Author: Metroline Comms

International Women’s Day (8^th March) was celebrated all week at Metroline Manchester, with events and celebrations throughout our depots. It also marked an important step in strengthening inclusion, representation, and support across our organisation as we officially launched our Women’s Network.

It kicked off on Wednesday 4^th March with a Lean in Circle exploring biases in hiring and the barriers that can impact women throughout their careers in transport. The conversation was open, reflective and full of constructive ideas about how we can create fairer, more accessible pathways for everyone.

Thursday 5^th March saw the second event focus on women’s safety when travelling across Greater Manchester. The room was full of energy as colleagues shared experiences, listened to different perspectives, and discussed how we can play a positive role in helping all women feel safe and supported when using our services.

Both sessions were uplifting and reminded us how powerful it is when people come together, women and allies alike from across the business, to learn from each other and commit to meaningful change.

We’re excited to announce a new Partnership with Embassy Village, a GM based charity that helps people break the cycle of homelessness by providing them a home, skills training and wraparound support. Their new purpose built site, opened this spring, is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester, and contains 40 modular homes, a community hub and more.

Our Regional CEO Patrick Sibley and Customer & Community Manager Bethany Whiting attended the launch event on 23rd February and saw the hard work of the Embassy Village team come to life. We’ve committed to part funding a support role for the next 3 years, with additional commitments for volunteering, careers advice and training opportunities for our drivers. We have also committed to support their residents into employment either in full time, permanent roles or short-term work experience opportunities.

Last week saw our first cohort of Level 5 Management Apprentices receive their diplomas at a special event following the successful completion of their apprenticeship with West London College. They were each presented with a certificate by Metroline CEO Sean O’Shea and West London College’s CEO and Principal Karen Redhead and  Assistant Principal Sajada Sajid spoke of the importance of continued education, and praising our apprentices for rising to the challenge.

Speaking about the success of the apprentices, Area Operations Director Nick Faichney who sponsors management apprenticeships at Metroline said: “Congratulations to our Level 5 Apprenticeship graduates who have achieved a 100% completion rate. As experienced transport managers, enrolling on a higher apprenticeship alongside their day job was challenging for many of them, but they persevered, and it has been greatly inspiring to see our managers gain new confidence in their abilities as they progressed through the course, and they should all feel incredibly proud. A special thanks also to West London College’s tutor Zara Bokhari, who guided the apprentices throughout the course and Daljit Bains, Director of Business Development for his support in developing this strong partnership.”

We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Down’s Syndrome Manchester! Together, we’ll be working to build a more inclusive, connected Greater Manchester, where everyone is welcomed, supported, and celebrated.

Through this 12 month partnership, we aim to raise awareness of Down’s Syndrome Manchester, the work they do supporting people with Down’s Syndrome and what we can all do to help people feel more confident travelling on the Bee Network.

Our Regional CEO Patrick Sibley and Customer & Community Manager Bethany Whiting recently attended Down’s Syndrome Manchester’s September Chatterbox event and got a first-hand look at the important work that the charity undertakes and the level of specialist support that is required to make it effective.

We’ll also be supporting community events and initiatives that empower individuals with Down’s Syndrome. We are looking forward to supporting Down’s Syndrome Manchester’s activities in the coming months.

July has been a month of awards success for Metroline as several of our talented team received awards at two major industry events last week.

Jacqui Carter, Head of Recruitment and Training, received the lifetime achievement award at the London Bus Awards on Thursday 17th July. Hosted at London’s Living Room at City Hall in Newham, the London Bus Awards marked 25 years of Transport for London by celebrating employees from across the London bus industry. Jacqui was recognised for her remarkable career at Metroline spanning more than 25 years including her mentorship of many female employees and managers.

Jacqui is one of Metroline’s most experienced and respected managers with a remarkable career
spanning more than 25 years. She began her journey at Metroline in 1998 as a driver and quickly progressed to roles in driver training and transport safety thanks to her passion and enthusiasm for the role. Her dedication and skill led her to become an Operations Manager in 2007 and, subsequently, a Garage Manager in 2013.

