THE greenest and best bus drivers at First in York have received special commendations.

More than 30 drivers were presented with ‘GreenRoad FleetElite' awards after being measured on their ‘DriveGreen’ performance.

A spokesman said a unique system was designed to provide customers with a safer, smoother journey, whilst also reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

"A DriveGreen ‘traffic light’ monitor is fitted to vehicle dashboards on every one of First’s buses,which helps show the driver how well he/she is driving," he said.

"The monitor displays a static green light if the driver is driving at low risk, or flashes amber or red if they carry out an unwanted driving manoeuvre, such as heavy braking or rapid acceleration.

"Points are given for each event and the fewer points a driver has, the better theirDriveGreen score is."

Caroline Hall, 50, of Selby, was one of eight drivers to receive a Gold award after achieving the very highest driving standard for three consecutive years.

She said: “I’m really pleased to have received the award. It’s important to me that my customers have a safe and a smooth trip. Since First introduced DriveGreen a few years ago it has certainly helped me improve my driving skills."