Coach and Bus Week : Issue 1082

Wednesday April 10, 2013 Issue 1082 | £2.95 www.coachandbusweek.com

COACH:

Plaxton to launch 'baby' Panther at UK Coach Rally p9

FACE TO FACE:

Brothers Ian & Steve Luckett talk business & technology p22

BUS:

Rescue of Boltonbased Maytree Travel fails at 11th hour p4

FOCUS ON

The rise of a south coast coach firm

TRAINING:

How Lucketts ensures its staff have the right set of skills p26

for recruitm

JOB ADVE ent EVERY WERTS EK

RECRUIT N

OW

p16

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this week

Coach & Bus Week, First Floor, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX Switchboard 01733 293240 Fax 0845 280 2927 Web www.coachandbusweek.com Distributed by COMAG

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www.coachandbusweek.com ISSN: 1351-3877 © 2013 Coach and Bus Week Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or system or in any means without the written permission of the directors. This is considered a breach of copyright and action will be taken where this occurs. This magazine must not be lent, sold, hired or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or in any authorised cover by way, or by trade, or annexed to any publication or advertising matter without first obtaining written permission from the directors.

Coaching from Lucketts

I

hope you enjoy this week’s in-depth look at Lucketts Travel Group. As is undoubtedly wellknown, the family-owned firm goes where others seem to follow. They’re constantly seeking the next opportunity, both in terms of business and in technological systems. A prime example of the latter is the planned phasing out of paper workshop job cards and driver nil-defect vehicle cards, which is set to be replaced by hand-held computers, saving umpteen hours of administration. Since my first visit in early 2009, I have personally been fortunate to see the company develop. One thing has remained unchanged however – the warm welcome at Broadcut.

Our themed issue is in a similar format to those we featured on the so-called ‘Big Five’ operators over the course of last year. In the coming weeks, we’ll be looking at RATP Group, which of course includes Epsom Coaches, London United, Yellow Buses and Bath Bus Company. We’ve also got in-depth examinations planned for other larger coach operators, in addition to a highlyregarded municipal bus firm which

has stayed largely out of the limelight in the recent past – Lothian Buses.

Back to coaching, as this issue went to press on Monday, organisers of the UK Coach Rally told me they had 40 confirmed entries – as you’ll read on p5.

Looking back at CBW1033 last year, we reported: “According to the programme, there were 39 entries – although it is understood this figure does not take into account a handful of last-minute cancellations.” With that in mind, perhaps things are looking up for the rally this year. I for one wish the event every success.

On that note, I will not be there in person this year unfortunately owing to a personal and professional diary clash. In short, I’m honoured to be best man for a friend who works in the Go-Ahead Group and April 20/21 happens to be the only weekend when the two ushers (one of which works in Eurotunnel Group), the groom and I can be together in one place until late May.

Gareth Evans Editor

CONTENTS 4

22

34

The latest from across the coach and bus industry in the UK

12

...With the two brothers at the helm of Lucketts Group, Ian & Steve

26

A look at Lucketts 102-strong fleet of coaches, buses ...& Ford Fiestas

What’s happening across the country’s regions. Plus Events Diary

16

Lucketts Training Manager Ian Hills on what it takes to drive at Lucketts

30

A look at rental, leasing and finance options available to operators

Setting the scene for our in-depth look at Lucketts Travel Group

18

Paul Barringer outlines how Lucketts has adapted to the present

32

A lighthearted look at the industry.

Plus Office Diary column

David Luckett outlines Lucketts’ transition from HGVs to PCVs

A Lucketts Scania OmniExpress coaches against a regal backdrop

All the latest people moves from across the industry

News

Regional News Lucketts intro

Trucks to Coaches

Face to Face

Training Standard

Marketing Matters Big Picture

Lucketts’ Fleet

38

Industry Guide

60

Last Stop

61

People

The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Coach & Bus Week are not necessarily those of the Editor or its publisher Coach and Bus Week Ltd.

Putting your training in safe hands www.wts.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

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4 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

news

“These days, everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die. We all want the best but nobody wants to pay for it.”

David Luckett Lucketts Travel

briefly Our website coachandbusweek.com has now received visitors from 114 countries. As a result of this, Google Translate has been integrated directly into the website.

A dropdown menu can be found beside the website login box, which reads ‘Select Language.’ The service is capable of translating the website into a number of different languages, including Chinese, Hindi, Spanish and Portuguese, giving coverage to interested parties from the large and growing bus and coach markets in China, India and South America.

Thamesdown Transport raised its fares on Sunday, April 7, blaming loss of route subsidies and the UK-wide reduction of fuel duty rebate.

Single fares were increased by 10p to £1.30 for one zone and £1.90 for two zones. A Dayrider went up by 10p to £3.60 and a weekly Travelpass by 50p to £14. Other Travelpass prices rose from £49 to £52 for a four-week ticket and from £136 to £146 for a 13-week ticket. However, a multi-buy ticket has been launched for less regular travellers and families can continue to take advantage of the Family For A Fiver ticket, while the Adult and Kids Dayrider price remained the same. Passengers using a smartcard can buy a Multi-Dayrider ticket, which offers six Dayriders for the price of five.

After the Success of the Running Day at Seacombe over Easter the Merseyside Transport Trust (MTT) is holding another event. The West Lancs Classic Bus Day will take place on April 13. The MTT is using classic buses from its collection, including AEC, Leyland and Bristol vehicles, to provide free rides from Ormskirk Bus Station and Burscough Rail Interchange on a half hourly basis throughout the day from 1100hrs, with the last bus arriving back by 1800hrs. The buses will cover two routes, both of which pass numerous pubs, cafes and village shops and passengers will be able to alight and board if they wish to have a drink or a meal. Full details can be found at http://mttrust. co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

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Face to Face p18

Maytree Travel ceases all services Crippling insurance costs, which are claimed to have increased threefold while only covering third party, were blamed for the sudden cease in trading Bolton-based Maytree Travel Ltd ceased trading suddenly on April 4 following crippling insurance renewals, affecting dozens of services across Bolton and Wigan.

The firm was acquired by Manchester Community Transport Ltd (MCT) on February 28, 2013.

The business traded without incident following acquisition until the insurance renewal quotations were obtained in early March.

The directors were advised that as a result of the company’s claims history the insurance premiums for the following year had been increased threefold and furthermore would provide only third party coverage which for contractual reasons the company was unable to operate under. As such the directors negotiated with the insurers in an attempt to obtain alternative quotations.

They were unsuccessful and with the insurance due to expire at midnight April 6, 2013 immediate action was required.

On the advice of Backhouse Jones Solicitors, the directors met with Cowgill Holloway Business Recovery (Cowgills) on March 28, 2013. The opportunity to transfer the services into MCT was considered but the risk profile of Maytree’s operation would have

placed MCT’s insurance in the same situation. As such, for the business to continue an external purchaser was sought.

Jennifer Bell, Head of Corporate at Backhouse Jones released the business opportunity to the market through the “Little BACK Book” scheme. This generated a number of expressions of interest which Jennifer, together with Cowgills and with the assistance of the directors of the company spent the Easter Bank Holiday weekend working on. This resulted in a formal conditional offer being received on Bank Holiday Monday, which would have secured continuity of services and also a transfer of the existing employees.

no alternatives Jason Elliott, head of business Recovery at Cowgills met with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) on April 2 and received an indication of their agreement to the transfer. The proposed purchaser again visited the site on Wednesday (April 3) and spoke with TfGM in relation to the proposed transfer.

However, an email was received late Wednesday afternoon from the proposed purchaser advising they no longer wished to proceed. No specific reason was given for this withdrawal.

With the imminent termination of insurance and as there was no other interest in the business or funds to meet the employee’s wages which were due to be paid on Friday,

Maytree operated 18 daytime services, 19 evening services and 10 Sunday

the directors had no alternative other than to cease to trade. At this time TfGM were advised and they immediately placed the routes out to emergency tender.

A board meeting was held Thursday (April 4) and Cowgills were instructed to assist in the formalities of placing the company into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation.

Michael Renshaw, TfGM’s Bus & Rail Director, said: “Manchester Community Transport, which owns Maytree, had actively been working over the past few days to address the issues which have led to this situation, but it’s now clear they are insurmountable.

“This is now affecting the level of service being provided and, unfortunately, passengers should not now expect any Maytree services to run.

“We have already issued several tender documents to secure emergency contracts to ensure services return in the immediate future and we will be assessing bids to get agreements in place as soon as possible.

“The process involved – which is not just about paperwork, but also about alternative operators securing drivers and vehicles to be able to provide these services at short notice – takes time.

“Unfortunately, the circumstances mean that some or all of the services affected may not now be back on the road until early next week and passengers are advised to check our website and Twitter feed or call Traveline for updates on the situation before travelling.

“It is deeply regrettable that passengers have been put in this position. The services in question provide essential links for communities in Bolton, Wigan and neighbouring areas and our focus is on doing everything we can to support passengers through this situation.”

TfGM is currently working to ensure any school services affected are addressed as a priority and information is being provided to schools directly.

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Join the discussion on Twitter by following us at @cbwtweets and find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coachandbusweek

UK Coach Rally and Awards: Last Orders

WTS shirt sponsorship for Torquay Torquay United has announced its new main sponsor for the next five seasons will be Western Training Services (WTS).

As the premium sponsorship package available, WTS succeeds Sparkworld as the company adorning the club’s first-team shirts.

Charlie Haggerty, Director of Operations at WTS, told CBW: “We started in Torquay and are supporters of the team. It will really put us in the limelight locally.

“Sparkworld was with the team for 10 years so the sponsorship was an offer we couldn’t refuse.

“It’s an amazing opportunity and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Torquay United Chairman Simon Baker said: “We are very pleased to welcome WTS to the Yellow family.

“It is a big bonus to get everything sorted so quickly.

“It is an added bonus that we have secured a deal with a local business and the inspiring story of growth enjoyed by WTS is one which reflects the ambitions of our special club.’’

A preview of the new Torquay first team shirt bearing the WTS logo

Lothian Buses’ new hybrids take to the streets on Monday (April 15) on route 1 between Clermiston and Easter Road. Three of the vehicles will be on display at a launch event on Castle Street on April 13 between 1100 and 1500hrs. Representatives from both Lothian and Volvo are attending the event to talk about the hybrid technology. MD Ian Craig said: “As a company we are always looking for ways to offer greener and more sustainable travel, both for our passengers and the local environment. With financial support from the Scottish Government we are delighted to continue to add to our existing green fleet.”

Stagecoach celebrates record breaking service Stagecoach is celebrating Eastbourne’s place in the Guinness Book of World Records as Friday April 12 marked the 110th anniversary of the world’s first ever municipal bus service.

Starting on April 12, 1903, the service ran between the railway station and Meads. The service, now ‘route 3’, is run by Stagecoach who took over operation of Eastbourne Buses in 2008.

To celebrate the anniversary, Stagecoach painted a modern bus in the vintage Eastbourne Buses livery and has also restored a classic

1950 AEC Regal single decker and a 1967 Leyland PD2 double decker which will be on display at Eastbourne Carnival next month.

Paul Southgate, MD of Stagecoach in East Sussex, said: “Eastbourne is recognised for its historic and pioneering role in the development of our national public transport system. As well as celebrating the history of buses in Eastbourne, we are also looking forward to the future and can announce that we will soon be investing £1.3m in brand new vehicles to improve services for local residents.”

With less than two weeks to go, the organisers of the UK Coach Rally and Awards weekend have reported only a few places remain.

Bookings have been such that over 350 people are expected to attend the dinner and awards ceremony at Alton Towers Resort on the evening of Saturday, April 20, which will be hosted by popular BBC TV presenter Carol Kirkwood.

Asked about vehicle entries, organisers told CBW on Monday there are “now 40, with a few more possible.”

UK Coach Rally Chairman, Stephen Telling, said: “The combined Rally and Awards event has clearly struck a chord with the coach industry. Rally bookings have been very encouraging and only a small number of places remain available for the evening dinner.

I would urge anyone currently hesitating to book as soon as possible. All the signs are that it will be a successful and prestigious occasion.”

UK Coach Awards chairman, Allan Edmondson, agreed. “It has taken a lot of hard work to organise both events, but the whole team is looking forward to a very enjoyable weekend, and to welcome our industry friends, old and new.”

For information on booking a place at the Rally or the Awards dinner, visit the website at www.ukcra.org.uk.

www.coachandbusweek.com

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news › BUSeS

The number of vehicle entries confirmed for this years Coach Rally

briefly Arriva Merseyside celebrated the entry into service of the last batch of the 33 new hybrid buses hit the road with what it called a ‘free Cross River experience’ on Sunday (April 7).

Participating routes included the popular Cross River Services 432, 433, 437, 464, 471 and 472, which operate between Liverpool and Wirral via the Mersey Tunnel.

“We wanted to offer people who perhaps don’t usually use the bus a chance to try them out as an alternative to the car for a day trip on us,” explained Richard Hoare, General Manager at Arriva Birkenhead.

State-owned bus operator Bus Vannin is to increase its fares on the Isle of Man by an average of 14% from Saturday.

