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1. What is the Service Charter and what is its purpose.
The Service Charter is a document that, based on the contents of Law 273 of 11.7.1995, is destined to modify the relationship between the Company and the citizens, not only anymore as users of the service but as true clients. With this perspective the Company adopts the Service Charter committing with a written statement to obligations and duties towards the citizens, who, on their turn, want that their legitimate expectations will be met.
The Charter identifies specific features (reliability, punctuality, comfort on the carriers, environment friendly behavior, information) that guarantee quality, and for each of them it identifies also the frame and the standard to apply during the service.
Such standards will be updated through a constant confrontation with the needs and expectations of clients, from which the Company commits to continuously improve its organization and the professional level of its employees.
The citizen will be able to enforce its experience as user of the service – client with commitments taken by Friulviaggi and when feeling that the company has disattended its promises the client will be able to present claims, observations and suggestions to which the Company will reply with detailed and precision. The client, center of the interests and activities of the Company, will find in the Charter an instrument to know the standards of the company and to check their actual implementation.
The adoption of the Charter is not only an adjustment to the legislation in force, but comes from a preceding work of combining the needs, claims and suggestions of clients and from surveys carried out by the Company to measure the quality of the services it offers.
2. Fundamentals of the Service Charter
2.1 Equality
Friulviaggi guarantees equal treatment in homogeneous geographical areas and categories or groups of clients. Particular attention is reserved to people with disabilities and the elderly. In the case of public transport attention will be paid to the vehicle’s accessibility, storage or placement of wheelchairs or specific seat arrangements. The specialized services might require the Company to calibrate variations to the ordinary service to satisfy specific needs. Furthermore, in providing the service, it is guaranteed no discrimination based on sex, race, language, religion or political preference.
2.2 Impartiality
The regulations and rules of travel shall be based on the principles of objectivity, justice and impartiality.
2.3 Continuity
The Company commits first and foremost to ensure a regular and continuous service, without interruption. However, because our buses travel on public or private ways, they are subject to external unforeseen events that might result in the failure to comply with the principles here expressed, due to circumstances beyond its control. The Company is entitled to take all the necessary measures, including information, to reduce as much as possible the disservice caused to the clients.
2.4 Efficiency and effectiveness
Friulviaggi guarantees respect for set standards and will take part in improving continuously the level of efficiency and effectiveness of its service. Various technological , organization and procedure solutions will be implemented to achieve such objectives. The clients taking advantage of the transportation service (public or private) agree to a “contract of travel” subject to the rights and duties that regulate the use of the services. Based on a standard vehicle, endorsed by administrative resolution of the Pordenone Province, Friulviaggi adopted a “Vehicle Regulation”, that is given to the clients informing of their rights and obligations. The Company is responsible for its periodical update according to the existing laws and the requirements of service.
The current “Vehicle Regulation” is integrally readable in Attachment A.
Nuisance-causing passengers that refuse to attend to the company personnel’s dispositions regarding order and safety might be distanced from the coaches, even using the intervention of public order forces, without any right of compensation except for legally stipulated rights.
2.5 Participation
The Company favors the Clients participation to guarantee providing a good service. To this aim, it provides information on its services and gives to the Client the right to obtain all information and documents on the service, and the right to file suggestions or claims. Periodically the Company will acquire the clients’ evaluation on the quality of its services; procedures based on data handling of a mixed random sample or a registered total pool of all clients will be created.
The results of these data survey will be published annually for quality assurance, giving particular attention to deviations between planned quality and quality delivered, client’s expectations and quality perception.
3. Dispositions for luggage and animal transport.
Every passenger can carry on the coach free of charge 1 bag of personal belongings (hand luggage), within the dimensions of 40x20x15 cm. Any extra luggage piece or piece exceeding this size must be stowed in the luggage compartment. Undelivered luggage, ie all other belongings, are exclusively under the custody and responsibility of the Client who responds for any damage caused by his luggage to other passengers or the coach. Deposited luggage stowed in the proper compartment is responsibility of the carrier within limits of current legislation (L.450/85).
Friulviaggi does not respond for valuables contained in the luggage, art or antique objects and similar items.
On all coaches the access and transport of animals is forbidden.
3.1 Refund claims
Friulviaggi proceeds with refund practices in case of Company’s gross negligence for:
- Interruption of the service without previous notice
- Impossibility to complete the arrival at the destination for which the service was paid for due to technical or mechanical breakdown of the vehicle
- Demonstrated gross damage to Clients needs due to delay caused by the Company inefficiency
The amount of the refund is equal to the paid travel document, which must be always attached in copy to the refund claim.
No price refund is given, however caused, in case of interruption or delay due to external unforeseen events, without prejudice to the clients right to file a claim.
For information relating lost luggage passengers may call the information service at the number (+39) 427 50316 MO-FRI 17.30-18-30.
4. Sanctions to passengers
Failure to comply with the “Vehicle Regulation” makes the passengers subject to administrative sanctions proportional to the damage suffered by the Company.
5. Quality Factors and Service Level (Attachment B)
Incorporated the resolution of the Regional Committee N. 1879 of 5.6.1998 defining the outline of the ‘Service Charter’ and the Quality Factors relative to particular aspects of the service, Friulviaggi measures annually the quality levels and compares them with goal values, set on the basis of Clients expectations and the actual potential of the Company.
