Future vehicles for women
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IN A bus industry first was scored by Northumbria Buses last week when the company invited representatives from women's groups, pensioner organisations and societies for the disabled to air their views at a discussion day on women and bus design.
Managing director, David Monaghan, said the company wanted to learn in what practical ways it can improve the quality of service it gives to its major group of customers — women.
"We carry more than 40 million passengers a year in Northumbria," Monaghan reported, "and over two-thirds are women."
Representatives from the interest groups made suggestions on how to improve vehicles.
Chief engineer John Pickling admitted that in the short term the improvements could only be cosmetic, such as changing the colour of the seat upholstery or highlighting steps.
"But we also want to hear radical suggestions," he said. "We want a formula that can be the base for our future vehicle specifications."