Passengers travelling up to three stops, who previously paid 50p for a ticket, will have to pay an extra 10p. Those making longer journeys which previously cost £3.20 will pay an extra 20p.

Coventry Transport Museum has received a grant of £4.6m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to transform a number of galleries and visitor facilities at the Museum, and enable the redevelopment of one of the city’s most iconic buildings, the nearby Grade I listed, 12th Century Old Grammar School. In addition, the funding allows the Old Grammar School to be sympathetically conserved, revitalised and brought back into public use as an exhibition, event and education space for the museum. Work on the school, which it said had been unused for 30 years, is due to be completed by April 2015.

North Devon’s Surf and Cycle Bus has ceased operation after a funding shortfall.

The Surf Bus, as it is known by regular passengers, was launched in 2011 as part of a two-year pilot scheme, running for 35 weeks overall. However North Devon+ said it is keen to see the service continue this summer and has invited interested organisations, businesses or funding agencies to get in touch by emailing ibromham@northdevonplus.co.uk www.coachandbusweek.com

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CC gives partial approval to FirstGroup service changes in Glasgow One route is withdrawn and two have been allowed modifications, although two further changes were blcoked The Competition Commission (CC) has provisionally allowed FirstGroup to withdraw one bus service and modify two other services in Glasgow, but has ruled against other requested changes from the operator.

The services are covered by undertakings given by FirstGroup in 2004 to the CC when it took over the Scottish rail franchise.

These undertakings include limits on FirstGroup’s ability to make changes to bus routes and frequencies.

The original undertakings were accepted by the CC in October 2004, following an investigation into FirstGroup’s acquisition of the Scottish rail franchise. The CC concluded that the acquisition could reduce competition on certain routes and have adverse effects for passengers.

In particular, the CC was concerned there could be potential for First to encourage passengers to switch from bus to rail services by altering service levels and routes.

Changes for Stagecoach East Midlands

Stagecoach East Midlands introduced a series of services alternations over the Easter Weekend while celebrating the opening of Mansfield’s new bus station.

The new station opened on Easter Sunday with the town’s bus network relaunched under the Mansfield Move banner.

On the previous day, Stagecoach played a key role in a Family Fun Day with constant queues to win

FirstGroup was therefore required to sign undertakings before taking over the rail franchise, which prevented it from altering service levels on a number of local bus services in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

FirstGroup can apply to vary these undertakings if there has been a change of circumstances – for example, if the routes have become loss-making since the undertakings were originally

agreed.

The CC agreed First Glasgow can withdraw the 64 service between Carmyle and Glasgow Central as well as modifying the 19 (Easterhouse–Glasgow Central), and 262 evening and Sunday service (Airdrie–Glasgow Central) because they are continuing to make a substantial loss. The CC provisionally ruled against allowing changes to the 31 service (Glasgow

FirstGroup is seeking to change the undertakings it gave when it took over the Scottish Rail franchise to reflect changes in circumstances prizes on the Mansfield Move ‘Wheel of Fortune’. Stagecoach also provided a vintage bus for free tours of the town, which proved so popular extra trips had to be run.

The operator is also introducing new buses to Mansfield later this year in an investment worth over £1m.

Regional Director Gary Nolan said: “The new bus station is a fantastic asset for the town. The opening was the ideal time to tell everyone in Mansfield the great benefits of bus travel.

“All our buses in Mansfield now feature positive messages about our services from the environmental benefits to just how much using the bus could save you.”

Mansfield’s ‘pronto’ service, run jointly by Stagecoach and

trent barton, has also seen an increase in frequency to every 10 minutes between Mansfield and Nottingham; up from the previous 15 minute service. The uplift comes four years after the frequency was improved from every 20 minutes.

Furthermore, the Easter Weekend saw the launch of an improved Sherwood Arrow service featuring hourly buses between Ollerton and Nottingham and a new link to Retford. Sherwood Arrow, which is another partnership between Stagecoach and Nottinghamshire County Council, also features a bright new look with distinctive yellow buses, the rear of each celebrating a different location on the route.

Finally, there is an improved service between Lincoln and

08/04/2013 17:07

28%

The percentage First slashed it’s fares by in Bolton

Central–East Kilbride) and 262 Monday to Saturday daytime service. The CC has also agreed to some changes to the undertakings to change the way in which they are monitored, after the OFT advised there may have been a change in circumstances which warranted an alteration to the undertakings.

The CC previously reviewed these undertakings in 2007, 2011 and 2012.

Alasdair Smith, CC Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the FirstGroup/ScotRail undertakings review group said: “We’ve looked closely at the financial results on all these routes. We don’t think the performance of the 31 service and the 262 Monday to Saturday daytime services justifies allowing any changes. However, on the other routes, falling passenger numbers or increasing costs means they have been losing money for some time and are unlikely to recover.

“Although we fully understand the concerns of residents and passengers facing these changes, we do not have the power to compel FirstGroup to continue running routes which are losing money – even if they are continuing to provide an important service to some residents.

“The future of such routes is something which the local transport authorities will have to discuss with FirstGroup.”

To comment on the CC’s provisional decision on FirstGroup’s application to vary the undertakings, email Brid.

McHugh@cc.gsi.gov.uk by 1700hrs, April 19, 2013

Skegness with the addition of faster journeys on the key corridor.

Gary Nolan said: “The main InterConnect 6 has been growing for years and we were looking to continue this upward trend. Our new 6x journeys are 20% faster than the main service, fantastically competitive with driving times and are the same great price as the normal trips. We are promoting the service as Lincoln to Skegness – the quick way.”

6x runs four times a day in each direction Monday to Saturday with Sunday journeys in the school summer holidays.

Gary continued: “It’s always a nice to be improving services and to have so many improvements happening at once is fantastic.”

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April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 7

131

The number of coaches which Eurotunnel carried from Folkestone to Calais on Good Friday

SHARE WATCH

Industry share prices at the close of the Stock Exchange on Monday, April 8. Rotala remained consistent, while 21st Century saw the greatest proportional drop.

Most figures obtained from www.iii.co.uk

387.60p

Price: Year High: 397.90p Year Low: 268.52p

At 2.3 metres wide, the vehicles are ideally suited to narrow country roads

New Solos for Abbots North Yorkshire independent Abbotts of Leeming has taken delivery of two Optare Solo SR midibuses for use on a new tendered contract with the county council. The buses are being used on a six day a week service connecting Northallerton with Stokesley.

The 9.7m Solos are SlimLine models, which at 2.3 metres wide is ideally suited to the narrow country roads making up much of the route. Passenger capacity is 34 on fixed Rescroft CT Lite seats plus two tip-ups in the wheelchair space located directly behind the driver’s compartment, accessed using the manual fold-out wheelchair ramp.

Clifford Abbott, owner of the 70 year old family firm, said: “We already run a number of Optare Solos and find the model to be reliable

Call for Bus Awards 2013 nominations

The 2013 UK Bus Awards contest is inviting nominations for 21 awards covering the full range of skills required to plan, promote and deliver high quality bus services to customers.

The closing date is Friday June 7 with judging set to take place in July and August, with the shortlist being announced on Thursday October 10. The London Hilton in Park Lane will once again be hosting the awards ceremony on Tuesday 19 November.

and good on fuel. Early feedback from our passengers shows that these new buses are proving popular with them and our drivers find them easy to handle too, especially on country roads, where the narrower width is helpful.”

Abbotts have chosen the 6.7 litre six-cylinder Cummins ISBe engine to power their Solos. This delivers 201 bhp (150 kW) at 2500 rpm which is ample power to make light work of the hilly terrain in the area.

The engine meets Euro 5 standards through the use of SCR technology and AdBlue as a re-agent. Torque is 750 Nm at 1500 rpm.

The transmission is the Allison 2100 Series fully automatic five speed featuring a lock-up torque converter for improved fuel efficiency. An electro-magnetic retarder is also fitted and operates automatically through the brake pedal to assist smoother retardation, reduce power consumption and also add to better fuel returns.

John Owen, UK Bus Awards Chairman, said: “We are delighted to be entering the 18th year for the awards. In that time we have seen impressive change within the industry, with major innovation and real passion driving operating standards and marketing initiatives to new heights. The increasing quality of entries over recent years has made judging a real challenge, but it’s one we relish because it is all contributing to making the bus a much more viable alternative to using a car.”

Nomination forms can be found on www. ukbusawards.org.uk where details of categories and criteria are also available

201.10p

Price: Year High: 267.00p Year Low: 174.60p

1436.5p

Price: Year High: 1528.0p Year Low: 1074.0p

196.30p

Price: Year High: 250.00p Year Low: 162.90p

296.35p

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Price: Year High: 0.93p Year Low: 0.32p

44.50p

Price: Year High: 46.98p Year Low: 36.00p

81.60p

Price: Year High: 88.20p Year Low: 62.29p

13.75p

Price: Year High: 19.50p Year Low: 8.25p

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-0.87 on last week

FTSE 100

6,267

Index: Year High: 6,529 Year Low: 5,260

-221 on last week

www.coachandbusweek.com

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8 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

news › coaches

briefly Work to resurface the A1 between Coalhouse Interchange and Eighton Lodge Interchange in Gateshead is due to begin this week and is expected to be completed by April 24, assuming reasonable weather conditions. During the works, the southbound carriageway between Coalhouse Interchange and Eighton Lodge Interchange is to be shut.

There will also be a lane 3 closure on the southbound carriageway between J65 (Birtley) and Washington Services. A 50mph limit will be in force at all times, with a contraflow in place on the northbound carriageway during the overnight work between 2130 and 0600hrs, where two lanes will be used for southbound traffic.

A scheme to improve traffic flows on the M6 junction 9 and the A461 started on April 8 and is expected to be completed

by May 28. All work will be carried out overnight, with closures of the M6 northbound and southbound exit slip roads at the junction, along with alternate closures of different sections of the roundabout.

Diversion routes will be clearly signposted. This work is part of a £317m ‘pinch point’ improvement programme, part of the growth initiative outlined during the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in November 2011.

Work is ongoing to renew street lighting along the A2 near Dover and Lydden in Kent.

Six lay-bys along the A2 are being used as compounds for the lighting scheme. These fall short of current design and safety standards and will be closed for a trial period of up to 18 months following the scheme. The trial allows options for future upgrades or replacements for the lay-bys to be considered.

Work is carried out at off-peak times both during the day between 0930 and 1530hrs, and overnight between 2000 and 0600hrs.

Most of the work uses single lane closures, with a 40mph restriction and temporary traffic lights where necessary. Overnight, road users will be escorted past the work sites by a convoy vehicle. The lighting upgrade is expected to be complete in May. www.coachandbusweek.com

News8,9.indd 8

BKL Excursions coach passenger guilty of reckless endangerment Driver’s quick reactions praised for preventing incident in 2011 when 19-year-old tried to take control of steering wheel at 60mph A court has been told how a teenager put the lives of 70 people in danger as he tried to seize control of the steering wheel of a BKL Excursions coach travelling at 60mph.

William Duff, 19, grabbed the wheel of the 14-tonne coach while it was on the A90 between Dundee and Perth, near Glendoick, on December 29, 2011. At Perth Sheriff Court he was found guilty of culpably and recklessly endangering the lives of the passengers. Sheriff Michael Fletcher deferred sentence until next month.

Driver Lee Buckley had to kick Duff away during the incident on the late night trip home from

Premium Coaches receives third Volvo order London-based operator Premium Coaches has taken delivery of three Jonckheere-bodied Volvo B9R coaches in its third Volvo coach order since 2010.

The three new Volvo B9R coaches are powered by a Volvo D9B 9.4-litre engine, capable of 380hp and fitted with the intelligent Volvo I-Shift 12-speed automatic gearbox as standard, meeting Euro 5. This is combined with the EBS-5 brake system. The vehicles have seating capacity for 53 passengers and include a TV, DVD player, PA system, toilet, coffee machine and air conditioning.

The new vehicles take the number of Volvo coaches in the 22-strong bus and coach fleet to seven. Pleased with the

Fat Sam’s nightclub. He regained control of the coach and was eventually led back into Perth by a police escort. When the bus stopped, Duff, now 21, had tried to flee the scene by jumping out of the emergency exit.

Mr Buckley told the court he had collected 70 people from the club in Dundee at 0300 to take them back to Perth and was on the dual carriageway when Duff approached from the back of the bus.

He said: “I noticed someone coming towards me and they sat in the crew seat beside me.

“He started speaking to me. I had never seen him before. He was talking about money but I didn’t know what he meant. He was away with it.

“He got up and turned round and said ‘I’m going to drive’, grabbed the steering wheel and pulled it down to the left. I managed to get him off

Premium Coaches now operates seven Volvo vehicles, almost a third of its fleet performance of the two Volvo B9R coaches it took delivery of in 2012, the company wasted no time in putting the new vehicles into operation the day following delivery. The new vehicles operate on the company’s GTA tour contracts as well as private hire.

Premium Coaches’ General Manager, Paul Frankland, said: “We chose to take the three Volvo B9Rs for two reasons. Firstly for the reliability and high performance the vehicles offer, as we have already experienced with our previous order of two B9R coaches last year. Secondly, good value and

quite quick.

