06 Apr 2005
Arriva announces new managing director for Midlands bus business
Arriva plc, the transport services organisation, has announcedthe appointment of Catherine Mason to the position of managingdirector, Arriva Midlands.
Catherine will be responsible for the day-to-day operations ofall Arriva bus services in Leicestershire, Derbyshire,Staffordshire, and Shropshire. Arriva Midlands employs over 1,900people, has over 730 vehicles, and provides over 60 million passenger journeys each year.
Mrs Mason previously held the position of director of customerservices and marketing at Arriva, a role which involved workingwith all Arriva's UK bus businesses. During her five years in thatrole, Catherine pioneered Arriva's groundbreaking marketingcampaign – 'Going your way' – encouraging people to use their localbus services.
The campaign represented an unprecedented and unrivalledinvestment in the bus industry. In addition, she oversaw thelargest national customer satisfaction survey undertaken by anyoperator in the bus industry.
Catherine, who attended Martin High School and Longslade Upperschool in the region, later went on to Liverpool University tostudy Genetics before taking up a succession of marketing positionswhere she worked on high profile FMCG brands such as Lucozade,Ribena and Clover.
Commenting on Mrs Mason's appointment, David Martin, deputychief executive for Arriva plc, said:
I am delighted that Catherine is turning herconsiderable skills and experience to this role. We know that forcustomers, a reliable and high quality service is what they expectand deserve to receive from their local Arriva buscompany.
I am confident that Catherine, and the excellent teamthat will support her in this new role, will be able to deliver aneven better service to our customers in the Midlands.
Arriva is one of the UK's largest bus operators with over 6,000buses. Outside London, Arriva's local bus services operate in majorurban areas including Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester, Glasgow andNewcastle. There is a strong presence in the Midlands and HomeCounties with a mix of interurban trunk routes and market townurban networks. Arriva buses also provide important links in ruralareas like North Wales.
Mrs Mason is married with two children and lives in Rothley,near Leicester.
Catherine holds PCV and HGV 3 driving licences.
Note to editors
- Arriva is one of the largest transport services organisationsin Europe with operations in Denmark, Germany, Italy, theNetherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Withsome 30,000 employees, Arriva provides more than one billionpassenger journeys every year through an extensive range of publictransport services including buses, trains, commuter coaches andwater buses. In the UK, the Group also operates a national vehiclerental business and is engaged in bus and coachdistribution.