Health & Transport
Comprehensive Auditable Quality Standards for Community Transport Operators
The Greater Manchester Community Transport Operators' Forum (GMCTOF) has begun implementation of its comprehensive suite of auditable Quality Standards for CT operators.
The Framework, developed for the Forum by CT experts Transport for Communities, will ensure that compliant organisations will meet the letter of the law both in administration and operations, as well as in adhering to and developing best practice in areas such as community involvement.
Accreditation will provide assurance to commissioners and users that a community transport operator meets best-practice standards in eight key areas, including governance, financial management and vehicle operations.
Neil Foley, Chair of GMCTF said "Our quality standards have been built from the ground up, specifically for CT operators. They've taken us over two years to develop, in conjunction with key stakeholders such as the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) and the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations (GMCVO), and we're very proud of them. They show that Greater Manchester is once again leading the way in developing community transport as part of an integrated approach to Social Needs Transport."
In keeping with the cooperative ethos of the sector, the Forum will share the valuable experience it has gained in developing its Framework. Neil Foley again: "We're very keen to pass on some of the benefits of our experience to CT operators in other parts of the country. There's no point in re-inventing the wheel, after all!"
The Forum is therefore making its Quality Framework template available free of charge to other not-for-profit voluntary sector transport providers.
Copies of the Quality Framework are available from quality@gmctof.org.uk
Click here to view the GMCTF Quality Framework 2010+
(For more information on the Forum see the March 2010 edition of the Health & Transport Newsletter in the Archive section)