First Travel Solutions Wins Best Innovation and Secures Bronze for Best Transport Provider at the British Educational Travel Association (BETA UK) Youth Travel Awards 2025.
Pictured Left to Right: Paul Upton - Business Development Manager, Hannah Cattermer - - Business Development Manager
First Travel Solutions (FTS), the UK’s leading provider of fully managed ground transport, is celebrating a standout night at the 2025 British Youth Travel Awards (BETA), held at the Ministry of Sound in London.
FTS proudly won the Best Innovation Award for its transformative Driver Companion App, and achieved Bronze in the Best Transport Provider category, recognising its continued commitment to delivering safe, sustainable and seamless travel for young people across the UK.
Nicola Ryder, Head of Business Development of First Travel Solutions, said:
“Winning Best Innovation is a huge moment for us, and securing Bronze for Best Transport Provider is a brilliant testament to the work our teams deliver every single day. Youth and student travel is a space where safety, transparency and trust truly matter and these awards reflect the passion and expertise our people bring to every journey.”
Award-Winning Innovation: Driver Companion App
Recognised by judges for its originality and real-world impact, the Driver Companion App gives FTS’s 1,500+ suppliers an accessible way to deliver real-time vehicle tracking using only a driver’s smartphone.
Unlike traditional telematics solutions the app enables live location sharing, improved safeguarding, enhanced communication, and proactive journey management. FTS would like to thanks Chris Lee and the team for their efforts in developing this app.
This innovative approach has already been adopted across school residentials, youth festivals and language school trips, improving safety, efficiency, and peace of mind for teachers, parents and organisers alike.
Recognised for Excellence: Bronze – Best Transport Provider
FTS’s Bronze award acknowledges its national scale and long-standing leadership in youth and educational transport. With more than 2 million passengers moved annually, access to 1,500 rigorously vetted suppliers, and a track record spanning major UK events, student programmes and international youth travel, FTS continues to set industry standards.
Backed by three ISO accreditations (ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001) and over 20 years of specialist expertise, FTS supports schools, universities, language providers, event organisers and travel management companies with safe, reliable and fully managed transport solutions tailored to young travellers.
A Collective Achievement
Speaking from the awards, Paul Upton Business Development Manager added:
“This recognition belongs to our incredible teams, our supply partners and our clients who trust us to move young people safely across the UK every single day. The youth travel sector is full of outstanding organisations pushing standards forward, and we’re proud to stand alongside them.”
Looking Ahead
With continued investment in technology, supplier capability and customer experience, FTS remains focused on driving innovation and raising safety, sustainability and service standards across youth and educational travel.