BUS Éireann, Ireland’s national bus company, has celebrated its employees’ success in 2021 at the annual GEM (‘Go the Extra Mile’) Awards which recognise excellent customer service, community impact, performance and forward-thinking.
Bus Éireann’s Limerick team was celebrated, with David Cunneen being recognised with the National GEM Hero Award, and Anita Kurucz winning the National GEM Forward Thinking Award.
David Cunneen from Limerick was recognised for his heroism in the application of CPR and a defibrillator after he found a man collapsed in Colbert Station. He worked on the man for almost 30 minutes until the emergency services arrived and was commended for his quick action.
Anita Kurucz, who is originally from Hungary but is living in Limerick, was awarded for the care and consideration she shows to new drivers, where she prints notes for new drivers undergoing route training with the turns and stops on their new route so that they can concentrate on the road ahead.
In congratulating the winners, Stephen Kent, Bus Éireann Chief Executive Officer, said “2021 has been a landmark year for Bus Éireann and I am proud of our team of dedicated employees all across Ireland who ‘go the extra mile’ for our customers.
“I would especially like to recognise David and Anita, who have been awarded specifically for their demonstration of Bus Éireann’s core values. David for his heroism in responding quickly to an emergency incident and Anita for her forward thinking approach to helping her new colleagues.’’
“2021 has also been a challenging year and I want to recognise the outstanding contribution of Bus Éireann employees in connecting people with who and what matters to them. The GEM Awards celebrate the exceptional contributions of Bus Éireann employees for our passengers, our services and for their colleagues.’’
“Bus Éireann operates in every corner of the country with city and town services, inter-city and inter-regional routes provided by Expressway, rural stage carriage services and our extensive school transport network. I want to congratulate all of those who have won and who have been nominated for GEM Awards in 2021.’’
For Bus Éireann’s Western region, Limerick nominees won two awards.
- Anita Kurucz was also named ‘Road Passenger Driver of the Year’
- John Joe Carey from Kilmallock won ‘Apprentice of the Year’
According to a recent KPMG report, Bus Éireann contributes €23 million to the Limerick economy, employing 150 people who live in County Limerick, facilitating almost 4 million passenger journeys on the Limerick city bus service in 2019 and transporting 5,200 students on school transport in Limerick each school day.