“I veered to the left. I think I shouted at him and tried to push him away with my foot while keeping hold of the steering wheel.

“I had to veer back into the road and slow down. I didn’t know what was going to happen next.

“I applied the brakes. I pushed him out of the way.”

Mr Buckley, who runs BKL Excursions Ltd, said he called the police who then sent vehicles to form a convoy as the coach continued slowly into Perth.

Passengers also told the court how they were thrown around inside the coach as Duff grabbed the steering wheel and yanked it while Mr Buckley was trying to maintain control.

Fiscal Depute John Malpass told the court: “If it wasn’t for the quick reactions of Mr Buckley there could have been serious consequences.” availability were important, and Volvo came top for both. The B9R is a tried and tested vehicle which we have so far been very pleased with.”

Volvo Regional Coach Sales Manager Jo Standbridge was also mentioned: “Dealing with Jo was a good experience. She was very helpful and worked hard on our sale to ensure we experienced no problems at all.

“Volvo always provides a fantastic level of service – from sales through to aftercare. The service is second to none, and in the future we will probably look to Volvo again to update our fleet.”

Jo Standbridge said: “A key requirement for Premium Coaches’ new sale was based around cost.

The Volvo B9R is high performing and well priced. Coupled with the level of efficiency it provides in terms of fuel and operating costs, it’s an ideal option. Also, they needed vehicles which could be put into operation immediately and having experienced success with the B9R previously, a repeat order made sense.”

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“Our NX drivers are the hardest ones to train due to their rotas, but because we’ve put so many of the through our own training it’s not an issue.”

Steve Luckett Lucketts Travel

Shearings Group has taken delivery of a further 20 new Setra 415GT HD coaches to support continued growth in its National Holidays business.

The vehicles, supplied by Evobus, Coventry, follow another recent delivery of 10 tri-axle Setra 416GT HD vehicles to Shearings Holidays. Since early 2009, Shearings has acquired 165 new coaches from Setra, with more than two thirds of the group fleet now comprising new specification Setra vehicles.

Face to Face p22

Denis Wormwell, Shearings Group Chief Executive, said: “We have again chosen Setra on the basis of reliability, comfort, environmental credentials and lifetime cost. Our earlier deliveries have performed to a very high standard and the continued support from Evobus has been a key driver in selecting these coaches for our operations throughout the UK and Europe.”

The Wigan-based Group recently reported increased profits and sales and carried a record one million customers in 2012.

Angela Holidays celebrates anniversary

Plaxton to launch 10.8m Panther midicoach

Angela Holidays is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The event to mark the occasion is being planned for October and three new arrivals at the company were ordered at Euro Bus Expo last year.

Two are new Neoplan Tourliners and the third, bearing a celebratory livery, is a Neoplan Starliner.

Director Robert Pressley told CBW: “We are just waiting now for the official photographs to come back. We organised a session at one of the cruise liner berths and took the whole fleet along – it isn’t often you get an opportunity to do something like that.

“The new Tourliners are our usual replacements but the Starliner is a bit of an experiment.

The 60th anniversary is an excuse to do something special and push the boat out a bit but it is a concept we want to put in front of our customers to show them the sort of standards we are aiming to achieve.

“We continue to favour MAN products because of the good service they’ve given us over the years – and the four-year warranty is very attractive. Since we’ve been on the programme our general maintenance and running costs have reduced.”

Plaxton is entering the market for premium mid-sized coaches with a new 10.8m model to be launched in the near future.

The new model is a development of the Panther range with the company’s stainless-steel frame.

It will be based on the Volvo B9R chassis with Volvo’s 380bhp 9-litre engine and I-Shift transmission, and able to seat up to 45 passengers.

“This is a segment of the market we have been monitoring for some time,” said Plaxton Director of Business Development, Kevin Wood.

“Our research shows there is a steady demand for high-quality touring coaches which offer the same standard of comfort as full-size models but in a slightly smaller package. We are committed to providing customers with a comprehensive coach range, and this model fills a gap in our line-up.

“It also allows operators of Plaxton/Volvo products to benefit from running a mid-sized coach with a high degree of parts commonality with the full-size vehicles.”

Customers will have their first opportunity to view the new model at the UK Coach Rally at Alton Towers on April 20 and 21.

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Epsom Coaches has placed an order for two new tri-axle S416GT-HD Setra coaches, representing an investment of over £700,000. The new coaches, one of which will be 53 and the other a 49-seater, will complement the existing all Setra coach fleet.

Steve Whiteway, the Company’s Managing Director, said: “Without doubt these Setra coaches are the pinnacle of road passenger transport and will ensure our clients continue to enjoy the very best. We expect to take delivery in August and look forward to confirming our pre-eminent position as the UK’s leading coach operator.”

Mike Beagrie, Director Coach Sales at Evobus UK, told CBW: “It’s great to see these vehicles go into such a prestigious fleet. They will be custom built to the Epsom’s familiar high specification.”

New NX and Ryanair partnership National Express (NX) has joined forces with Ryanair to deliver coach services to passengers travelling to and from London and Manchester airports when booking with Ryanair online.

Ryanair customers can also buy NX tickets during flights operating from these destinations.

Tom Stables, MD NX UK Coach, said: “We operate millions of passenger journeys to UK airports each year and are pleased our new partnership with Ryanair makes it that bit easier for people to get their trip off to a flying start. It’s now even simpler for holidaymakers and business travellers to benefit from affordable airport travel.”

www.coachandbusweek.com

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news › international

First’s Greyhound orders 220 new coaches FirstGroup fleet to benefit from radical makeover with 600 coaches to be refurbished USA Greyhound Lines, Inc., has placed its largest order in more than 20 years for 220 new coaches from two manufacturers: Motor Coach Industries (MCI) and Prevost.

The order includes 130 D4505s from MCI and 90 X3-45s from Prevost. The company expects the first to roll out in 2013, starting in May, with the rest to follow in 2014.

All are equipped with the latest innovations in safety features, environmental technology and digital communications, along with cabin comforts to make the trip more enjoyable for customers. They feature the new blue and chrome livery and have modern amenities such as WiFi, power socketts, extra legroom, leather seating, wheelchair accessibility and three-point seat belts. They are powered by clean-diesel, low-emission engines and feature the latest technology in safety and efficiency, including DriveCam and Cadec’s globalpositioning and communications system, PowerVue. With this latest order, Greyhound’s fleet is set to become one of the youngest and most environmentally friendly in the the USA. “We’re excited to give our fleet a significant upgrade with this latest order, especially as we continue to rapidly expand our popular Greyhound Express service into more markets this

MAN’s Lion’s City hybrid www.coachandbusweek.com

NewsIntl.indd 10

year,” said Dave Leach, President and CEO, Greyhound Lines, Inc. “As the largest provider of intercity services, we are committed to the safety and comfort of our customers when they travel with us. It is therefore important we choose manufacturers who can provide us with a high level of service and quality product to meet our goals.”

At the completion of this order and with the refurbishment of close to 600 existing coaches to like-new

condition, Greyhound’s fleet will be nearly 100% comprised of blue coaches which look and feel an average of only four years old. The majority of the new intake will be used for expansion of Greyhound Express, the premium low-cost intercity service. Some coaches are also being allocated to Greyhound’s award-winning premium discount service, BoltBus, for expansion into new markets in response to growing customer demand.

Top: An MCI D4505 in Greyhound livery. Above: The Prevost X3-45 version

MAN Lion’s City Hybrids for RATP FRANCE Parisian transport company RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) has ordered 15 MAN Lion’s City Hybrid buses.

The Lion’s City Hybrid stores the energy released on braking in so-called ultracaps and transforms it into power for its two electric drive motors. Finely tuned energy management controls the power

38 Allisonequipped Yutong buses for Uruguay URuGUAY La Compañía de Omnibus de Pando S.A (COPSA), one of Uruguay’s main passenger transport companies, has purchased 38 Yutong buses equipped with Allison fullyautomatic transmissions. COSPA joins two other Uruguayan transport companies, Corporación Ómnibus Micro Este S.A (COME) and Union Cooperativa Obrera del Transporte (UCOT) in bolstering its fleet with Allison transmission equipped buses.

COME recently purchased 10 similar new Yutong buses. UCOT purchased 20 Agrale MT17.0s equipped with Allison T270 transmissions - a tradition for over 30 years.

A clear example of Allison’s successful integration into Uruguay’s bus market; UCOT’s entire fleet is now made up of buses with Allison fully-automatic transmissions, many of which have driven over one million kilometers without needing to be replaced.

“One of our Allison-equipped vehicles actually worked for more than 850,000 kms without needing to change the brake linings, while other buses without the Allison would normally require linings to be changed every 40,000 or 50,000 kms. The retarder is a key component,” said Enrique Garabato, Service Manager for the cooperative. “The performance of Allison’s automatic transmissions has never ceased to amaze me.” flow and switches the diesel engine off when it is in overrun, for example, or when the bus is stationary. It emits no exhaust gases at stops and can pull away silently under purely electrical power. In this way, the bus with its serial hybrid drive saves up to 30% on fuel and thus CO2 relative to a comparable diesel-powered bus.

A Lion’s City Hybrid has been running on various routes in the French capital since 2011 as part of a field trial. The fuel savings achieved and the high degree of reliability shown by the hybrid drive helped secure RATP’s order.

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NORTH

Graham Stringer MP (Labour, Blackley) has launched an official objection to the £54m Manchester Cross City bus project – saying it could blight the lives of people in Middleton and the north of the city.

After receiving nearly 200 coimplaints from his constituents, Mr Stringer said the Middleton to Manchester part of the route, which will run down Rochdale Road, will cause misery for people living nearby. In his objection to Manchester Council, he said the town hall had still not relaxed loading restrictions on the road despite promises. Mr Stringer listed six key objections to the scheme, including that it will ‘sterilise’ businesses and cause accidents on Rochdale Road, damage the city centre economy and potentially cause bus firms to close lessprofitable routes.

He told the Manchester Evening News: “I think the whole scheme was misconceived. The main beneficiaries will be bus companies and a small number of commuters coming from a long way.”

However, Peter Boulton, from Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “Rochdale Road is a vital bus route which connects north Manchester with key destinations in Manchester city centre and beyond.

“Bus services on this route provide essential public transport access to employment, education, healthcare and leisure, and our proposals for Rochdale Road will improve the speed and reliability of bus travel.

“This route is part of the wider bus priority package, which once completed in 2015, will improve public transport links bringing benefits for both commuters and visitors across Greater Manchester.”

WALES

More than £330,000 of Welsh Government Regional Transport Plan funding has enabled Carmarthenshire Council’s transport team to create a new and safe six-plus bay terminus with an additional lay-over bay in the centre of Ammanford.

Welcoming the financial support for the transport hub, Council Leader Kevin Madge, said: “With so many towns competing for visitors and shoppers in these strident economic times it is important we have everything in place to www.coachandbusweek.com

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Coach & Bus Week takes a look at the big issues where you live in our round-up of the regions. If you’ve got a local issue you’d like us to cover, contact James Day on james. day@coachandbusweek.com.

KEY

SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND REP OF IRELAND NORTH WALES MIDLANDS EAST LONDON SOUTH EAST SOUTH WEST

give Carmarthenshire towns a competitive edge.

“The new bus terminus looks the business and will go a long way to helping us to drive Ammanford’s economy in the right direction when coupled with all the regeneration measurers sliding into place.”

Huw Morris, who has been a driver at First Cymru for 14 years described the facilities as “a massive improvement”. “It is well marked out and planned. It has a lay-over bay and is completely free from pedestrian traffic in the bus lanes and bays,” he added.

“It is not often passengers will have anything good to say about bus services in general but all mine have been extremely complementary about Ammanford’s new bus station.”

MIDLANDS

A number of changes for the Congleton Beartown Bus Network have been announced by the operator, Bakerbus of Biddulph.

The changes come in effect next Monday (April 15) with the re-launch of the Beartown Bus Network, which is now a wholly commercial venture by the familyrun firm.

Thanking customers for their continued support, Managing Director, Phil Baker said: “These changes are in the light of experience since we took full responsibility last August. Our aim

is to match capacity to demand as best we can.

“We shall be reducing some of the early morning and evening journeys and a few, which were little used, will no longer operate, so customers are asked to check journey times before they leave home.”

“On the positive side, Bromley will once again have its own dedicated Beartown bus service, (number 90) and on Saturdays, service 93 will once again serve West Heath. Service 76 will continue to operate independently.”

“Fares within Congleton are the same on all our bus services and the Bakerbus 10% discount card also applies.”

There is no change to service 95 which serves Congleton Retail Park, Tesco ‘s store and Lower Heath, hourly from Monday to Saturday. Route 99 remains part of the network serving Buglawton, Congleton Railway Station and Congleton Road, Mossley.

SOUTH EAST

The 2013 Needles bus Tour is to be relaunched this year by Isle of Wight Bus operator Southern Vectis as the ‘Needles Breezer’.

The service, which operates open top buses on a circular route from Yarmouth and Freshwater Bay to the famous Needles headland in conjunction with the National Trust until November 3.

