Metroline employees are celebrating award success following a successful night at two major industry awards on 11th July. At the London Bus Awards, an annual celebration organised by TfL in honour of the London Bus network’s best and brightest, Uxbridge’s Jack Kerner (as featured in the last issue of Your Voice) won the award for Outstanding Newcomer, whilst at the IRTE Skills Challenge Charles John Burrows and Laura Darbon took home the DVSA Inspection Technician Award and DVSA Inspection Apprentice Award respectively.
Jack Kerner is one of Metroline’s youngest new recruits having joined Uxbridge Garage at only age 18 in 2023. Jack has been a hit with the regulars on his route, having received two commendations from delighted customers on his routes. “I just want to say that the driver was so considerate on this bus,” said one happy customer.
Another passenger recalls: “I was shocked at how young the driver of the H13 bus looked. But I want to say how smartly dressed he was. He looks like he took pride in his appearance and his job. It is really nice to see a young man working hard and looking respectable. A great role model to others.”
Comments regarding Jack’s age are no surprise to him as he jokes that he is asked almost every day without fail, ‘are you old enough to drive?’ Uxbridge Operations Manager Susan Adel Villaverde, has only words of praise for him, stating “Jack has excelled, learning all the routes and is extremely helpful in the garage. Jack is very hardworking and has already shown an interest in furthering his career, which I have no doubt he will be successful in.”
Metroline brought a talented team to this year’s IRTE Skills Challenge, made up of Edmund Vaughn, Murat Bargiev, Jonathan Wilson, Ian Schmidt Jr, Eduardo Cretu, Benjamin Bark, Ismaeel Jaffar, and winners Charles Burrows and Laura Darbon. The Challenge saw remarkable displays of expertise and innovation, with participants showcasing their ability to solve complex mechanical issues as well as problem solve. The challenges were tougher than ever, incorporating the latest advancements in vehicle technology and diagnostics.
This is a great result for Charles Burrows, who was a runner up for the DVSA Inspection Apprentice Award in last year’s challenge, and has now won the DVSA Inspection Technician Award. Similarly, it is a significant result for Laura Darbon, who becomes Metroline’s first female recipient of an IRTE Award, as the winner of the DVSA Inspection Apprentice Award.
In addition, Metroline was nominated across three other categories at the London Bus Awards, with Uxbridge driver Harjinder Dhamu nominated for Outstanding Customer Service, Cricklewood mentor Filip Korycinski shortlisted for Safety Champion and Edgware Garage shortlisted in the Best Vehicle Care category, whilst the IRTE Skills Challenge saw two runner ups from Metroline; Ismaeel Jaffar in the Bodywork Apprentice category and Benjamin Bark in the Electric Driveline Apprentice.
Well done to all those who won awards and were shortlisted!
