The Queensland Bus Driver of the Year Awards are underway and you have all of this week, until Friday, March at 11:59pm to vote for the driver who has made all your commutes better!
With over 1,300 nominees — sent in by users at the end of last year — the industry-led panel of judges had a formidable task ahead of them when asked to narrow it down to only nine: three finalists per category. Over 3,000 votes have already been cast, and the deadline was extended to make up for lost time during the Alfred weather event, so you can still have your say.
Now more than ever, it’s important to show up for each other and appreciate members of our community who go above and beyond. As Translink Deputy Director-General, Dr Deborah Hume put it, “Bus drivers play a crucial role in keeping our communities moving and Translink’s Bus Driver of the Year Awards are a wonderful opportunity for customers to show their appreciation to drivers who go that extra mile, every day, for their customers. With the awards being decided by public nomination and vote, the drivers really do feel the appreciation of their customers as the we head into this final vote.”
The winner in each category will be announced during this year’s Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC) Annual Gala Dinner & Awards Night in Cairns in April and will be awarded a trophy and $1,000 gift card.
Finalists per category
South East Queensland Driver of the Year:
- Jeff Burgess – Kinetic (Gold Coast)
- Hyuk Kim – Transport for Brisbane (Brisbane)
- Isapela (Bella) Tuimavave Leaupepe – Hornibrook Bus Lines (Clontarf Depot)
Regional Queensland Driver of the Year:
- David Bussey – Whitsunday Transit (Airlie Beach)
- Sam Davison – Bus Queensland (Toowoomba)
- Trevor Howard – Polleys Coaches (Gympie)
School Bus Driver of the Year:
- Quentin Bennett – CDC Queensland (Sunshine Coast)
- Allan Downs – Bus Queensland (Toowoomba)
- Allan Humphrey – Bus Queensland (Toowoomba)
Before you vote, you can watch videos from each finalist, showcasing the ways in which they go the extra mile for their customers and why they love their job here. Then, you can vote for one driver in each category by clicking on the ‘Vote for…’ button underneath your favourite driver, and finally, click on the “Submit my votes” button.
We wheeley hope all finalists feel the love from their passengers!