Considered by many as one of

the most scenic bus routes in the UK, passengers enjoy spectacular views across the Solent and Alum Bay north towards the Hampshire and Dorset coastline. Inland there are the green West High Down hills through which the bus climbs close to 390 feet (120 metres) to the historic defences where, in 1895, a gun battery was built as part of the realm’s defences. The National Trust acquired the battery, and surrounding down land in 1975.

Matt Kitchin, General Manager at Southern Vectis, said the firm expects the Needles Breezer will prove popular again this year: “The open top route is one of our top selling summer routes and very popular with tourists as it coincides with the daily opening times of the Old Battery. The fares are £10 adult, £5 for under 19 and concessions, a group of up to five can travel together for £20.”

The route will operate every 30 minutes from 1000 to 1700hrs following a circular route from Yarmouth bus station.

For more information visit www. islandbuses.info.

Wilts & Dorset has announced it is to close Lymington bus station. The GoAhead Group operator which owns the site said the facility will shut and be sold off once a purchaser has been confirmed.

Last November Wilts and Dorset announced that the Salisbury and Amesbury bus stations were to be sold.

Explaining the Lymington closure, Operations Director Ed Wills said: “It will be the end of an era but it’s a sign of the times. With so many cuts to services due to government austerity measures we cannot justify the cost of running from the bus station.

“Many larger towns with a greater number of bus services no longer use bus stations as their transport hub.

“Many of our passengers travelling into Lymington get off the buses before reaching the bus station. We would prefer to use the money saved to maintain services rather than looking after the bus station.”

SOUTH WEST

Swindon Council’s cabinet has approved plans to use cameras to catch motorists driving illegally in bus lanes and through bus gates – and fine them up to £90.

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The authority will spend £180,000 on four special cameras.

Enforcement has hitherto been carried out by the Wiltshire Constabulary but due to competing pressures and priorities, it has not been consistent.

It is estimated the fine income would be £100,000 a year, of which £30,000 would cover running costs, with the surplus used for highway maintenance.

Welcoming the news, Paul Jenkins, Managing Direcor of local municipally-owned bus operator Thamesdown Transport, said: “Unfortunately, because there has been no enforcement until now, the lanes and gates are widely misused by other vehicles, slowing the buses down.

“If they are restored to their original purpose it will help us provide quicker journey times across Swindon, which will clearly benefit our passengers.”

Bath city centre is expected to get a second bus gate as a long-awaited bus priority project.

Under the plans, the carriageway between St James Parade and the railway station would become a bus lane between 1000 and 1600hrs. There will however, be no exemptions for businesses and residents during the hours of

operation.

Bath and North East Somerset Council first considered restricting traffic in the street in 2010, but shelved the plan until it was revived last summer – according to The Bath Chronicle.

The idea of a blanket, two-way ban on car use in the street which runs past the bus station was bitterly opposed by residents, the Empire Hotel complex and by some traders – in addition to Conservative councillors.

The authority hopes its compromise option – which will be enforced by CCTV cameras and fines – will reduce congestion and create a more pedestrian-friendly environment in Dorchester Street and Manvers Street.

Hand in hand with the new bus lane, which would operate in a similar way to the bus gate outside the Podium, would come a ban on motorists turning left out of Manvers Street car park.

The scheme, which remains subject to cabinet approval, will cost £20,000, will be funded by money from a planning agreement with SouthGate developer Multi, and income from fines. However, the council has acknowledged it is expecting to lose income from use of the Manvers Street car park.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Preparations for Reading Transport’s popular annual charity open day are well underway. This year it will be held on Sunday, June 30

2013 n April 9-11 CV Show 2013. NEC, Birmingham. www.cvshow.com n April 20-21 UK Coach Awards & UK Coach Rally. Alton Towers, Staffordshire. 01753 631170. www.coachdisplays.co.uk or www. ukcoachawards.co.uk n April 21 London Bus Museum Spring Gathering. Cobham Hall, Weybridge, Surrey. 01932 837994. www.londonbusmuseum.com n April 25 Special Education Transport National Conference.

Liverpool. Details from Sian Thornthwaite by email on info@ school-transport.com n April 28 ‘History in Motion’.

East Anglia Transport Museum, Carlon Coalville, near Lowestoft Call 01502 518459. www.eatm.org.uk n May 5 Cardiff Transport Preservation Group ‘A Municipal Running Day’. Barry bus depot, Vale of Glamorgan. www.ctpg.co.uk n May 12 First in South Yorkshire Sheffield Centenary Bus Rally.

Olive Grove depot will be open to the public, with modern & heritage buses on display. www.firstgroup. com/ukbus/south_yorkshire/

In what is fast becoming a tradition, the Mayors of each of the seven Surrey boroughs visited Epsom & Ewell recently for the annual civic visit. Naturally, Epsom’s very own coach company, Epsom Coaches provided the mayoral transport for the day, which included a visit to Epsom Coaches modern facilities. Later, the party had lunch at the RAC club in Epsom, and helped to celebrate the centenary of the club in Epsom.

Epsom Coaches Group’s Managing Director Steve Whiteway commented: “It was a pleasure to once again host the Mayoral civic visit. Epsom Coaches is an integral part of the borough and we spread the name of Epsom far and wide. Our visitors were interested to hear of our success and as one of Epsom’s largest employers the key role we play in local life.

We always find our visitors enjoy the opportunity to see behind the scenes of this iconic company and this year was no exception.”

n May 14-15 ALBUM Conference.

Belton Woods Hotel near Grantham, Lincolnshire. www.albumconference. co.uk n May 26-30 UITP Congress & Exhibition. Palexpo, Geneva. www.uitp.org. +(00)32 2673 610 n June 2 Clacton Bus Rally & Running Day, Clacton Factory Outlet, Essex. Classic and current vehicles. Entry forms & more details available at http://www.

colneestuarypb.co.uk/

n June 11-13 ATCO Summer Conference. Merseytravel HQ, Liverpool. www.atco.org.uk n June 16 Swansea Festival of Transport. Free to enter & attend. Call organiser Ashley Lovering on 07814958379 or email swanseatransport@aol.com.

Visit www.ntfwswansea.co.uk. n June 30 Ringwood Bus Rally.

Scenic rides and memorabilia stall.

For details call the Wessex Transport Society on 01202 293245. www. wessextransportsociety.co.uk n July 14 The Annual Peterborough Bus & Commercial Vehicle Rally. Sacrewell Farm (A47/ A1 junction). Free entry. 07828 754412 or 01462 626750 n July 21 Alton Bus Rally. Anstey Park, Anstey Lane, Alton, Hants. www.altonbusrally.org.uk n September 7-8 Bus Driver of the Year Final. Blackpool. Call 01303 251462. www.bdoy.co.uk n September 8 Bus & Coach Wales 2013. Rhyd y Car Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil n September 9-10 CPT Scotland Annual Conference. Crieff Hydro Hotel, Perthshire. Visit www.cpt-uk. org or call CPT Scotland on 0131 272 215 n September 10 Association of Trainers AGM. 1400hrs, Wembley.

For details call 01797 344251. n September 22 Showbus 2013.

Long Marston Airfield, Warwickshire. www.showbus.com

Send your event details to gareth.evans@ coachandbusweek.com

www.coachandbusweek.com

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BUCKINGHAM 3 & 2 • Ideal for 3 & 2 configurations • Ergonomic design for maximum support, comfort and legroom • Tried & tested: fitted into many new coaches as OEM • Full range of legs and fitting options make the Buckingham ideal for upseating to 70+ seats • Lighter weight makes easier for installation Prime Passenger Seating Limited 7 Canalwood Industrial Estate, Chirk, Wrexham LL14 5RL Telephone: 0870 757 1320 Fax: 01691 770 798 Email: johnm@primeps.com

www.primeps.com

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OPERATOR PROFILE › LUCKETTS TRAVEL

This photo literally sets the scene – for it includes the three brands which make up Lucketts Group

Introduction to Lucketts Travel Group Coach & Bus Week’s Editor Gareth Evans sets the scene for this issue’s super-feature on renowned South Coast of England coach operator Lucketts Travel Group, which is now a 100-vehicle, £18m turnover business www.coachandbusweek.com

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L

ucketts is without doubt one of the UK’s most respected independent coach operators. Headed up by experienced individuals who are experts in their field, it’s no exaggeration to say the familyowned firm is seen as a model for best practice. From humble roots, it has grown to an £18m business, operating 100-odd vehicles across the South Coast, using the Lucketts, Worthing and Coliseum brands.

The company does not pretend to offer a ‘cheap’ service but the professionalism of its staff goes without saying. It is often said that first impressions count. Indeed, imagine yourself as a potential corporate customer visiting the firm’s headquarters – it would be hard to go away without feeling impressed. You can park up on clean, tarmaced bays outside an impressive glass-fronted entrance.

Once inside, you’re greeted by a cheerful yet professional member of staff. As you wait to be attended to by another member of the team,

you can relax in a comfortable seat. The welcoming environment is further enhanced by the airy reception area – but there are no austere white walls here. A display cabinet proudly shows off some of the firm’s achievements, not to mention a model coach or two and a Lucketts-branded teddy bear.

At the risk of sounding like a brochure for Lucketts, you’re likely to be familiar with the name but what does it do in terms of work?

In addition to private hire, the firm also offers coach and touring holidays, plus day trips. Perhaps reflecting Lucketts seemingly neverending need and ability to not only keep up but also ahead of the times, on-line booking is available for coach hire and tours.

The company’s systematic approach is backed up by external audits carried out for the Guild of British Coach Operators and CPT’s CoachMarque quality standards.

Following a similar pattern for the ‘super features’ on the so-called ‘Big Five’ operators which proved popular with all sections of our readership last year, we’re again

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Lucketts:

a brief history

Lucketts was founded in 1926 as a haulage and storage company and only bought its first coach in 1976.

The business was founded by Harry Luckett, father of the current Chairman, David Luckett. The company was predominantly a haulage and storage business but other activities were entered into, including keeping chickens and other farmyard animals.

David Luckett joined the firm in 1963 and took over shortly after in 1966 when Harry died unexpectedly. The company’s haulage business continued and went from strength to strength in the late 1960s and early 1970s David purchased his first coach in 1976, choosing to drive it himself.

It proved a very enjoyable and successful venture and the second coach was soon added. By the mid-1980s the coach fleet had outnumbered the haulage fleet and it was clear which way the company was proceeding.

The third generation of Lucketts joined the business – Steve in 1983 and Ian in 1985. Since then the company has grown.

Lucketts secured the long term examining some of the larger firms in 2013 – but notably some of the well-known coach businesses.

To this end, we’ve been fortunate to gain the enthusiasm of the Lucketts crew. Ian and Steve, the two brothers who head up the firm, kindly gave up part of their day to talk to us and share with you their thoughts and experiences.

We’ve also spoken to their father, David, who while no longer on the frontline, retains his passion for coaching. He’s talked about the past and present – not to mention a couple of anecdotes.

Paul Baringer and Ian Hills have outlined the firm’s commercial and training elements respectively, while Engineering Director Mark Jordan has shared his experiences of managing the fleet. We’ve also enjoyed a peek at the vehicles too, which range in size from Ford Fiestas to a Neoplan Skyliner.

On a final note, Lucketts has not been slow to embrace social media.

Therefore, if you don’t already do so, follow the firm on Twitter @ lucketts and on Facebook at www. facebook.com/LuckettsTravelOfficial.

future of Worthing Coaches in 2005 after the previous owners decided to retire from the business.

Further expansion came at the end of March 2006, with the acquisition of Flagship. This had been the coach business of what was then still municipally-owned Eastbourne Buses and was set up only three previously. Lucketts agreed to retain the brand but the operation was run under the wing of Worthing Coaches.

On January 12, 2009 Lucketts took over operation of all the

A 2010 view of father and his two sons – David, Ian & Steve

A before & after scene of Lucketts’ head office showing its transformation

National Express routes from Tellings Golden Miller. This comprised Portsmouth to London, Chichester to London and also Portsmouth to Bristol. As part of this contract, a dozen new 58-plate Caetano Levante-bodied Scania coaches were purchased. All the driving and operations staff were transferred from the previous operator at the date of changeover.

A further exciting development came in September 2010 when new offices and maintenance facilities were officially opened at the company’s existing site in Fareham.

An impressive, modern multi-storey office block replaced a singlestorey building and associated portacabins. The facilities were certainly indicative of a firm which meant business and saw itself as securing its future. Indeed, the event marked the culmination of five years of phenomenal growth, even during a time of recession The civic ceremony was attended by over 150 guests and dignitaries, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Fareham. The honour of declaring the buildings open fell to Mark Hoban MP. Perhaps a very public recognition of the Lucketts’ drive and success came in September 2011 when the firm was named by the Daily Telegraph as being one of Britain’s top 1,000 brightest businesses.

History was again made on March 26, 2012 when Coliseum Coaches became part of Lucketts Travel Group. With 12 coaches and 15 staff, Coliseum was a much smaller operation than Lucketts. However, it included high-profile, premium work, such as the operation of the Southampton Football Club’s travel. The deal came about after Coliseum’s owners, David and Kerry Pitter announced their intention to retire. The brothers wanted the business to transfer to a secure and reputable company. However, Mark Pitter, David’s son, stayed on as General Manager to head up the Southampton side of the business – a role he continues in.