Today, as Head of Recruitment and Training, Jacqui finds great satisfaction in helping others achieve their goals with her approachable and inclusive leadership style. Despite stepping into the role temporarily as an Interim Head, she has recently been permanently established in the post, a testament to her impact in the department.

There was also success once again for Metroline’s engineers at the 2025 IRTE Skills Challenge Awards, which took place on Wednesday 16th July in Wolverhampton. Calum Beltrami was named winner in the Mechanical Technician category, and Bradley Thomas, Viren Harsiani and James Ward named Runner-Up in the Electrical Apprentice, Electric Driveline and Body Technician categories respectively.
Recommended by their Engineering Managers and guided by Training Manager Wayne Ellis, it was a fantastic opportunity for participants to challenge themselves and see how their technical skills measure up.

Calum is a former apprentice who qualified in 2022. He has gone on to be an accomplished engineer
and continues to advance himself through attending continuous training. His managers have been
quoted as saying he is an asset their garage. Bradley is a 3rd year apprentice who will be taking his exams next April. He is a talented apprentice who has a proclivity for electrics. His tutors have fed back he
is top of the class and will go far.

Viren is a 2nd year apprentice going into his 3rd year in September. He is progressing well through his course and is demonstrating all the attributes of becoming a future high-level engineer. James is a seasoned coachmaker that has the skills and knowledge to repair our vehicles to the highest possible standards. He has been a mentor to various apprentices and has shown the patience and skills to guide these to becoming some of the best in the business.

Speaking about the Challenge, Wayne Ellis said, “I am very proud of all of the technicians that have participated in the Skills Challenge this year as well as all of the previous entrants. They continue to

push themselves and compete against the best in the industry taking them out of their comfort zones. They strive to do their best and continue to win awards year on year. I look forward to next year’s competition where we will be pushing ourselves to be more successful than ever.”

A big well done to Aaron Dias, Dominic Jones, Ian Schmidt Jr and Gary Walsh who also represented Metroline in the challenge.

Congratulations to all on their achievements.

Metroline, one of the UK’s leading bus operators, is celebrating 25 years as part of global transport group ComfortDelGro. Since joining the group in 2000, Metroline has become a cornerstone of ComfortDelGro’s UK operations, connecting communities in London and Manchester while leading the way in sustainable transport innovation.

Marking this milestone, Metroline reaffirmed its commitment to delivering reliable, sustainable, and community-focused transport services. With a fleet of 1,400 buses in London and 400 in Manchester, Metroline transports approximately 1 million passengers every weekday in London and around 1 million weekly in Greater Manchester, supporting local economies and helping to meet ambitious zero-emission targets.

Driving Sustainability and Innovation
Metroline has been at the forefront of green transport, operating the world’s first electric double-deck buses and England’s first hydrogen double-deckers. By the end of 2025, over 500 buses in London and 160 in Manchester will be zero-emission, underscoring Metroline’s commitment to a cleaner, greener future. The company has also embraced cutting-edge technology, becoming the first London bus operator to implement AI-powered service control software, reducing passenger waiting times and improving service reliability.

Metroline also announced that it has reached a significant milestone for London with the complete electrification of Edgware Bus Garage, making it one of the only garages in the capital to operate an exclusively zero emissions service. The garage has achieved its target of complete electrification, becoming the first of Metroline’s sites to run electric buses on all routes operating from the garage.

Investing in Communities
Metroline’s success is built on its people, with 6,200 employees across London and Manchester. The company actively recruits from the communities it serves, offering career opportunities through recruitment fairs, apprenticeships, and partnerships with local colleges. As a Living Wage Employer and member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, Metroline is committed to creating meaningful jobs and supporting local economies.

Metroline also gives back to the community, supporting charities such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.

A Legacy of Growth with ComfortDelGro
Over the past 25 years, ComfortDelGro has invested £673 million in the UK, including £336 million in public transport. Metroline’s growth has paved the way for ComfortDelGro’s expansion in the region, with brands like Irish Citylink, Adventure Travel, and Addison Lee joining the group.

Sean O’Shea, CEO of Metroline, said:
“We’re proud to celebrate 25 years as part of ComfortDelGro. Together, we’ve built a reputation for excellence, sustainability, and innovation, and we remain committed to serving our communities for the next 25 years.”

