Sussex bus operator drives forward with double UK Customer Satisfaction Awards finalist spot
Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator, the parent company of Stagecoach South and Stagecoach South East (Sussex based bus operators), has achieved an historic milestone by being shortlisted as a finalist for the first time ever at the prestigious UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2026, receiving nominations in two categories.
Stagecoach has been named a finalist in:
- ‘Customer Focus – Large Enterprise’: An award open to organisations with more than 250 employees that have successfully placed the customer at the centre of their operations and strategies
- ‘Employee Engagement’: An award open to any organisation with an employee engagement strategy that has led to a demonstrable improvement in performance and customer satisfaction
This double finalist position reflects Stagecoach’s significant strides in enhancing the customer experience across the UK. The Company’s focus on service improvement and customer engagement was recently highlighted in the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) results, published in July. In these results, Stagecoach was one of the 20 most improved organisations across all sectors year-on-year for customer service. It also earned its spot as the top-performing bus operator in key customer experience metrics and impressively climbed from 28th to 20th out of 37 transport organisations, recording an impressive 4.6-point increase on the previous year.
Marc Reddy, Managing Director for Stagecoach South, said: “Being recognised on a national scale is a fantastic endorsement of the hard work our teams deliver every day across the South. The quality of our local services, and the commitment of our people to keep communities connected, plays a crucial role in Stagecoach achieving this level of recognition. We’re proud that the improvements we’ve made for our customers locally are contributing to the wider success of the organisation.”
Joel Mitchell, Managing Director for Stagecoach South East, said: “Our services across the South East are a vital part of how Stagecoach delivers for customers nationally, so it’s incredibly rewarding to see this recognised. This finalist position reflects not just corporate progress, but the dedication of colleagues on the ground who work tirelessly to provide the safe, reliable and customer-focused services our communities rely on. We’re proud that our regional efforts are helping to drive the company’s success across the UK.”
The winners of the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2026 will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 10 March 2026 at the London Hilton, Park Lane.