A third storey was added to Luckett’s already impressive Fareham offices in March 2013. The expansion allowed the creation of a dedicated training suite on the top floor. What had previously been storage space was transformed into a lecture theatre and a separate room which can be used for practical scenarios such as first aid training. www.coachandbusweek.com

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FACE TO FACE › DAVID LUCKETT MBE

NAME: David Luckett MBE POSITION: Chairman, Lucketts Travel Group CONTACT: 01329 823755 www.lucketts.co.uk

From carrier to carriage Alex Tyler and Gareth Evans talk to Lucketts Chairman David Luckett MBE about how the well respected firm came to be and some of the memorable moments in his career

T

hough a Chairman tends to take more of a backseat role, David Luckett still has an obvious passion both for his company and for coaching in general. David is well known in the industry and has a wealth of knowledge and anecdotes, which as Lucketts gets larger, help the firm retain its family roots.

Lucketts was founded as a haulage company by David’s father Harry Luckett in 1926. After Harry died in 1966 David took up the family business and initially invested in new trucks for the haulage fleet, however, David aimed to take the firm in another direction.

“I decided with coaches, the load would walk on and walk off, which seemed a lot easier,” he said. “But what I didn’t account for was that they had a voice.”

Asked what prompted his change to coaches and tours, David explained: “I went on a coach to Royan in France and the driver only filled up once. I thought this isn’t a bad old job, and I always wanted to work with people as I’d started on the railway when I first left school.”

David spent eight months as a Booking Clerk after getting a job at a station in Botley. “I remember I was so glad to get that job,” he recalled.

“My father had to double my salary for me to come and join him.

The move to coaching

David bought his first coach in January 1976 and passed his driving test after a two week PCV course at Ben Stanley Coaches in www.coachandbusweek.com

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Hersham, Surrey in a Bedford YRQ. “I drove coaches in North Wales a lot and my first tour was with the Senior Salvation Army Pensioners Club,” he said. “Every year this dear old lady would say ‘if you can’t then I’ll have your son Steven’. She was a strict lady – you didn’t mess about with her.”

“There’s no greater feeling than going out after you’ve cleaned the vehicle the day before and you get in it, and pick up some people and give them a good old day. I always got a lot of satisfaction from that,” he smiled.

“I used to hate café mess rooms though,” he continued. “I was in one in Betws-y-Coed with some drivers and they were moaning about their bosses and this chap looked over at me and asked ‘what’s your boss like to work for?’ I replied, ‘until you’ve worked for Mr Luckett you’ve never had a bad boss’. And who should walk in but one of my other drivers who said: “Hello Mr Luckett, how are you?” Needless to say, I made a quick exit.”

David explained that the manager who used to run the transport firm stayed on to do the coaches. Lorries were more regulated, with MOTs and log books, so it wasn’t so difficult a transition to coach regulations when they came in.

From there, the company forged on and eventually sent a coach into Europe, which David described as a “daunting thing to do” but it worked.

“When we bought Watsons in the 80s we took on their work which included tours to Austria,” he said.

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April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 19

David remains as passionate as ever about the firm he developed from his father’s beginnings and is now rightly proud of what his sons have achieved

www.coachandbusweek.com

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08/04/2013 14:23

20 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

FACE TO FACE › DAVID LUCKETT MBE

Above left: One of David’s ambitions was to have “nice offices” – which the company certainly does now. Above right: Receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award from The Portsmouth News last year. Below: David makes his speech at the formal opening of the new firm’s offices in September 2010 bus driver is that if you are very rude to a passenger and that passenger can’t deal with you, they will wait for the next bus, but with a coach, they will go to another coach company. And then we are the losers. We are very customer focused. National Express feels the same, but it’s a different sort of relationship – it isn’t necessarily as regular or perhaps discretionary.”

However, according the David, the key to any successful coach operation is the engineering side.

“We have a brilliant Engineering Director, Mark Jordan. He’s had a lot on his plate lately, with 27 new vehicles since December.”

“I always said we would run our own brochure,” he added. “But didn’t get round to that until a few years back when Ian Veness developed our tour site which really moved us forward quite a lot.

His assistant is now our Product Controller she puts the packages together.”

Coliseum

“When I bought our first coach, I had no work,” explained David. “So I went to David Pitter at Coliseum to see if he could use it.”

He agreed, but only after a thorough inspection of the vehicle, to make sure it was up to standard.

“Operations like Coliseum and Epsom had been my role models.

There have been a lot of models around here which made me think that’s not the way to do it. Coliseum has always run a good family business, and is well respected in the industry.

“It was a good acquisition because they run it right. Mark Pitter’s clearly enjoying it. He’s doing what should be done, in his own style and it’s working well.”

Reminiscing slightly, David said: “When we were at the coach exhibition in Birmingham, Kerry Pitter was on a £440,000 Neoplan, and they were planning on having a team coach for Southampton.

Little did the salesman know, that we were sat on the coach too, but we already owned the company. We hadn’t paid for it then, but it was all going through. It was the closest secret in the industry I would think.

How we kept it secret I don’t know.

As they say, you can keep a secret, but all those you’ve told can’t…” www.coachandbusweek.com

Lucketts_DavidLuckett.indd 20

“I think the reason we are so successful is we embrace The next generation everything that’s and achievements David enthused that in the same thrown at us. If you his father introduced him to have regulations, and way the business, he is fortunate to it’s the law of the land, have Steve and Ian to take the firm forward into the future. you can do nothing “You hear of coach companies selling up because they have no else but embrace it” David Luckett

Staff

As the firm grows, David said it’s hard to keep track of who’s who when it comes to staff members but is proud of the work they do. .

“We have an excellent team of staff who are very loyal,” he said.

“We’re also fortunate to have a good office staff, and in our traffic office we’ve got people who have worked as drivers, so they understand what’s required.

“We’d like to think we are good employers. I say to the drivers, the difference between you and a

one to take it on,” he said. “I’ve still got the business and they are still running it and have really moved it forward. They are respected amongst their peers and they have some good contacts, like Epson and Steve Whiteway and the Guild of Coach Operators. I wouldn’t want it any other way. You can only be respected if you do it right and are fair to people.”

In addition, David has received two Lifetime Achievement awards for his services to the local business community.

Asked about his own and the company’s achievements he said: “It has always been an ambition of

mine to have nice offices like this, and they still won’t bloody give me an office of my own,” he joked. “In all seriousness, I’m really proud of what Lucketts has achieved.”

Richard Bamber from Runcornbased Anthony’s Travel posted, one assumes semi seriously, on the CBW facebook page “would you like a North West division?”

“Companies do enquire all the time actually,” said David with a chuckle. “But I think we are content with what we have at the moment.”

What has been the most exciting change in the last 10 years?

“Making a profit,” quipped David.

“But the most exciting thing has definitely been opening the new premises at our Broadcut Depot in Fareham. That has been a life long ambition.”

On the firm’s success, David said: “I think the reason we are so successful is we embrace everything that’s thrown at us. If you have regulations, and it’s the law of the land, you can do nothing else but embrace it.

“We say to customers, we may be a bit more expensive, but you can be assured everything is being done for your safety. Look at seatbelts for example - we fitted them way before anybody else did, before it became law.”

Customers are even invited to come to Lucketts premises, with a prior appointment, to look at the firm’s set up which, according to David, they frequently do.

“These days the trouble seems to be that everybody wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die,” said David. “We all want the best but no one wants to pay for it.”

08/04/2013 14:23

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22 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

FACE TO FACE › IAN & STEVE LUCKETT

While they are passionate coachmen, Ian and Steve Luckett are professionals who are constantly seeking to make their business more efficient

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08/04/2013 14:25

April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 23

The view from the top Coach & Bus Week’s Gareth Evans and Alex Tyler talk to Ian & Steve Luckett, the brothers at the helm of Lucketts Travel Group, who have driven their family firm forward into the future

T

here is no doubt that Ian and Steve have coaching in their blood – but they preside over a business which is controlled from a smart suite of offices, rather than the family home. To the casual visitor, think Mercedes dealership as opposed to Arthur Daley.

They’re professional businessmen who are constantly seeking to drive their company forward to the next level. Put another way, they don’t go gooey eyed over Bedford YNTs or Volvo B10Ms but they do get excited about technology and systems which will improve efficiencies and put them in good stead for the future. They seek out and swiftly grab opportunities as they arise. It’s therefore probably no coincidence their company has grown into an £18m turnover operation. So what have the brothers achieved and what do they see as their future?

We felt it was time to find out.

A structured approach

To cope with its increased size, Lucketts has recently restructured its operations across the Group.

“We now have a Group Operations Manager responsible for service delivery and we have Operations Controllers in the respective businesses. We used to have one person responsible for allocating work but now that’s been taken away – it was too much for each person,” explained Ian. Steve said the Group Operations Manager, Iain Macintyre, has come

Lucketts_Ian&Steve.indd 23

from the airline industry. “We went through an extensive selection process and assessment centre, instigated by our HR Director, Chloe Carey. Iain Macintyre has been in the role for over a month now and is doing in-depth analysis of the firm.”

Explaining the thinking behind the structure, Ian said: “We’re trying to introduce a systematic approach. I’m keen to introduce KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) financially. We’re trying to hone them – it’s the old adage of what’s measured improves.

“In short, we’re trying to find better ways of managing our operation. 20 vehicles is relatively easy, 40 is hard and with 60 you can easily be in trouble. KPIs may sound American but it’s vital to have properly organised systems in place.

“We’ve introduced Traffilog because it was required by National Express. We didn’t use it on our own fleet initially but now we do and the staff know they’re being monitored.

“Our staff are set to receive a 6% bonus on basic pay if we meet targets on company and personal matters. The bonus is awarded on a points basis, but it will only happen if the company performs to the expected level. It’s vital to reward people, particularly those who go above and beyond.”

Lucketts is working towards introducing an ISO standard, as Steve explained: “We’re working towards ISO9002-2008 at the moment. It’s taken a while as we’ve had so many

www.coachandbusweek.com

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24 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

FACE TO FACE › IAN & STEVE LUCKETT

distractions, but we’ll hopefully have it up and running this year.”

Ian said this “goes back to what we said about having procedures in place to check in an instant. It’s now all written down, which although getting it documented was hard work and complex, it’s been worth it.”

He added: “Legislation can seem like a pain but we’ve got to have systems in place. Driver licence checks are carried out each month and we do a DVLA check annually.

We’ve had a situation where people come for a job and our Training Manager Ian Hills has checked their details and found they’re not legally allowed to drive. We don’t sit here and think Corporate Manslaughter but allowing someone to drive a coach minus their driving licence is suicidal. You want to trust people but you really have to ask for every last bit of information and perhaps more importantly, check its validity.

There will always be those ‘dog ate my homework’ type stories – such is human nature unfortunately. We take references and actually follow them up – all offers of employment are subject to references.”

Asked whether the firm is on track with its DCPC training, Steve replied: “Most of our private hire drivers have accumulated up to 28 hours’ training. Our National Express drivers are the hardest ones to receive training due to their rotas but because we’ve put so many of them through our own training, it’s not an issue. We’ve paced ourselves.”

Above: A systematic approach is vital. Below: NX work has enabled Lucketts’ to become a 24/7 operation

Technologically advanced

“Customer service can be hard to do,” conceded Ian. “Anecdotally people say they like us and we do have questionnaires which we go through but there has never been any historical analysis. We now get the surveys scanned by a bureau in Manchester and the data can be flipped according to customers and drivers, for example. The software is called Qlickview, which can be downloaded for free. Different systems can be integrated to see various relationships between data, such as tachographs and Triscan. It helps to provide the management team with data at the press of a button.”

In another development, the brothers said inspection sheets and workshop job cards, which are currently completed manually, are set to be computerised.

“With Mpro and Distinctive www.coachandbusweek.com

Lucketts_Ian&Steve.indd 24

Systems we’ve invested in a system to computerise this work, integrating it into the VMS (Vehicle Maintenance System),” explained Steve. “It’s not a bespoke system for us – we’ve manipulated it for our needs.”

Ian took up the story: “This will save a phenomenal amount of time. You can buy a mini tablet device for £150 today it’s nothing in the scheme of things. This is the interface for us to re-write it into the VMS. “It also hooks up with our parts ordering system. It knows a coach is a Scania K114 with Irizar bodywork, so it needs an x-type wiper. It slashes administration and makes us so much more efficient.

“If it’s a success, the system will be expanded and drivers will

be issued with PDAs (hand held computers). We currently have to ensure everyone has completed a nil-defect sheet and processing them takes two hours per day.

There’s no rushing – it has to be done correctly – yet using PDAs will make that process instantaneous.

It’s trying to do all those jobs which we’re required to do as easily and efficiently as possible.”

A family brand

As reported in CBW at the time, a new family-style of branding has recently been introduced across the fleet.