Edward Thomas, CEO of ComfortDelGro UK & Ireland, added:
“Metroline has been the foundation of our UK success, driving growth and pioneering zero-emission technologies. We look forward to continuing our investment in the UK and Ireland, delivering sustainable mobility solutions for the future.”

Greater Manchester has taken another step forward in driving a green revolution through the Bee Network with the first fully electric bus depot now complete in Tameside.

The depot in Ashton – one of just a few fully electric depots in the country – is now home to 83 Volvo BZL MCV Double Deck zero-tailpipe emission buses, making 14 routes fully electric.

The depot, which is operated by Metroline on behalf of TfGM, boasts 27 dual chargers allowing 54 electric buses to be charged at any one time.

By taking back control of local buses, Greater Manchester is delivering cleaner, greener and more reliable services, with over 300 electric buses now running across the Bee Network – a tenfold increase compared to pre-franchising.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:

“We’re driving a green revolution across the city region through investment in the Bee Network. To see us complete the first fully electric depot in Greater Manchester – and one of just a few in the country – shows, once again, we’re leading the way in making journeys cleaner and greener.

“With one in five buses now electric – up from 1% before franchising – we’re transforming how people get around, with 14 more routes now served entirely by zero-emission buses.

“The Bee Network is already proving massively beneficial to residents and businesses across the city-region and the funding announced this week – which demonstrates confidence in what we are doing at the highest level – will enable us to go even further as we press ahead and create the UK’s first fully electric, zero emission integrated public transport system.”

The following bus routes, running from Ashton depot, are now fully electric: 7, 216, 219, 220, 221, 230, 231, 237, 336, 337, 346, 347, 382, 389.

Patrick Sibley, Regional CEO, Metroline, said: “We are proud at Metroline to operate Greater Manchester’s first fully Electric Bus depot for the Bee Network in Ashton. Since mobilisation, completing the electrification process at Ashton has been a key priority, and we have been working closely with TfGM, our electric infrastructure partners and Volvo to ensure that we were able to get more electric buses on the road.

“Though the journey has not been without challenges we are delighted to have 83 new electric buses join our now 160-strong electric fleet, and look forward to providing customers across Greater Manchester with zero-emission journeys on the Bee Network. We are committed to continuing to work with TfGM and their objective to achieve a fully electric Bee Network by 2030.”

TfGM is making rapid progress to electrify Greater Manchester’s bus depots, with upgrades already made at Bolton, Oldham and Hyde Road in Manchester, as the city region works towards a fully electric network by 2030.  Further upgrades are being made at Middleton depot this year.

• Metroline to implement AI-powered service control FlowOS Live across its London operations
• The use of AI-assisted software is predicted to save Metroline passengers up to 2,000 hours of waiting time across over 700,000 passenger journeys every day

Leading UK bus operator Metroline – has today announced plans to deploy AI-powered service control software FlowOS Live across its entire London operations. The implementation, an industry first, aims to enhance service reliability and consistency, provide more predictable driver shifts, reduce overcrowding during peak hours, and cut passenger waiting times.

This initiative follows the successful trial at Metroline’s Edgware garage, where the software was tested on several of its most demanding bus routes. The trial saw Metroline significantly reduce Excess Waiting Time (EWT) – a key performance metric used by Transport for London (TfL) – collectively saving passengers up to 2,000 hours daily across Metroline’s services in London.

The trial also highlighted the benefit of the software’s support for Metroline control room teams; by automating much of the administrative work they currently undertake to monitor and record incidents, cancellations, and delays on the network, thereby enabling them to dedicate more time to improving service delivery.

As a result of the trial’s success, Metroline has signed a license agreement for FlowOS Live to be deployed across all Metroline’s London garages, managing over 1,000 high-frequency service buses and providing the administrative platform for low-frequency services. Metroline employees will be trained on the system to deliver immediate EWT improvements.

FlowOS Live operates by predicting the downstream progress of every vehicle in the fleet and simulating the impact of various adjustments on vehicle progress and spacing. It then identifies and recommends the best instructions to issue to drivers to improve service reliability, punctuality, and speed in any given context, ultimately improving passenger experience.

