West Sussex-based Gatwick Airport has announced that it will be introducing a new shared bus service for the 20,000 individuals working on-site, 2,500 of whom are employed directly by the airport itself, to provide a more cost-effective, stress-free and sustainable commute.
The new bus service, provided by Zeelo, has been designed to target local areas where Gatwick Airport employees are poorly serviced by existing public transport links. The benefit further aims to help the organisation achieve its goal of increasing the proportion of employees that travel to work by sustainable means to 42% by 2020.
The commuter bus service will initially operate on a route between West Crawley and Gatwick Airport, with additional routes also in development. Tailored around employees’ shift patterns, early bus services are scheduled to arrive at Gatwick Airport from 5am, with a total of eight morning rides and eight evening rides a day, to provide flexibility for employees to arrive and leave work when required. The bus route incorporates two drop-off points, at the airport's North and South terminals.
The bus benefit will provide employees with a guaranteed seat and access to Wi-Fi and device charging points. Employee are able to select flexible ticket options through the Zeelo app.
Gatwick Airport is launching an initial free trial of the bus service from Monday 12 August 2019. Following this, the bus service will be formally implemented from Tuesday 27 August 2019; it will then cost from £0.88 per ride for staff members.
The benefit has been communicated to employees via internal social and communications portal Yammer, The Gatwick Family App, direct staff emails, social media campaigns and on-site posters and flyers. Staff have also been able to register their interest directly with Zeelo, so that the provider can assess the demand for additional routes.
Emma Rees, head of surface transport at Gatwick Airport, said: “Gatwick Airport has a major focus on sustainability and this initiative further demonstrates our commitment to reducing emissions and congestion in the local area.
“The new Zeelo shuttle service provides another choice for airport employees to travel to work in a more sustainable fashion, while maximising convenience and reducing travel costs.”