“It’s been a case of evolution not revolution,” explained Ian. “I admit it’s not to everyone’s liking. When we acquired Coliseum we decided to evaluate the brands. It had to be

easy to apply and repair. If vehicles are base white, the vinyls take half a day to apply.

“NX has a policy of checking each coach every two months for scuffs and dents. Operators have to put any defects right – that’s why NX coaches look so much better now than they ever used to. Therefore, it was vital for us to have a livery which could be re-applied with minimal downtime.

“The livery has been harmonised across the fleet. There was a lot of debate about family branding with Coliseum as it’s so close to us here in Fareham. Worthing is different because it’s far enough away. Funnily enough, we could have changed red to grey to make interchanging of the fleet easier.”

Asked whether there are any plans to integrate the brands into the single Lucketts trading name in future, Ian replied: “We want to be Lucketts of Southampton and Fareham like Stagecoach. We want to keep the Coliseum and Worthing identities. It’s like a white-branded website – it’s the same engine behind it all. I admit we do end up creating issues for ourselves sometimes. When Worthing or Coliseum are quiet, we work in the group. The amount of subcontracting we’ve done has been slashed as a result.

“The Coliseum deal came as a shock to the staff there but we’ve not modified their terms and

08/04/2013 14:26

April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 25

conditions of employment – we’ve just changed them from being paid weekly in advance to monthly.”

Reflecting the firm’s base of work, Steve said the fleet is different at Coliseum too. “They’re all MAN Neoplan Tourliners, which benefit from four-year bumper-to-bumper warranties. We may look at more of them in future.”

Reader Questions

In something which has proved to be a popular means of engaging with you the reader, prior to the interview CBW’s followers on Facebook and Twitter were invited to suggest questions they would like answered.

Andrew Cook asked: “As a coach operator, what benefits do you get from Twitter?” Ian replied: “There’s very little in social media for us in terms of marketing but for service updates, it’s invaluable. It’s instant and it’s also nice to let people know what’s going on. It’s another PR tool – one which gets messages out and has the ability to hit different segments. It’s also a bit of fun, showing our human face. Steve does our IT but social media is not IT – it’s communications.”

Steve said: “It’s important to remember that people want to see personal stuff from the Chief Exec rather than bland corporate stuff.”

However, Ian stressed he would “never” have a personal Twitter account.

Richard Grey from Greys of Ely asked: “What has been the most exciting change in your business in the last 10 years?”

Without hesitation, Ian enthused: “National Express has been a massive change for us. We did alright without it but it’s enabled us to extend our opening hours to be a 24/7 operation. It also gave us the justification for doing the building work here.”

Ian said the driving academy was another important development.

“We couldn’t do what we do now without the aid of a training department. It’s always evolving too. We’re trying to give staff all the skills they need.”

On a personal note, Steve said: “Our instructor Ian Hills was the one who taught me to ride a motorbike. He used to drive for us and got despondent as an instructor, so he came back to work for us.”

Ian added: “Coliseum and Worthing have been significant developments too. They all came

Lucketts_Ian&Steve.indd 25

along as opportunities. Therefore, to answer the question, in a nutshell, it’s to grab opportunities.”

Andrew Gilmour asked: “I would be intrigued to know how hard Lucketts find driver recruitment, how many they train themselves and whether the qualities needed for NatEx work are much different from traditional coaching?”

Steve responded: “We don’t struggle to get candidates. Although we never seem to have enough because of our expansion.”

Ian added: “We will soon go over 200 drivers. If you look at the demographics, we will have a couple of drivers in each age group, which will give us a steady retirement rate. Therefore, we’ve got a lot younger drivers. The traditional view of coach drivers being old and on their second careers is wrong – but we still like taking on older people.”

Steve continued: “You normally find out quickly whether someone has got what it takes to be a coach driver. When we started our academy, I spoke to Johnsons of Henley-in-Arden and Epsom Coaches, among others, and gleaned valuable information.

“We did try a few taster days for a new person to mentor one of our staff but for operational reasons it became hard to schedule.”

Steve felt the classroom DCPC had made training new recruits harder. “It can be frustrating for a driver to pass his or her PCV and then have to do the classroom theory,” he said. “However, I felt it was good to have a cooling off period to tame that initial excitement of obtaining a PCV licence. Most people can drive a coach but being a coach driver, who’s almost self-employed, is a

totally different ball game.”

Like many operators, Lucketts has seen its staff turnover plummet in recent years. “It may sound very ‘big company’ mentality but we’ve got great staff,” remarked Ian. “The challenge is to remember that if we don’t look after those 200 drivers, this building won’t be here.

“We’ve recently taken on a Human Resources Director. Big company procedures may sound over the top but we’ve got to have them as everyone must know the rules in order to avoid confrontation.

“We’ve moved away from the ‘my coach’ mentality to ‘the coach I normally drive’ – there’s a subtle difference. If it’s your coach, it gets filled up with junk, rather than staying in a locker or bag. Because Steve and I have both done the job ourselves, we know what it’s like.”

In a remark which will doubtless strike a chord with many, Steve complained: “Manufacturers have made the cockpits so small nowadays. Drivers have so much to carry with them.”

Ongoing & future developments

Lucketts is one of those firms where life never stands still – there is literally always something happening.

In terms of the fleet alone, 24 new coaches have been acquired since January. They include five new Irizar i6-bodied Scanias and a pair of Irizar i6 integral private hire coaches, a 29-seater Plaxton Cheetah and 13 vehicles for NX work, more of which later.

“We’ve got rid of some too but not 24,” mused Ian. “It’s a pretty well-oiled machine – coaches come in, they’re washed, fuelled

The brothers are keen sportsmen and are no strangers to charity events

& oiled, and then their toilets are dropped, before being parked up.

We’ve recently increased cleaning resources – coaches are now done during the day too. We can park 90 PCVs at Fareham.”

With expansion at Fareham being limited due to surrounding other premises, a dedicated bodyshop is being opened in Gosport, as Steve explained. “We bought what had originally been Priory Coaches’ yard in Gosport. We’re looking to install an MOT preparation lane there as we’re currently carrying out two MoT’s a week.

“It’s a cracking yard but the problem is that it’s located in Gosport. It’s only five miles away but it could be 15 minutes or three quarters of an hour’s drive away sometimes, such is the variable nature of the traffic congestion.”

Additional NX growth has recently boosted the Worthing operation.

“We were asked to tender for some of the NX work previously operated by NatEx’s Crawley depot – namely, the 025 and A3 routes,” said Ian. “We were fortunate to win it and we’ve now expanded our Worthing operation. We’ve got space to run up to 18 vehicles but many of them just won’t be there most of the time as they are in service. We’re going to install a walk round wash system, which we’ll rent initially and then possibly buy.

The systems are going to mirror here to a certain extent.”

If the current rate of growth is to be sustained, will Lucketts have to consider becoming a plc?

Ian replied: “I’ve talked to various people who have become AIM (Alternative Investment Market) listed but I’m unsure what the benefits to the business are. I’m not an accountant, but never say never. If we got bigger we would get a Financial Director who would probably steer us there.

“Everyone tells me it’s such a vast expense and you lose control. It also makes you less reactive – no longer can you buy two coaches straight away.

“We clearly get on well with National Express but there are procedures and protocols to follow.

I still like the flexibility of a familyrun company but with a bonus scheme to try to give our staff a bit of a stake in it.”

On that note, Ian said: “Our turnover is now £18m. If we pull our fingers out, it could well grow to £19m, so it’s pretty dramatic.” www.coachandbusweek.com

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26 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

TRAINING

Dedicated to training Coach & Bus Week’s Andrew Cream speaks to highly experienced Training Manager Ian Hills about training the company’s drivers, the Driver CPC and what it takes to drive for Lucketts

W

ith a reputation as strong as Lucketts’, it would be foolish to think there is anything less than a top-class training team in place at the firm.

Ian Hills, who has been working in different training positions since 1997, heads up the training team as Training Manager. He is in charge of the entire group’s training set up and also oversees the recruitment of new staff.

It’s clear from talking to Ian that he is very passionate about his job and the importance of training to the industry. He rightly sees Lucketts as a first-rate operator and believes it is important for the company to set the industry standard and live up to its status.

More than just driving

Lucketts offers full training for those without PCV licences. Starting in 2007, the aim of Lucketts’ training academy was to bring “fresh blood into the industry”.

“It has moved on dramatically,” Ian said. “When I started we had approximately 45 drivers and 30 coaches. Now we have over 200 drivers across the group. It expanded rather quickly.”

The company likes to make sure drivers are fully aware of what their job entails from day one. Along with the regular driver training like daily walk round checks and drivers’ hours, trainees are taught about vehicle cleanliness. This includes www.coachandbusweek.com

Lucketts_Training.indd 26

cleaning the toilets and the servery.

“I emphasise it’s not just a driving job,” Ian explained. “It encompasses every aspect of the industry. It’s not always glamorous but they know that from the start.”

Training style

As head of the training arm, it would be easy for Ian to take a back seat from the actual teaching, but that is not the case.

“I have a training assistant who does the onboard training but I’m still very active in the delivery side,” he said. “I have a relaxed training style and I’m quite down to earth.

When it comes to training, I live by the ‘five Rs’. Courses must be relevant to the person, relaxed, realistic, refreshed and retained.

This style generates a brilliant response from trainees. It has got to be one of the best delivery styles in terms of getting the most out of them. They have got to feel comfortable while learning.”

Moving in-house

Ian explained the company’s decision to take training in-house: “We are a well-known family-run company which is recognised both locally and nationally within the industry. Through in-house training we can set our standards as a company; the standards we want from day one. We stick to these standards and we have worked hard to get there.”

The operator’s high values have lead to other companies coming to Lucketts for training, mainly fellow members of the Guild of British

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April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 27

Coach Operators, although pilots have been carried out with other firms, including National Express.

Driver CPC training is also conducted for other companies, both off-site and at Lucketts’ premises, although it’s not something they advertise. “We want to share good procedures with other reputable companies,” Ian commented.

The importance of DCPC

Ian enjoys delivering training and thanks no doubt to his background, is very much down to earth with it

Driver CPC has been welldocumented in this publication, especially how it seems to have divided the industry. The scepticism surrounding it generally appears to have faded away now, with operators getting wise to the fact that it is now a mainstay – and if treated properly could bring a number of benefits to a company.

Ian, however, has never been cynical towards the periodic training. “I believe Driver CPC was desperately needed for the industry,” he said. “If you look at any other profession in life, every two years you would be expected to go on an update course. Before Driver CPC was introduced, the driving industry didn’t have anything like that. Individual companies have been delivering it but this made it nationwide. You wouldn’t find that lack of training in any other industry.

“It’s important to keep drivers up-to-date. Legislation like drivers’ hours change and without training, drivers are often left to find out themselves.”

So that’s Ian’s view, but what about the firm’s drivers? Ian continued: “They were very susceptible to it. Before it was introduced, Lucketts already used training companies to keep drivers in the know.

“Now it’s in-house they have more say in what it entails – we encourage feedback from our staff and course members.

“We try to up the bar all the time so drivers are still getting something out of it. It’s about getting new information across and broadening their horizons each time.”

Lucketts has eight registered DCPC courses approved by JAUPT, and all drivers progress through each one. AA Drivetech is also used to deliver a workshop on safe urban driving, “so that gives me a day off,” Ian mused.

“Our engineers have also had bespoke roadside

www.coachandbusweek.com

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28 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

TRAINING

A smart uniformed driver take a brand new coach through the wash assistance training through Bridgestone (Bridgestone Roadside).”

In January, 95 of Lucketts’ drivers completed DCPC courses, with the majority coming out with a DQC on completion. The majority of the operator’s drivers only need to complete seven more hours before the September deadline and the plan is to have all staff full trained

by August, including all casual, operational and engineering staff.

“After September, we’re going to keep ahead of schedule,” Ian said.

“It’s not going to go away no matter what the rumours are so we have got to keep ahead of the game.

“Drivers receive all the training free. They don’t want to leave us generally and this helps improve loyalty. Companies have less control of their staff if they don’t pay for it.”

“The training is always developing because the industry is. We are trying to stay one step ahead.”

Ian Hills

training. Day one sees employees spend a full session in the company’s dedicated training room, learning about the company and what is expected from them as an employee.

Drivers will then spend the following couple of days on the road with a senior driver, before coming back into the training room for more CPC work – customer care, industry standards, ticketing and the like.

Those who currently don’t hold a PCV licence obviously have a very different and much more comprehensive training experience.

A typical day for a trainee driver is split into three sections. In the morning they are taken out on a drive which is monitored and scrutinised. After that, it’s to the training room where the errors and areas for improvement are pointed out. Then the trainees go on another drive and are again monitored. Finally, the results of the two trips and compared and analysed.

Getting started

Whether new recruits have had a PCV licence for three days or 35 years, they are all given the same introductory and Driver CPC www.coachandbusweek.com

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Investment in training

The dedicated training room is a relatively new addition to Lucketts’ assets. The company made the decision two years ago that it would invest heavily in its training side and around seven months ago the work was completed.

Ian said: “As training expanded with the business, we needed a dedicated room so we could increase one-to-one development.

“The room is capable of seating up to 20 people. It features a speaker system and an interactive smart board – it’s got everything we really need.”

