PANJIM: Goa’s Paulo Holiday Makers made history by bagging the Award for Excellence in Environment Initiatives under the private category at the India Bus Award programme organized for the first time in the country by Ashok Leyland.
Paulo Holiday Makers was also nominated for three other categories that include, Excellence in Employee Welfare, Excellence in Bus Operator and Excellence in Marketing Initiative.
The country’s “first-of-its-kind” awards to honour bus operators and bus manufacturers were bestowed upon private and state transport undertakings in 16 different categories.
Commenting on the awards, Biju Mathews COO Abhibus.com said, “This year’s awards were open to three business categories – State Road Transport Corporations, Private Fleet Operators and Bus Manufacturers – to recognize the entire bus travel eco system. These awards will boost the industry and encourage all stakeholders to perform better and strive for excellence.”
Paulo Holiday Makers MD Mario S Pereira said he was overjoyed that the brand name Paulo was spreading from Ahmedabad to Cochin and attributed the win to using bio-diesel in the fleet. The company’s bio-diesel initiative began in February 2015 (following the cabinet approval on January 16, for manufacturers to supply biodiesel in bulk to consumers). When vehicles consume this fuel, it leads to 80 per cent reduction in carbon emission, no sulphur or particulate matter in the atmosphere and less chance of fire hazards, due to high flashpoint.
Paulo Travels will soon be starting free AC Cabs (Home pick up and drop) at major metropolitan cities to reduce travel time by three hours. For example in Mumbai, the buses will be leaving from Chembur and the taxis will pick up customers from their respective home and drop them to Chembur. Hence avoiding the traffic congestion and reducing the travel time by three hrs.
Presently the company conducts daily bus services from Goa to major cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, Aurangabad, Ahmedabad, etc. Plans are on the anvil to have buses run on routes to connect these major metropolitan cities.
The company has several firsts to its credit like being the first to introduce integrated Online Bus ticket booking system; IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System); package tours in Goa and also operate package tours throughout India. Amongst other things it was also the first to ply the eco-friendly Volvo buses in Goa. Paulo Travels is the only bus operator in Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat recognized by the Central Government.