(09 Oct 2014, 7:49 pm)Dan wrote Guess it depends on how you judge the 'best' bus depot...

Do you measure it by buses leaving on time, do you measure it by the smallest lost mileage, do you measure it by the least amount of VORs, do you measure it by keeping buses on the right route...?

I'd assume a mix of everything - obviously they're better at some things than others..! 

The criteria itself is pretty vague. 

This award is designed to recognise and reward high standards of operation and customer care by bus depots and garages throughout the UK.

The Award is open to bus depots or garages that operate buses on local bus services outside London. For the purposes of this award, a bus garage is defined as an authorised operating base at which vehicles are both stabled overnight and maintained.

 
And ANE's Blyth depot entry is as follows:

Blyth Depot of more than 150 staff prides itself on being an exceptional operation with outstanding commitment to its passengers, employees and the community it serves. Consistency is key to the operation which runs a fleet of 50 plus buses and lost mileage of just 0.26 and punctuality score of 87% in 2013 have seen its standards maintained. 'It's alive, it's electric' campaign, the sequel saw local people and drivers involved in promoting the new Arriva journey planner app which was rolled out first in the North East in January this year, and the judges were impressed by the depot's full engagement with the community as well as the level of service which Blyth continues to deliver.

I'd question how they can use the "It's alive, it's electric" campaign, or the journey planner app, in their submission. Both are national schemes, and would have been rolled out regardless of whether ANE have a depot in Blyth. Taking that away, then you're left off with a pretty poor level of punctuality, and a low level of lost mileage. 
If we take a look at the data from our good friends as Passenger Focus, they show Arriva in Tyne and Wear having a very poor score of only 67% satisfied with the punctuality of their bus. A gap of some 87%. I know this comes down to actual vs assumed, but surely you have to take your customers with you if you're trying to shout about customer care?