prevent all of it.
Businesses that run a January to December holiday year sometimes find that untaken annual leave piles up in December unless well-managed through the calendar year, resulting in a glut of employees wanting time off then.
For operators with less work in December, that may be a slight blessing (as opposed to having to consider standing people spare), but it is not the case for all.
Then there is the weather. Winter temperatures often sink below zero, bringing the hazards of frozen yards, walkways, steps, etc, and the associated risk of employee injury. Having a topped-up saltbox is essential; a winter weather plan is a vital tool to have on the shelf, ready to be dusted off when the first warning of subzero temperatures arrives.
Grit for walkways, de-icer for screens, road salt for depots and regular reminders for employees about potentially slippery conditions are all essential – and, of course, someone up your sleeve to handle passenger communications if snowfall affects service delivery.
Keep your customers and stakeholders regularly updated and do not let external (or internal) communication take a back seat.
Schools often close at short notice when inclement weather arrives. That brings another round of internal and external communications to look after, notwithstanding that management decisions may need to be taken in respect of individual routes affected by snow and ice where it simply is not safe to operate.
Automated bus washes tend to turn themselves off when temperatures reach a certain point to prevent pipes from freezing and cracking. That means the fleet very quickly looks dirty and grimy.
Generally, the lighter the colour of the bus, the sooner it will look dirty. Whites and yellows fare worst. Jet washes and pressure washers are a good fallback, so it is always worth making sure that they are in good repair before the winter season.
If none of these options exist, something must be put in place to ensure that the vital elements of vehicles are washed: Windscreens and other cab windows, lights, legal lettering, etc.
There are, of course, a lot of positives that winter brings. Seasonal holidays and tours and Christmas market trips generate group travel bookings and there are often several staff parties catered for by coach operators.
Rail replacement work is usually fairly buoyant in winter too, as trains suffer from the same issues as road transport but are less adaptable – i.e., a rail replacement coach can divert around one snowy town, but trains not so much.
A closing thought: Winter is not an unexpected novelty. It is routine, so plan for it and make sure that everyone is briefed on their involvement and requirements – with employee and passenger safety always at the forefront of decisions and plans.
