This category focuses on managers within the industry of any age, discipline or background who are already showing great potential to take their careers in an upward direction. Finalists must demonstrate clear evidence of progress to date, and how their skills will be used in the future to take on the most senior roles within the business.

Please note that if members of the judging panel believe that a submission to Rising Star is better suited to consideration in the appropriate Manager of the Year or Engineer of the Year category, they reserve the right to transfer the entry.

Evidence should show:

• The entrant’s contribution to the business’s success over the 12 months to 1 February 2025
• How the entrant communicates with customers, staff and partners at all levels
• How the entrant has managed budgets, tasks and processes
• How the entrant includes a consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion in their work.
  

This category is for the manager who has shown commitment and enthusiasm and an excellent ability to motivate, and how they have made a personal contribution to a small/medium-sized operator.

Evidence should show:

• What improvements and personal contributions the entrant has delivered over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 and how they have made a difference to the business
• How the entrant has managed budgets, tasks and processes
• How the entrant has met, or exceeded, performance indicators that are used to manage their part of the business
• How the entrant includes a consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion in their work.

This category is for the manager with proven abilities and who has shown commitment and enthusiasm and an excellent ability to motivate. They have also personally contributed to their organisation.

Evidence should show:

• What improvements and personal contributions the entrant has delivered over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 and how they have made a difference to the business
• How the entrant has managed budgets, tasks and processes
• How the entrant has met, or exceeded, performance indicators that are used to manage their part of the business
• How the entrant includes a consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion in their work.

This category recognises the business that has put customers’ experience at the forefront of its thinking and intends to keep it there. Entrants must demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the customer and how such an approach has delivered benefits to the business.

Evidence should show:

• How the customer experience has tangibly improved over the 12 months to 1 February 2025
• How the customer experience is measured
• Examples of where a customer’s expectations have been exceeded
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category recognises and rewards the talents of a skilled engineering manager, head of engineering or engineering director who has direct responsibility for fleet maintenance or vehicle availability within a small or medium-sized coach or bus operator.

Entrants must demonstrate how they have contributed to the maintenance of vehicle compliance and engineering standards; managed complex tasks and processes; met specified targets; and shown effective communication skills.

Evidence should show:

• What improvements and personal contributions the entrant has delivered over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 and how they have made a difference to the business
• How the entrant has managed excellent vehicle compliance and reliability standards, budgets, tasks and processes
• How the entrant has met, or exceeded, performance indicators that are used to manage their part of the business
• How the entrant includes a consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion in their work.

This category recognises and rewards the talents of a skilled engineering manager, head of engineering or engineering director who has direct responsibility for fleet maintenance or vehicle availability within a large coach or bus operator.

Entrants must demonstrate how they have contributed to the maintenance of vehicle compliance and engineering standards; managed complex tasks and processes; met specified targets; and shown effective communication skills.

Evidence should show:

• What improvements and personal contributions the entrant has delivered over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 and how they have made a difference to the business
• How the entrant has managed excellent vehicle compliance and reliability standards, budgets, tasks and processes
• How the entrant has met, or exceeded, performance indicators that are used to manage their part of the business
• How the entrant includes a consideration of diversity, equity and inclusion in their work.
  

This category is strictly for coach operators that have delivered their own coach tourism programmes, including holidays and/or day trips. Entrants will display innovation and how they have derived commercial success through that work, while also delighting their customers and showcasing coach tourism at its finest.

Evidence should show:

• How the business has listened to its existing customers to develop its coach tourism product offering over the 12 months since 1 February 2025 
• How the business showcases its coach tourism programme to existing and new customers
• What the business considers when composing its coach tourism programme
• Details of the commercial success that the coach tourism programme has delivered to the business
• Feedback or testimonials from customers and/or partners on the day coach tourism programme
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category recognises where introduction of the latest technology or technology-related products by a coach operator has delivered quantifiable and significant benefits for the business and its customers and/or staff.

Evidence should show:

• Details of the technology or technology-related product that has been introduced by the coach operator in question over the 12 months to 1 February 2025.
• Why it was felt necessary to introduce it.
• Details of the benefits that it has brought to the operator, its employees or its customers since introduction
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category recognises where introduction of the latest technology or technology-related product by a bus operator has delivered quantifiable and significant benefits for the business and its customers and/or staff.

Evidence should show:

• Details of the technology or technology-related product that has been introduced by the bus operator in question over the 12 months to 1 February 2025
• Why it was felt necessary to introduce it
• Details of the benefits that it has brought to the business, its employees or its customers since introduction
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category is for the operator with a strong commitment to a sustainable future across its business. Entrants are encouraged to consider the widest possible picture and should provide evidence showing how such an approach flows through their operation. The submission should include a report on its benefits, including how they have been achieved.

That will illustrate:

• Details of each part of the sustainability work that has been introduced across the 12 months to 1 February 2025
• A description of why it was felt necessary to introduce those measures
• An explanation of the benefits that have resulted for the business, its employees or its customers, or wider society
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category is for the small coach operator that demonstrates a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service.

Eligibility for this category is strictly dependent on the combined total number of coaches and minicoaches operated, not overall fleet size. It considers the operator as a whole, not an individual depot basis, and is open to all eligible businesses regardless of the predominant size of vehicle that they run.

Evidence should show:

• Details of how the business has positioned itself over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 in regard to quality, innovation, training and customer service
• Proof of achievements in those key areas over that period
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category is for the medium-sized coach operator that demonstrates a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service.

Eligibility for this category is strictly dependent on the combined total number of coaches and minicoaches operated, not overall fleet size. It considers the operator as a whole, not an individual depot basis, and is open to all eligible businesses regardless of the predominant size of vehicle that they run.

Evidence should show:

• Details of how the business has positioned itself over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 in regard to quality, innovation, training and customer service
• Proof of achievements in those key areas over that period
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category focuses on exceptional performance of small/medium bus operators, with evidence to show exemplary service in every respect.

Eligibility for this category is strictly dependent on the total number of buses operated. It considers the operator as a whole, not on an individual depot basis. Operators may submit only one application for Bus Operator of the Year categories.

Evidence should show:

• Details of how the business has positioned itself over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 in regard to quality, innovation, training and customer service
• Proof of achievements in those key areas over that period
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category is for the large coach operator that demonstrates a commitment to quality, innovation and customer service.

Eligibility for this category is strictly dependent on the combined total number of coaches and minicoaches operated, not overall fleet size. It considers the operator as a whole, not an individual depot basis, and is open to all eligible businesses regardless of the predominant size of vehicle that they run.

Evidence should show:

• Details of how the business has positioned itself over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 in regard to quality, innovation, training and customer service
• Proof of achievements in those key areas over that period
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.

This category focuses on exceptional performance of large bus operators, with evidence to show exemplary service in every respect.

Eligibility for this category is strictly dependent on the total number of buses operated. It considers the operator as a whole, not on an individual depot basis. Operators may submit only one application for Bus Operator of the Year categories.

Evidence should show:

• Details of how the business has positioned itself over the 12 months to 1 February 2025 in regard to quality, innovation, training and customer service
• Proof of achievements in those key areas over that period
• How diversity, equity and inclusion factors into the business’s thinking.