MysteryCheck for Transport Companies

It is very important for public transport companies that their drivers handle buses safely and that they also have excellent customer skills. They are not only obliged to monitor safety based on the German Ordinance on the Operation of Passenger Transport Companies (BOKraft), but also based on the principles of sound economic management. Many companies are therefore faced with the question of how to measure and improve the performance of their drivers. The TÜV NORD MysteryCheck provides the answer through unobserved assessment of driving behaviour.

During the MysteryCheck, an officially-approved but anonymous driving examiner together with a graduate psychologist check the driving behaviour of individual bus drivers. In contrast to the situation during a pre-announced test drive, subconscious behaviour is also observed and identified in the MysteryCheck. This is particularly important in order to ensure that the safety rules as laid down in BOKraft are fulfilled at all times and also in order to detect driving habits which may waste energy or fuel. However, the MysteryCheck also investigates the behaviour of drivers towards their passengers. As public transport companies need strong customer loyalty in order to sustain their business, permanently high quality of service is essential. Most bus drivers are well trained with a firm intention to act in accordance with the rules and in a customer-friendly fashion – however, it may be that they do not always manage to achieve this, and there is often room for further improvement.

The concise assessment reports generated as a result of the MysteryCheck provide public transport companies with an objective basis for targeted personnel development. In a special workshop, our psychologists prepare your managers for the subsequent meetings with staff. The workshop communicates methods to help you support changes in behaviour on the part of your drivers - effectively and over the long term, so that subconscious errors cannot re-emerge. Our experience shows: the MysteryCheck and the resulting measures not only fulfil the requirements of BOKraft as regards safety monitoring, but are also popular with works councils and employees themselves. It facilitates targeted further training and qualification and can even increase motivation amongst the drivers. The effectiveness of the MysteryCheck is also underlined by a report in which one of our clients tells of his own experiences.

• Objective and realistic assessment of individual driving performance
• High level of acceptance within the team of drivers based on the independence and competence of TÜV NORD
• Improvement of individual driving behaviour with regard to safety and energy efficiency
• Optimisation of the service approach and customer focus in the driving team, in particular with regard to politeness, communication and the ability to handle disputes
• Securing the legal framework laid down by BOKraft and also prevention of risks and hazards