The Quality Factors constituting the fundamentals of the service are:
a. Schedule and time frame
b. Total time of travel
c. Service ease of use
d. Reliability
e. Comfort
f. Respect for the environment
g. Personnel
h. Monitoring and protection
The Company commitment regarding each Quality Factor is described here following.
a. Schedule and time frame
Whereas the Company must follow schedule and time frames set by the Client (public or private), respect of the company standards is guaranteed by:
1. Commitment if guaranteeing a continuous service of wide territorial coverage for Gran Turismo Coaches transportation and high reliability for services given to townships (school bus service);
2. Guarantee of service also in case of schedule or path variations (previous company authorization)
3. Acceptance of mandates at any time of the year (previous study of feasibility by the company itself)
b. Total time of travel
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. Cooperation with the responsible agencies and public order forces for the solution of any condition that might influence the service (transit permits, special events, etc)
2. Training awareness programs for drivers and control personnel to report timely and in detail all information that will allow for improvement of the service;
c. Service ease of use
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. Commitment of the company to constantly update the schedule of continuous services (school bus and atypical services)
2. Commitment of Friulviaggi to inform the clients through various communication means. Development of the www.friulviaggi.it website with information regarding schedules and time changes, company news on the service and other useful information.
3. Creation of an assistance service at the number 0427 50316 for enquiries on travel plans, schedules, bus stops.
4. At the same phone number it is possible to send claims and comments on the service.
d. Travel safety
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. Implementation of a maintenance program based on a technical testing of the coaches periodically.
2. Professionalism of the driving personnel, with specific technical training and updates on circulation regulations and emergency response in case of fire on board.
3. Service phone for the driving personnel to guarantee immediate communication and response in case of emergency.
4. Periodical special medical visits for driving personnel to ensure full efficiency and safety.
5. Emergency response courses for the driving personnel, with particular attention to aspects related to emergency operations for injured passengers.
e. Reliability
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. Implementation of maintenance of the coaches to monitor continuously and effectively their working conditions, and to prevent break downs.
2. provision of roadside assistance guaranteed on the entire area covered by the service 24/7, backup vehicles ready for timely intervention in case of a sudden breakdown.
f. Comfort
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. Gradual upgrade of vehicle fleet to maintain their average age under 8 years, goal reached already in 2003.
2. purchase of special school buses to improve service cutting down on the number of daily trips.
3. Improvement of heating and conditioning on the vehicles.
4. Frequency of general cleaning and maintenance on school buses and tourism rental vehicles; semi-automatic external wash is being finalized.
g. Respect for the environment
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. scheduled monitoring of polluting emissions
2. gradual replacement of vehicles older than 15 years and transition from Euro-2 vehicles to Euro-3 and Euro-5 vehicles
3. recurring maintenance finalized to containment of exhaust gases
4. effective management of dangerous waste (waste oil, etc.) and recycling.
h. Personnel
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. maintaining training levels reached in 2008 with implementation starting in 2009 of a company training program for driving personnel including safety, health and wellbeing of employees and travelers, guidelines on service behavior and continuous learning and update on circulation regulations.
2. continuous learning on mechanical technology and maintenance of new vehicles for mechanics personnel started on second semester of 2010
3. control for a correct use of the company uniform and badge use, for recognizably personnel
4. improvement of operation procedures to timely and accurately deal with reports on the service of travelling personnel
i. Control and monitoring
Statutory compliance is guaranteed by:
1. company commitment to respond immediately or after internal investigation to reports received at the number 0427 50316
2. internal procedure to reply in writing to all claims and suggestions within 30 days from receipt. All reports, verbal and written, are examined to take necessary measures with the aim of improving the service
3. Customer satisfaction annual surveys to monitor the client’s quality perceptions.
6. Standards Improvements
The company reviews every year quality standards based upon:
1. Evaluation of the service provided by clients and other associations
2. Analysis of suggestions and claims
3. Comparison with the operating procedures and results of other similar companies at the national and European level
4. Indications given by contracting agencies
The company plans and initiates internal and external action to improve the standards of service, involving the regulating agencies for mobility control; improvement through targeted actions for maintaining and consolidating levels reached in the past, which already represent a high standard for quality and efficiency.
For the year 2010 the goal is to maintain previously reached levels in order to verify the effectiveness of the company past choices.
In cases where the levels set in 2010 were not reached, new appropriate goals have been set for the company to meet for standards improvement.
7. Claims and suggestions
Claims, suggestions and reports are important communication tools between the company and its clients/users, that can express through them different expectations on the service or provide for additional information. Claim suggestion forms are available at the company’s headquarter office. These forms can be accompanied by traditional means of communications as letters which may be sent to the following address:
Friulviaggi di Alfio Zammataro via gaio n.8 33097 Spilimbergo (PN)
Via fax to the following number: 0427926584
By email: info@friulviaggi.it
Using the form downloadable from the website www.friulviaggi.it
information and claim registration is available by phone
The company monitors all claims and suggestions received, both written and oral. Only non anonymous written reports receive written response within 30 days from receipt. An immediate phone reply is given to verbal communication. If deemed necessary, a later reply will be given after further analysis.
A copy of the present document can be released only with the management authorization.