Double celebration for bus driver (From Bournemouth Echo)

Double celebration for bus driver

3:00pm Monday 15th October 2012 in News

A BUS driver celebrated his first wedding anniversary by driving off with a national award.

Jason Dalladas, 33, who works for Yellow Buses, received the Passenger Focus trophy and £500 at the prestigious UK Bus Driver of the Year final in Blackpool.

He was the highest placed competitor from an independent company and was placed 17th overall in a field of more than 90 entrants.

Fellow Yellows driver Dennis Maheve was 68th.

Jason said: “The final took place on the same weekend that I celebrated my first wedding anniversary.

“My wife, Suzy, was with me in Blackpool so it turned into quite a celebration.”

The gruelling testing for the awards included a three-mile driving test with manoeuvring exercises and a circuit along Blackpool prom.

Drivers were required to stop at a number of bus stops while observers judged their signalling, positioning and bus handling.

Yellow Buses managing director Derek Lott said: “We're very proud of Jason and Dennis for representing us so well in Blackpool. To win an award against such stiff competition was a tremendous achievement.”