This category will be presented to one or more individuals known for their hard-work, loyalty and devotion to duty.

In many cases, the ‘unsung heroes’ are the ones who keep the wheels turning against all the odds; no transport operator can do without such people – even though they often slave away for years with no recognition save their own satisfaction in a service delivered and a job well done. In other cases, the heroes are people who help the wider industry through their work for supporting companies and organisations.

The Winners

Bob Pilbeam

Bob has become very well known indeed to the coach industry over the last 30 years, first in his role running the Metropolitan Police Coach Advisory Service and subsequently work for the Confederation of Passenger Transport.  He is also a qualified London Blue Badge Guide, no mean achievement in itself, and has therefore got first hand experience of the joys and frustrations of coach tourism in our capital city.

Bob is retiring from his post at CPT later this year, and UKCA were delighted to pay tribute to Bob’s hard work over the years.

Maurice Duckworth

Maurice has also worked in the industry for a very long time, having gained his PSV licence with a small company called Eagle Coaches at the age of 21. in 1996, he had the bright idea of setting up an organisation to manage coaches for rail replacement services which he proceeded to do. Then in 2004 he moved over to FirstGroup and did it all again, with a unit called First Rail Support.

UKCA is delighted to honour Maurice for his innovatory thinking and hard work for the industry over a long career - which we trust is set to last for many more!

Christopher Vander

Our third winner comes from the world of insurance, Carol, where he has worked for many years at one of the longest established travel insurance firms, Towngate Chapman Stevens. A very popular man in the industry, he has been a great supporter of coaching over the years

Who could be nominated?

Any person working for a coach operator continuously for the last 12 months, who can show service in a management and/or supervisory role of more than five years.

… and by whom?

Readers of Coach and Bus Week magazine were asked to nominate people within their own organisation or with another operator who, in their view, qualified for this recognition.