One step ahead

Vital qualities

Ian outlined what it takes to be a driver for Lucketts: “They have got to be customer focused, good at communicating and confident in their abilities, which of course includes confidence with their driving skills. They also need to have the right attitude while driving. You could be a great driver but if you experience road rage or aggression, driving a coach isn’t for you.

“Furthermore, it’s important to know your vehicle, and if you’re driving abroad, the laws of each country you’re in.

“We also promote SAEDS – Safe And Economic Driving Skills.”

Ian said generally, drivers have around a 12% better fuel economy second time round, and faults are reduced by two or three points.

Surprisingly perhaps, drivers are often quicker the second time, too.

“This method means on the second drive, trainees can forward plan and improve observational techniques which can lead to them saving time and feeling more relaxed,” Ian explained. “Drivers very often put the skills they learn into practice in their cars too.”

Ian has had quite a varied career in both the Navy and behind the wheel

Ian Hills:

a brief history

For someone working in the coach industry, Ian Hills has had quite the varied career. He took up the story: “After I left the Navy in 1994 I started working in a factory and while I was there I happened to train my wife to ride a motorcycle. When she went to the training school they were impressed with the skill level she already had. On the back of that, in August 1997 I was offered a position at the training centre and on December 16 of that year I became a DSA instructor. So I got into training by accident. I can train motorcycle up to advanced level and I have even done instructor training.

“In 2002 I was offered a contract PCV driving job at Lucketts. I then went back into motorcycle training when I was asked to manage a motorcycle instructor company.

“After that, I went back to in the Royal Navy, teaching warfare procedures and principles as a civilian instructor. My knowledge came from serving in the Gulf in 1991.

“Then in August 2007, I started with Lucketts as a Training Coordinator.”

Ian likes to make sure Lucketts’ training reflects the industry. “The training is always developing because the industry is. We are trying to stay one step ahead. We have done really well at that as we are one of the market leaders.”

The firm has also started running apprenticeship schemes which started in November last year.

There are six apprentices onboard at the moment with another eight to join in April.

Apprentices will gain an NVQ Level 2 in Bus & Coach and a diploma after the eight-month program.

“We’re not just giving people skills but given them recognition for their skills,” Ian said.

The firm has put 66 drivers through the training academy since November 2007. It looks like this number is rising exponentially though – in 2008 six drivers gained their PCV licence while last year the number was 21. Plus, so far in 2013, 10 have already completed the training with four planned to start in April.

“Of the 66 drivers, we have a retention rate of 81% which is great,” Ian said. “It makes me smile, seeing all the drivers we have trained.”

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30 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

INSIGHT › COMMERCIAL MATTERS

Paul Barringer has helped Lucketts develop over the last six years and was familiar with the firm from when he worked at P&O Ferries

Keeping sharp with marketing Coach & Bus Week’s James Day speaks to Paul Barringer, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Lucketts, to find out how the operator has adapted its promotional undertakings over the years to secure business

B

ack in CBW1070, Coach & Bus Week reported on Lucketts’ rebrand, where the liveries of Coliseum Coaches, Worthing Coaches and Lucketts Travel were each changed to match stylistically, while ensuring each company maintained its individual identity. It was the first rebrand for the operator in six www.coachandbusweek.com

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years and coincided with a £2m investment which brought its fleet size into three figures.

The rebrand is indicative of how Lucketts takes care of its marketing.

While the all of the businesses are managed by the same individuals, they each promote themselves in subtlely different way to slightly different markets.

Paul Barringer’s role is Group

Sales and Marketing Director and his responsibility covers sales and marketing in all three of the Lucketts businesses. His day to day work ranges from visiting clients personally to marketing and advertising.

Paul has been at Lucketts for six years, although he has known about the company for a long time having previously held a role at P&O

Ferries for 17 years where Lucketts was one of his first customers.

After leaving the ferry operator and taking a short break, he joined the Hampshire-based coach operator.

A New Approach

Lucketts has developed rapidly over the last year with its acquisition of Coliseum Coaches, significant fleet investment and the fleet rebrand.

The firm has adjusted its marketing strategy over the same period.

“We’ve changed how we market ourselves in the last year,” Paul explained. “We’ve moved away from marketing agencies and do more in-house. As part of this we invested in sales training for our sales staff to make sure the company is more proactive on the phone.

“We have more marketing output now and get more for our money.

We’re using a whole raft of channels and have employed an executive, Kirsty, who looks after all of our marketing output. We’ve been seeing a growing interest in social media and have just completed our first ever local radio campaign.

It was a short trial but may be an

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avenue we use in the future as it seems to have been successful.

“We still use established methods like direct mail and traditional press advertising.

“Overall, I think now we have truly integrated our sales and marketing process and we’re developing and learning with it.”

Paul feels social media has its use as a light-hearted side of marketing, as well as being a helpful tool for operations when dealing with disruption such as recent snow delays.

“Its very quick and responsive,” he said. “All of our businesses have Twitter and Facebook accounts.

This allows us to tailor what is said through social media to the relevant company, as they each serve slightly different markets.”

There is a subtle difference between each of the areas served under the Lucketts Travel umbrella and the primary trade done within them. Holidays and day excursions make up a larger proportion of Worthing Coaches’ work in comparison to the other businesses, for example. Keeping the operators’ individual identities and having different social media accounts allows Lucketts to be more focused with its promotion.

“We’re trying to be more targeted in what we do,” Paul said. “We want our marketing to be more distinct, rather than just say ‘come to Lucketts.’

“It’s important to use the right method to deliver it too – social media is not the best for advertising holidays and excursions, for example.

“I don’t think social media is used to its full potential in the industry just yet. A lot more operators are starting to understand and see the benefits of it though.”

The Potential of Corporate Hire

Lucketts’ business mix is spread across several areas, including National Express contracts, holidays & excursions, corporate and contract coach hire and travel for schools and social clubs. National Express routes make up a sizable portion of the business, with two new contracts started in recent weeks, but the amount of corporate and contract hire Lucketts provides is substantial and growing quickly.

“We have ongoing contracts with some large organisations,” Paul said.

“This includes a five route contract with a local college. The college

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Above: Corporate hirers can demand modern low-emission vehicles.

Below: Double-decker buses are used on contract work

Away travel:

online ticket booking system

Lucketts uses software from Distinctive Systems to help manage away travel for two football league teams. The clubs remove themselves from the away ticket booking process, directing fans to use the Lucketts online system.

As the facility has developed, fans can book game tickets and travel at same time, with Lucketts’ website linking to the match day ticket vendor and vice-versa. The hasslefree method certainly has the potential to improve a football club’s away following.

Portsmouth Football Club is one of the teams, where Lucketts won the away travel contract starting from January 8, 2012. At the time, Portsmouth FC said: “Lucketts has undertaken our Pompey Academy work for several years and this is a natural extension of this relationship.”

The club lists Lucketts as a partner on its website and a link takes fans straight to the excursion section on Lucketts’ website, which lists upcoming away games. The system is quite flexible, allowing tickets to be purchased from a smartphone.

“It’s made the process considerably easier,” Paul said. “It’s very cost effective for the club and was one of the main reasons for gaining the contract.

“All our online services are handled and provided by Distinctive Systems.

We’ve been working with them for many years and we’re very happy with them. They are very receptive to our feedback and work with us to provide the exact specification which we need. It’s in both parties’ best interests.”

wanted to provide free travel for the students, so it’s a significant investment for them and great business for us.

“We’ve also secured some work for a blue chip organisation and some government work, and have provided a number of corporate travel routes for a major worldwide financial institution for the last four or five years.

“A lot of companies are paying attention to emissions and struggling with a lack of parking space, so employers have started offering corporate coach travel as a benefit. It can be a necessary service to provide to get the right people to work at the right time.”

With real estate becoming more scarce and space for employee parking becoming more of a challenge to procure, corporate coach travel certainly looks like it will be used more frequently in the future and a worthwhile focus for any coach company.

“I’d like to think our corporate contract work will keep developing,” Paul added. “We’re getting a steady flow or enquiries from companies which are considering it.”

With the right systems to support it, corporate coach hire has several unique selling points over public transport. Lucketts use a Trafilog vehicle tracking and telematics system, which can alert employers if a coach carrying their staff is running late. Paul said this combined with the assurance that the vehicles are driven efficiently and safely had been quite a strong selling point.

“All our drivers are trained in fuel efficient driving, but telematics helps us to sell our service as a green, environmentally friendly form of transport,” he said.

The local community

Along with having a good relationship with local operators, Lucketts has been placing more focus on PR in its operating territory, including work with a children’s charity.

“We’re very proactive with PR and try to put out a positive message with everything we can,” explained Paul.

“Recently we’ve assisted a local charity, Wessex Heartbeat, which is supporting a children’s heart clinic. They recently held a charity concert where we provided free travel for the children as part of our partnership.”

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THE BIG PICTURE

One of Lucketts’ eight-strong fleet of Scania OmniExpress-bodied Scania K400 EB coaches makes a fine sight against a heritage architectural backdrop. Registered ‘YR62EAE’ the vehicle hit the road on January 1. The photo was snapped at the Royal Marines Museum in Southsea. Housed in the former Eastney Barracks, the complex was originally constructed as the headquarters of the Royal Marine Artillery in the 1860s. The occasion was a photo shoot to celebrate the formal announcement of the company’s new livery. With three company brands operating under the Lucketts Travel umbrella, it was thought it was time to give them all a unified look, while retaining the familiar individual names. Passengers still travel on Lucketts Travel, Worthing Coaches or Coliseum Coaches-branded vehicles, but each now shares a common styling which identifies them as part of a larger group.

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FLEET PROFILE

Irizar i6-bodied Scania K360EB

A Scania OmniExpress

More than a fleeting glance Alex Tyler compiles a complete Fleet Profile for the Lucketts Travel Group with comment from Mark Jordan, the Group’s Engineering Director www.coachandbusweek.com

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An ALX400-bodied Volvo B7TR

A

The group operates a single Neoplan Skyliner as seen here in Brighton

s independent fleets go, Lucketts is relatively standardised, with Scania, Irizar and Volvo being particular favourites for full-size vehicles and Mercedes-Benz powering the smaller members of the stable.

There are of course, exceptions to every rule – and in Lucketts’ fleet that means a token Bova Futura coach and an Optare Excel bus. On the latter, while Lucketts is predominantly a coach operator, there are no fewer than six buses in the fleet, which are used on thirdparty contracts.

It’s no exaggeration to say Volvos have only really entered the fleet in

any volume since National Express work was taken on – the Caetano Levante/ Volvo combination being the coach of choice for the network.

Lucketts has a well-known longstanding relationship with Scania and Irizar. The association with the Basque bodybuilder has continued to go from strength to strength, with new examples entering the fleet this year, both integral and Scania-powered variants.

In contrast to the Worthingbranded fleet, which largely mirrors the Lucketts stable in terms of vehicle types, Coliseum continues to be dominated by Neoplan Tourliners, which reflects the differing nature of its work.

Not to be forgotten is the fleet of five Ford Fiesta cars, which perform

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Worthing’s new coach for 2013, an Irizar i6-bodied Scania

A Mercedes-Benz Plaxton Cheetah and Sprinter Travel

Plaxton Prima-bodied Dennis Javelin

a valuable role as crew transfer vehicles. Other non-PSVs include Mercedes-Benz Vitos, a popular choice for operators offering doorto-door pick ups on tour work.

1 Omni Express 36 Scania K400 EB (2013) 2 Omni Express 34 Scania (2009) 1 Plaxton Prima 320 Dennis Javelin 245 (1999) 1 Plaxton Prima 320 Dennis Javelin 245 (2001) 1 Plaxton Prima 320 Dennis Javelin 275 (2002) 3 Irizar Inter-Century Scania K230 IB 4x2 (2007) 5 Alexander ALX400 Volvo B7TL (2000) 1 Neoplan Skyliner (2004)

LUCKETTS 54 Vehicles

1 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Travel 45 (2009) 1 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Travel 45 (2010) 1 Caetano Optimo IV Toyota Coaster (2000) 1 Caetano Optimo IV Toyota Coaster (1997) 1 Caetano Optimo V Toyota Coaster (2003) 1 Plaxton Cheetah Mercedez-Benz (2010) 1 Plaxton Cheetah Mercedez-Benz 815 (2012) 1 Sitcar Beluga Mercedez-Benz 815 (2004) 1 Optare Excel (1996) 1 Bova Futura (2000)

2 Irizar Capacity Scania K114CRB (2002) 1 Irizar Capacity Scania K114CRB (2003) 2 Irizar PB 12.9 Scania K114EB6x2 (2005) 1 Irizar PB 12.9 Scania K114EB6x2 (2008) 1 Berkhof Axial 50 Dennis Javelin GX (1998) 2 Irizar Century Scania K114EB (2004) 2 Irizar Century Scania K114 (2003) 2 Irizar Century Scania K114 (2004) 1 Irizar Century Scania K114 (2006) 1 Berkhof Axial 50 Scania K34 EB (2006) 1 Irizar Century Scania K34EB (2007) 1 Irizar Century Scania K34EB (2008) 2 Caetano Levante Scania K34 EB (2009) 2 Irizar i6 Integral (2012) 1 Irizar i6 Integral (2013) 1 Irizar i6 Scania K360IB (2013) 1 Irizar Century Scania K360EB (2012) 5 Omni Express 36 Scania K400 EB (2011)

WORTHING 8 Vehicles

2 Irizar Century Scania K114EB (2004) 1 Irizar Century Scania K114EB (2006) 2 Irizar Century Scania K340EB (2008) 1 Irizar Century Scania K360IB (2013)

1 Irizar Capacity Scania K114CRB (2002) 1 Irizar i6 Scania K360IB (2013)

COLISEUM 12 Vehicles

1 Tawe Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (2009) 1 Beulas Aura (2008) 2 Neoplan Tourliner (2009) 2 Neoplan Tourliner (2010) 3 Neoplan Tourliner (2011) 3 Neoplan Tourliner (2012)

NATIONAL EXPRESS CONTRACTS 29 Vehicles

4 Caetano Levante Volvo B9R (2011) 13 Caetano Levante Volvo B9R (2013) 10 Caetano Levante Scania K340 EB (2009) 2 Caetano Levante Scania K340 EB (2010)

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FLEET PROFILE

The sole Sitcar Beluga-bodied Mercedez-Benz 815 in the group’s fleet

One of Lucketts’ branded Ford Fiestas used for crew transfer

A Caetano Levante in NatEx livery beside a Lucketts Scania Irizar PB

The Worthing fleet is dominated by Irizar Century Scanias

Maintenance matters:

from Engineering Director Mark Jordan Engineering Director Mark Jordan comes across as an approachable, cool-headed man, who’s enthusiastic about what he does for a living.

