Following an extensive tendering process, AA DriveTech, the commercial driver training arm of the AA, has been awarded the contract for Driver Quality Monitoring or ‘mystery shopping’ of drivers of London buses for potentially the next five (3+1+1) years.
The original contract with AA DriveTech, signed in 2011, provides an ongoing assessment programme of London bus drivers to monitor driving standards across the network.
It is anticipated that within the next year, over 8,000 assessments will be completed, through human observation, by experienced AA DriveTech assessors. This represents around one third of the bus driving community within London.
All assessments will be carried out covertly using identical criteria and reporting mechanisms to ensure consistency throughout the programme. The information collected is fed back anonymously to each individual bus company for further review, and where appropriate, action.
“We’re delighted to have been re-awarded this contract as it clearly shows the bus industry in London recognises the value of our impartial, independent and consistent assessment of bus drivers” says Dom Pargeter, Operations Manager, Commercial and Passenger Vehicles Division within AA DriveTech.
“Our experience over the last five years has shown the industry has a passion for improvement and for putting the customer at the heart of their business. By delivering assessments on a level playing field, we have seen demonstrable improvements across the industry and to the credit of the bus drivers and bus operators themselves.”
