From regional roads to national recognition: Tauranga bus driver, Preston Chen, has received the Urban Driver of the Quarter Award from employer Kinetic New Zealand.

Chen spends a large portion of his week helping to keep Tauranga moving, both behind the wheel of a bus, and through the work he does behind the scenes to help improve efficiency for fellow bus drivers in Tauranga.

Since beginning his journey with Kinetic New Zealand, the company behind Baybus services in 2020, Chen has used his expertise and experience from a previous career in IT to develop a number of innovative tools that have streamlined processes across the depot.

Along with 3D printing an advanced cash box, Chen developed two apps, one that allows drivers to easily share their roster with loved ones, and another that makes it possible to view real-time feedback from their routes based on General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data.

Chen’s dedication to creating a better working environment was recognised during Kinetic Tauranga’s recent Rewards and Recognition ceremony.

Front row: Angie Ronkie, Ranga Arachchige, Preston Chen, Linda Rorvik, Ramandeep Kaur, Lorelle Bell, Ken Heard. Second row: Stephen Mckeefry, Shubam Babuta – HSR, Paul Brown- HSR, Hikitia Gallagher, Selene Larae, Collin Graham, Anthony Hames – HSR, David Sutton – HSR, Ryan Huan. Photo / supplied

Kinetic general manager operations – Central North Island, Ranga Perumbuli Arachchige, said the awards are an opportunity to recognise team members who have gone above and beyond in their role whilst embodying the company’s core values of passion, respect, integrity, humility and authenticity.

“People are at the heart of our business. Our drivers interact with hundreds of people across the Bay of Plenty every day, and together with our office-based and workshop teams, keep our region moving.

“Rewards and recognition is a way for us to acknowledge and celebrate the individuals who have taken extra steps to ensure our customers have the best possible experience navigating our services.

“It was an honour to announce Preston as the Urban Driver of the Quarter and recognise the outstanding efforts of our team with the presentation of numerous regional awards.”

The Driver of the Quarter Award is determined by Kinetic New Zealand’s urban senior leadership team following a nomination period where general managers across the country are invited to put forward outstanding members of their teams.

To be eligible, drivers must have a clean driving record, receive consistently positive feedback, and demonstrate behaviour that goes above and beyond the expectations of their job.

Regional award winners are nominated by Kinetic Tauranga’s leadership team and celebrated across several categories, including Rising Star, Spirit of Service, and Unsung Hero, with awards for both the first and second quarter of 2025 presented.

The quarterly Rewards and Recognition awards are proudly supported by Bay of Plenty Regional Council and are part of Kinetic’s ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and rewarding workplace culture.

Earlier this year, the organisation was recognised with an HRD 5-star Employer of Choice award from Human Resources Director, an international forum for human resources specialists.