We’re delighted to be working with Guide Dogs Scotland and Whizz-Kidz to provide awareness workshops for our staff as part of our annual compulsory Certificate of Professional Competence training.
The course, ‘More than just a driver,’ offers an insight beyond the driver’s cab with modules that include customer service, conflict management and disability awareness helping drivers to manage the incidents that can occur while they are working.
The charities have helped develop the course to enhance our drivers’ understanding of the challenges facing those with visual and physical impairments.
Richard Hall, Managing Director for Lothian said:
This year’s CPC course underpins Lothian’s continuing commitment to improving accessibility. Our main aim is to extend our appreciation of the challenges that some of our customers face on a daily basis when trying to go about their day-to-day lives and we are delighted to be working in partnership with Whizz-Kidz and Guide Dogs Scotland.
We have worked closely with each of these organisations to design a bespoke CPC training course which allows our drivers to understand some of these challenges at first hand and to give them the necessary skills to ensure we can continue to deliver safe and comfortable travel for all of our customers.
As part of these new working relationships, we have held ‘familiarisation days’ with both Guide Dogs Scotland and Whizz-Kidz to help those supported by the organisations feel safer and more confident using our buses prior to travelling.
Pamela Munro, Engagement Officer, Guide Dogs Scotland, said:
Guide Dogs Scotland welcomes the introduction of this training and we are pleased to have been involved in shaping its content. People with vision impairment should be able to feel confident in accessing transport, and drivers are a massively important part of that.
Jo Fashan, Associate Director of Young People’s Services, Whizz-Kids said:
Whizz-kidz is pleased to be working with Lothian to help their staff see through the eyes of disabled passengers, and to make their public transport more inclusive for all.
Sometimes it is not just the lack of ramps or fully accessible vehicles that challenge wheelchair users, but people’s attitudes. We are working to change that on the buses, as well as everywhere else.
Over 2,000 of our drivers, managers and supervisors will take part in the course over the next 12 months, which will involve a full day of fun and interactive challenges at our Longstone Training Centre in Edinburgh.