Sean O’Shea, CEO at Metroline London, believes the impact of FlowOS Live on bus services in London and beyond could be significant. “Metroline is committed to evolving our service delivery and passenger experience. Embedding the AI-assisted software in our daily operations will not only help us to deliver on these objectives but will also support our vision to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable transport to our communities.”

Pete Ferguson, CEO at Prospective.io, the company behind FlowOS Live, emphasised the importance of Metroline’s support in the development of the software. “FlowOS Live is used for critical fleet monitoring and decision-making day in day out. As such it’s been essential to build, test and refine the system with close and continuous feedback from control room staff to ensure that the potential of the technology can be realised on the ground. Working closely with Metroline we’ve been able to ensure that the software’s recommendations are effective, and that the overall system works in a practical context, enabling teams to successfully embed AI in their daily work.”

Building on this success, Metroline’s parent company ComfortDelGro will be exploring opportunities to extend the use of AI to its bus operations in Singapore and Australia.

We are delighted to announce that Metroline Manchester is now an accredited Living Wage Employer. This means that every member of staff working for Metroline will earn a real Living Wage.

The real Living Wage is higher than the government’s minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. It is calculated each year and is announced by the Living Wage Foundation as part of Living Wage Week. It is currently £12.60 in the UK, with a higher rate of £13.85 for London, reflecting the higher costs of living in the capital.

Over 15,000 organisations, including Metroline, voluntarily choose to pay the real Living Wage because we believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. You can find other organisations who pay the Living Wage here: https://www.livingwage.org.uk/living-wage-map

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, we speak with Calum Beltrami who has recently completed his apprenticeship at Metroline and has become a fully qualified engineer.

Calum started his engineering apprenticeship in 2020, fully qualifying as an engineer at Perivale Garage last year. Having an interest in cars from a young age, Calum knew he wanted to do something hands-on: “I thought if I could learn something hands-on and get paid whilst learning on the job, that was the best route for me. And I’ve always had an interest in cars and engines, so it just kind of made sense.”

Over the course of the 3 and a half year apprenticeship, Calum spent time learning at several garages including Harrow Weald, Potters Bar and Cricklewood, before settling at Perivale where he has been based since February. Moving between garages can prove to be challenging at times “you don’t know what you’re walking into so it can be hard settling into a new work place. It’s the uncertainty which is a bit challenging.”

However, Calum also acknowledges the benefits in working across different sites: “You get to experience a lot of different types of vehicles, and at every garage you learn different things. At my first garage, Harrow Weald, I learnt a lot of mechanical stuff but also did a bit of body work and the basics. Then I went to Potters Bar which was a bit hectic because the garage is completely different.” He adds that “moving around a lot could be a bit uncomfortable at times, but that was also a good thing because you get used to being chucked in at the deep end.”

The engineering apprenticeship helps prepare aspiring engineers for what being a fully-qualified engineer is like: “there are some similarities and some differences between being an apprentice and a qualified engineer but the ins and outs of the job are almost the same,” Calum says. “The biggest difference is that when you’re qualified you feel like there’s a lot more responsibility. As an apprentice you have a bit of a safety net, like ‘oh, you’re still learning’. But when you’re an engineer you have to be accountable for your actions. It’s important that you get things right first time as you don’t have someone checking everything.”

Like any job, engineering comes with it’s own set of challenges as well. Calum finds that “in this industry you’re always working on a deadline. So, you’re trying to get things done quickly but also properly so that buses can be on the road.” When you’re working to tight deadlines, teamwork is essential, and in engineering you’re never short of a helping hand. Praising his colleagues, Calum enjoys the working environment at Metroline: “It’s quite team-orientated, if you need a hand from colleagues, everyone’s always happy to help, including management.”

10 months into his role as a full-time engineer, Calum’s advice to anyone starting their apprenticeship is “Show up everyday, be on time and ask as many questions as you can, even if you think it’s a stupid question.”

Interested in an Engineering Apprenticeship at Metroline? Click here for more information.