The Courtesy Bus Service is a transportation services that improves patron access to your venue thus improving patron safety and service. The aim is to cement brand messages around providing a ‘safe’ and ‘accessible’ venue; ultimately increasing patronage and revenue.

Please see below SUGGESTED MECHANICS. Please note, we are happy for you to run your Courtesy Bus Service how you would like BUT priorities with this service are;

• Transparency with the Customer – be very clear on when/where your bus runs, what services you offer and clear booking communications.
• Under Promise and Over Deliver – Start small and build up. You do not want to start by running all over town every day of the week and then have to cut back, thereby disappointing customers.
• Understand your costs – Understand your associated running, marketing and labour costs with this service.

Here are some suggestions for operations: A mini bus is required to run customer pick up and drop off to a ‘defined area’ at a ‘defined time’.

The Defined Area – The defined area should be, the immediate locality of the hotel. You will need to outline a map of the ‘pick up area’. Ideally the round trip should take no longer than 20minutes. Pick ups and drop offs outside of the defined area should be at the managers discretion.

Method of Pick Up/Drop Off - You will need to consider if you will operate a’
- Door to door service, or
- Bus route - Pick up and drop off at designated locations around the ‘defined area’
If you choose to run a Bus Route you will need to identify pick up and drop off points on your defined area map.

The Defined Time – The ‘defined time’ refers to the hours of operation of your bus service and there are a couple of options to consider;

7 Days a week on call – This option will operate on a booking request basis, where customers will call the pub to arrange a pick up at a time of their choice and customers can be dropped to their door on request when leaving the pub. For this option to be available you will need to have a staff member that fits the ‘driver profile’ outlined below rostered on, at all times.

7 Days a week during limited hours – This option will operate on a booking request basis during your defined hours of operation. For example; Monday – Sunday 6pm – 12am. During these times, customers can call the pub to arrange a pick up and be dropped off when leaving the pub on request. You will need to ensure you have a staff member rostered on that fits the ‘driver profile’ outlined below.

Limited Days/Times – This option will operate on a defined frequency only. For Example; Friday & Saturday nights 6pm – 3am or Fri & Sat Nights at close to assist with moving patrons on from the hotel. Like the above options, you will need to identify if you will run a ‘set route’ or ‘door to door’ service and have a designated driver during these periods.

Function Service - This option will be available only to function clients as a means of transporting function guests to and from the hotel. As with all options, you will need to set the ‘defined area’ and method of pick up/drop off. You will need a designated driver and may want to consider factoring your driver costs into function costs.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Defined Area: As per the above; this is the area around the hotel, specified on a map (see example) in which the bus service will operate.

Method of Pick Up/Drop Off: As per the above, this will be either Door to Door service or Bus Route. Your agree method will need to be highlighted on your map and all communication.

Scope of Service: This will outline when your Courtesy Bus Service will operate and what you will do with the bus outside of these hours of operation. For example, will the bus be used for Bottle Shop deliveries outside of service times or will you have the bus parked at a prominent location at the hotel for promotional purposes. Will the bus be used to service function bookings of sponsorship relationships.

Defined Time: The days and time during which your courtesy bus service will operate.

Driver Profile: The designated driver must be fully licensed and over 25 years of age for insurance purpose.

HR/Labour Model: Your labour planner must indicate when a dedicated driver is on and you must have enough staff rostered to manage during bus service times. When there is no dedicated driver for the bus, staff must be rostered on to ensure the courtesy bus can run during the ‘defined time’. Management are only to drive the bus for very close by pick-ups and drop-offs, ensuring they are off site for no more than 5 minutes at a time.

Communication Procedures & Bookings Process:
You will need a ‘Courtesy Bus Phone Line’ and Message Bank. This will need to contain a message indicating the driver is currently operating the vehicle and to leave a message that contains the name, address (or pick up route location), contact number, number of people travelling and approximate pick up time for bookings.

You will need to define how bookings are taken and how the venue communicates with the driver and vice verses.

Bookings can be made direct to the driver or through the venue. At venue the booking process form is to be used to ensure all appropriate information is collected for the driver.

A clear communication policy document will need to be drafted.

Safety Guidelines:

• Driver must be at least 25 years of age
• Driver must be fully licensed
• The Courtesy Bus phone is not to be answered whilst the vehicle is in motion. The driver must pull over before answering.
• The Driver is to fill out and sign The Safety Guidelines Form at the beginning of their shift and also to sign off at the completion of their duties. The form will request notes on any damage sustained during the shift, operational issues with the bus, patron comments/feedback and complaints and RSA or behavioural issues during any trips.
• For any incidents involving other motorists, vehicles, RSA or behavioural issues, the venue incident log si to be filled out
• Patron Safety and Conduct sign is to be erected in the bus for patrons
• The bus needs to be cleared of debris after every trip
• No drinking, eating or smoking in the bus – both staff and patrons

Maintenance Schedule:

• The Courtesy Bus is to be cleaned inside daily (end of shift) and the outside washed at least once a week.
• Water and Oil are to be checked weekly and signed on the Safety Guidelines Form
• Tyres and Lights are to be checked daily and signed on the Safety Guidelines Form
• The Venue Manager is responsible to ensure any maintenance issues are resolved within 24 hours
• In the event the bus will be out of action for more than 24 Hours, a bus is to be hired to ensure consistent patron satisfaction

Suggested marketing initiatives are outlined below. Not all will be appropriate to your venue, however please suggest as many options as you feel appropriate in you promotion proposal

• IN HOUSE POS
• NIGHTLIFE
• EXTERNAL POS & EVENT RELATED MATERIAL
• WEBSITE
• STAFF/MANAGEMENT UP SELL
• EFLYER/SMS
• SPORTING SPONSORS
• SOCIAL MEDIA
• MEDIA RELEASE
• COURTESY BUS BUSINESS CARDS
• LETTER BOX DROP TO DEFINED AREA

• You will also be able to provide any additional comments around the activity in the A&M Proposal sheet.