A RYEDALE bus driver has won an award for being the best in Britain.

Mariusz Losinski, who is one of the best-known faces on Britain’s Most Scenic Bus Route - Transdev’s Coastliner network linking Leeds and York with the North Yorkshire Coast - has won the coveted title of Top National Bus Driver at the UK Bus Awards.

The 29-year-old was at the prestige London events venue Troxy to be crowned as the nation’s number one bus driver in a glittering ceremony, widely recognised as the Oscars of the UK bus industry.

A second gold was also awarded to Transdev for its unique marketing campaign, ‘De-Stressing The Bus’, which delivered a 15 percent rise in customer numbers on its routes across the North in the 12 months to the end of June this year.

Based at Coastliner’s depot in Malton, Mariusz has already earned several accolades, including Transdev’s ‘Dream Driver’ prize in 2016 and its Eco Champion trophy in last year’s company-wide Amazing Awards, which recognise talent across the bus firm’s ten operating bases in Yorkshire and the North West.

And earlier this year, Mariusz was presented with Transdev’s Pride of the North Cup, awarded by nomination from his customers who were impressed by his cool, calm handling of a medical emergency on his bus in the midst of the North York Moors.

Mariusz first came to the UK nine years ago at the age of 20, and after a few months in kitchen work, decided to take to the open road, joining the team at Transdev’s York depot before transferring to Coastliner at Malton.

A proud Mariusz said: “I’ve always felt comfortable sitting behind the wheel, and have always liked the contact with people, so I decided to become a bus driver.

“I have no secret, but I try to drive the same way as during the first months of my work as a driver. From the very beginning, I paid special attention to the safety and comfort of my passengers. After eight years of driving for Coastliner, I still try to remember this and not get stuck in a rut.”

Transdev Operations Director Vitto Pizzuti said: ”Mariusz Losinski thoroughly deserves to be the UK’s National Bus Driver of the Year – his relentless attention to delivering the highest quality of service on Britain’s Most Scenic Bus Route has made him a favourite with countless customers.”

Meanwhile, Coastliner Operations Manager Kel Pizzuti says Mariusz has all the right qualities to make a first rate driver. Kel says: “Driving a bus on such a varied network, with congested city streets and narrow moorland roads, is a challenge for any driver – yet Mariusz takes it all in his stride, and always puts his customers first.”

Transdev’s success at the UK Bus Awards was completed with a silver award for its Head of Operations Alan Isherwood, in the Manager of the Year category. Alan’s 35 year career journey from driving buses to a high-level role managing people and planning, plus safety and service delivery, impressed the judging panel.

Full details of all Transdev services and opportunities to join the bus firm’s multi award-winning team are online at: transdevbus.co.uk