IRU Bus Excellence Award

Rules of Procedure

1. What is the Aim?

The aim of the IRU Bus Excellence Award is to promote greater use of regular urban and inter-urban public transport by bus and coach, through high quality and cost-effective innovative projects.

2. Who is eligible?

IRU Bus Excellence Award candidates must be transport companies active in regular urban or inter-urban public transport by bus or coach in any country. The IRU Bus Excellence Award is open to any public transport company, whether public or privately owned.

3. What are the Benefits for Winners?

Winners of the IRU Bus Excellence Award:

• Will have their innovative project promoted by IRU, its Members and partners via various press events and activities, as well as within the global Smart Move campaign as a best industry practice.
• Can use the official IRU Bus Excellence Award logo, which will specify the year the award was given, on their vehicles, company letterhead, and promotional material, to inform their customers of the international recognition for their innovation.
• Will receive an IRU Bus Excellence Award trophy that they can proudly display to motivate staff and for promotional activities.
• Will receive round trip tickets and accommodation for two persons to the IRU Bus Excellence Award ceremony.

Projects submitted for consideration:

• Must correspond to the values and the objective of the Smart Move campaign to increase substantially the use of bus and coach services.
• Must demonstrate a sustained and cost-effective increase in the number of passengers.
• Should include wider operational initiatives aimed at improving the attractiveness and the use of collective transport by bus and/or coach, such as:

• network or service improvements,
• the creation of innovative new lines/services, including on board services,
• information and marketing campaigns,
• integrated ticketing systems, including electronic ticketing, SMS ticketing etc.,
• implementation of quality, safety and/or security schemes,
• implementation of environment care programmes,
• implementation of customer care programmes, including for disabled and mobility impaired people etc.

• Could be a partnership between a road transport operator and a transport-related authority.
• Could be a partnership between different road transport operators or transport sectors (taxis, trains, ferries and aircraft).

All applications must contain:

• A clear description of the service/project, emphasising the resulting benefits for passengers, society and operator(s). Scope and duration of the project must be clearly stated.
• In the case of partnerships, clear information on the nature of the partnership. The role of the bus and coach operator(s) in the partnership must be emphasised. Economic and financial aspects must be described in full.
• Clear descriptions of any market analyses and promotional campaigns, as well as of incentives offered to passengers, such as special services or fares.
• Feedback from customer satisfaction surveys.
• Basic information on investments made and revenues generated by the project, including any subsidies received.
• Facts and figures demonstrating that the service/project’s objectives were achieved.

IRU will collect applications through its Member Associations or directly (with the agreement of its Member Associations in the country concerned), or through its partners’ network within the Smart Move campaign in the countries where no IRU Member Association exists, and will submit projects that meet the IRU BUS Excellence Award criteria to the international jury.

Applications should be prepared in English and candidate dossiers should be submitted:

• Physically to the following address: IRU Permanent Delegation to the EU, 32-34 av. de Tervueren, Box 17, 1040 Brussels, Belgium (for the attention of Rémi Lebeda) with “IRU Bus Excellence Award” clearly marked on the envelope or
• Electronically as an email attachment to remi.lebeda@iru.org mentioning “IRU Bus Excellence Award 2017” in the email subject or
• Electronically via this submission form.

Each dossier should state the name, title, address, telephone, fax and e-mail of a contact person. The deadline for submission is 30 June 2017.

6. Who awards the IRU Bus Excellence Award?

The IRU BUS Excellence Award will be awarded by an international jury, composed of IRU representatives, the bus and coach business community and other international governmental or non-governmental organisations, which will select the most innovative and cost-effective project.

All decisions of the IRU Bus Excellence Award international jury are final.

The IRU Bus Excellence Award international jury shall publicly announce the winner at an appropriate international event during the second half of 2017.

7. For Additional Information

Contact the IRU Permanent Delegation to the European Union, Attn: Rémi Lebeda, Avenue de Tervueren, 32-34, Bte 17, B–1040 Brussels, Tel: +32-2-743 25 80, Fax: +32-2-743 25 99, E-mail: remi.lebeda@iru.org.