The firm’s expansion has naturally had an impact on the engineering side of the business but Mark appears to have taken it in his stride. “The last three months has been a challenge with 24 new vehicles joining the fleet since January which includes 13 National Express vehicles, six private hire coaches and five crew transfer cars,” he said.

Mark described Fareham depot as a “busy old place,” employing eight fitters and two apprentices.

“We’re looking to expand the engineering side with the aim of recruiting two more engineers,” he said. “It’s a 24-hour business and normally as busy at 2300 as 0900hrs. The rate of expansion is amazing – it’s impressive how

much the depot has changed.”

Turning to the composition of the fleet, Mark said: “Our Irizar dealer has a good product. It does what we need. We have a superb relationship with our Scania dealer and that is vital, but the price is the ultimate thing.”

“Diversity has always been there in terms of engineering and the new Volvos we use on National Express work are making a good impression,” he added. “We now have 22 of them in the fleet, whereas before we used to run one or two. National Express forced our hand really. You realise what busy is with National Express. You have to think and deal with things. We had to adapt our procedures and systems to manage the fleet. It’s certainly been very good for us – it helps to focus the whole company.”

On vehicle maintenance Mark said: “Most work is carried out inhouse but we do use other dealers

Engineering Director Mark Jordan pictured at Fareham depot as an overspill when required.

Mark enthused the importance of technology when it comes to fuel consumption. “Fuel economy makes you look at all factors,” he said. “We have a new tyre pressure monitoring system on

trial. Technology moves on – and tyres are no different. They’re a vital aid to fuel economy and I’ve seen a massive difference in fuel consumption. Bridgestone M788 is our tyre of choice owing to its versatility which we source from Tructyre of Winchester and National Express is certainly good proving ground. We also use Superscreens for our windscreens. I can honestly say we couldn’t get a better service. They’re a supplier we trust – there’s no aggravation at all.”

Asked about other new technological developments, Mark replied: “We’ve come a long way in vehicles tracking. My mobile phone will tell me if we have an overheat and excessive idling, which is part of our anti-idling campaign. I can also see a driver’s dashboard if required. The industry is so reliant on technology now it’s frightening.

I remember we had a power cut and could barely run…”

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38 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

INDUSTRY

GUIDE

TO rental, leasing & finance

CONTACT To advertise in future industry guides, call Brian Winterton for a features list or more details on 01733 293488, email brian.winterton@ coachandbusweek.com. For more information on providing editorial, call James Day on 01733 293244 or email james.day@coachandbusweek.com

LHE Finance

A helping hand

Commercial life has never been more difficult to negotiate a way through. The withdrawal of subsidies, fuel and insurance inflation and general pressure on margins are here to stay.

It is therefore vital that any investment in new vehicles or equipment is carefully planned to suit the needs of the business, but where do you start with banks having withdrawn from the market or at best reluctant to lend (unless operators can prove they do not need the loan in the first place)?

LHE Finance has been involved in sourcing funding for the coach and bus market since 1989. In that time it has successfully negotiated hundreds of millions of pounds of leasing and hire purchase funding for its customers, both large and small.

The firm does not promise miracles, but does enjoy a market presence which is based on trust and longevity, giving it access to a range of funders and investors

which seek lending opportunities.

LHE Finance can work with operators to raise finance for specific capital projects, replacement or additional vehicles and even refinance an existing fleet to maximise the working capital available to the business.

The company has been operating in this market for over 20 years building a reputation and trust with both customers and funders alike.

It is a full member of its national association, the NACFB, and has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Dawsongroup plc since 2003 giving it corporate stability as well as customer access to rental vehicles.

LHE Finance said it is committed to try and help bus and coach businesses find a way through the current economic difficulties.

T: 01342 835813 / 01425 474070 E: kbristow@lhefinance.co.uk / dwilkinson@lhefinance .co.uk W: www.lhefinance.co.uk

This week’s Industry Guide looks at the various rental, leasing and finance options available to operators when the time comes to expand the size of their fleets or cover for vehicles which are out of service

S

ometimes, a fleet needs expansion, but the capital just isn’t available for new vehicles. Not only can rental companies and financial firms help to remedy this, operators also have the benefit of their after service support. Companies in both areas offer plenty of flexibility to suit a variety of needs.

With some operators hitting hard times, there may be a need for short-term spot hire to cover for a service which has to be suddenly stopped. It often isn’t viable to keep a yard full of spare vehicles to cover for such an event, but bus and

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coach rental companies can help.

The same can be said for tenders with specific vehicle requirements, such as low floor only or with a specific minimum age. If a vehicle is involved in an accident or needs to be taken off the road, rental firms can help plug the gap by providing a similar vehicle which doesn’t risk violating the contract.

With the June/July peak season and September school contracts closing in operators may find their fleet stretched, or need the edge provided by a brand new vehicle.

Finance and leasing provides an avenue to achieve this where it otherwise would be impossible or unsustainable to do.

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INDUSTRY

GUIDE

TO rental, leasing & finance Davies Corporate Finance Davies Corporate Finance (DCF) might be a new name in the business finance arena, but its management team have considerable experience in arranging bespoke financial services for UK SME’s.

DCF continues to provide a variety of financial services aimed at fulfilling many of the financial requirements of most Bus and Coach operators.

David Davies, Director of DCF said: “Now more than ever, our clients within the Bus and Coach sectors rely on our financial expertise to try and introduce them to the most appropriate funders for their business.

“On a daily basis, we are still seeing clients (new and current) struggle to persuade their bank or other funding institutions to support their business moving forward.”

A recent addition to DCF is Shaun Russell, who joins from Euler Hermes, a leading provider of

Davies Corporate Finance can provide asset finance to acquire from dealers insurance services. DCF is currently developing a range of insurance products suitable for the bus and coach sectors.

The day to day running of the Crewe office is managed by Helen Hicks (Office Manager). Helen brings a wealth of experience in dealing with bus and coach operators.

DCF offers a broad and comprehensive range of innovative and flexible financial services,

including: n Asset Finance (HP/ Finance Lease, Operating Lease); n Refinance / Equity Release; n Cash Flow Funding – factoring, confidential invoice discounting, trade finance, stock finance; n Insurance Services & VOSA Funding - to enable operators to meet VOSA financial standing requirements; n Commercial & Residential

Mortgages – for owner occupier, investor funding, land purchases, development finance, bridging finance; and n Business Consultancy & Turnaround Advice – helping business achieve funding for growth, financial restructuring and corporate turnaround services.

Operating from offices in Crewe in Cheshire, DCF continues to provide full UK coverage.

Using a specialist finance broker, DCF can help provide businesses with a fresh and competitive alternative when it comes to finance. The firm looks forward to speaking to any operators whom would welcome the opportunity to discuss any future funding requirements which they may have, either immediately or during 2013.

T: 07977 000 096 (David) 07809 682 101 (Shaun) 0845 077 9118 (Helen) E: david@daviescorporate.co.uk / shaun@daviescorporate.co.uk W: www.daviescorporate.co.uk

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" E W F S U J T F

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Network Warrington have the following vehicles for sale

Mercedes Benz Vito 111 CDI

3 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, LEZ compliant, MOT until July, air con, plain silver, Euro 4, 300kg tail lift capacity, armrests.

Five in stock.

2005 MAN Noge

57 reclining seats, air conditioning, one owner from new, 320,000kms, dark moquette leather inset headrests, curtains.

ÂŁ5,000

ÂŁ65,000+VAT - P/X considered

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

Tel: Adrian on 07717 768315

Optare Solo M710 SE (57 Plate)

2006 Plaxton Panther

Dennis Dart SLF 10.8m 2000/2001 V & Y Plate, Cummins 6BT, Allison AT545 4 speed auto, Marshall body, 40 seats.

In good condition, 21 seats + 2 tip-ups & 10 standing, MOT till July, Mercedes engine, 239,180 miles, Hanover destination. ÂŁ47,000

49 seats, blue multi-coloured seats, drinks facilities, fridge, courier seat and centre toilet.

Contact Ian Parker (Engineering Manager) Warrington Borough Transport Ltd Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington WA4 6PT. Tel 01925 634296

Graham Crooms, Courtney Buses 0118 973 3486 (Option 3)

Arriva Bus & Coach 01274 681144

7HO

2001 Mercedes Autobus Nouvelle II

All Vehicles Direct Fleet Many With COIF’s, PSV’s, Wheelchair

Access Lifts

& Ramps

POA

2010 MAN Beulas

33 seats with lap belts, dual purpose, destination gear, this bus has been refurbished in the chassis, to body parts and repainted.

71 seats, LEZ, Glory Euro 5 + EEV, WC, climate control, hot drinks, amazing luggage capacity, fantastic condition, MOT 31/10/2013, fully DDA, only 149,000km, sale due to fleet restructure.

ÂŁ10,000+VAT

ÂŁ225,000 + VAT

Tel: Adrian on 07717 768315

Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701

2003 ALD Enviro 300

2002 ALD ALX200 Dennis Dart

COIF and accessibility certificate, 40 seats and 27 standing, taxed until August and with a new MOT, this is a very clean and tidy bus which is ready to go straight to work.

COIF and DDA compliant, Euro 3 engine, 28 seats and 16 standing, taxed until end of June and MOT until July, well maintained and ready to work.

POA

POA – choice of 3

Phone Nick on 01626 833664 or 07872 839530

Phone Nick on 01626 833664 or 07872 839530

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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" E W F S U J T F

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1996 Volvo VanHool B9M

38 reclining & belted seats, air-con, PA/Video/ DVD/VCR, floor mounted WC, full servery, full service history, MOT to October 2013.

ÂŁ15,000

Mercedes 814D Euro Coach

2008 MAN A22 Wrightbus Meridian SLF 12m

Ex-rental, LEZ compliant, ZF automatic, 44 seats + 26 standees, wheelchair ramp, Mobitech LED, digital tacho.

Choice of 5 from ÂŁ294+VAT per week

Royal Blues - 01803 872422

Santander Used Assets 07753 712444

2002 VOLVO B7TL’s

2 x 2007 (57) Optare Solo M950 Slimlines

2005 Bova Futura

49 seat executive, excellent condition inside and out, used only for touring and excursions, 12 months MOT, 470K kms, owned since new, genuine reason for sale. ÂŁ75,000 + VAT o.n.o.

Call Paul – 07968 106891

2004 Ford Transit

ÂŁ58,000

DDA and LEZ, 70 seats, Euro 3, ÂŁ24,000 + VAT

Contact William on 07733 914050

EnsignBus 01708 865656

ÂŁ49,000 o.n.o.

17 seats, lap/diagonal belts, 2 x air bags, 121,000 miles, FSH, remote central locking, radio/cassette, one previous owner, very tidy throughout, no internal damage. ÂŁ3,950 + VAT

Courtney Buses 0118 973 3486

Crystal Coaches – 020 8960 8800

2004 Volvo B12M VanHool T9 Exec

2006 Plaxton Pointer Plaxton/Transbus

2005 13m Bova Futura

1998 Volvo VanHool B10M Alizee

48 reclining & belted seats, air-con, PA/Video/ DVD/VCR, floor mounted WC, full servery, full service history, MOT to December 2013.

PSV 12/5/13, taxed 30/4/13, full service history.

32 seats + 17 standees, Cummins engines, Alison gearboxes, full service histories, both with current MOT, average mileages. Each one will be re-sprayed in white or in the new owner’s colours if required.

49, 51 or 53 seats, air con, Webasto, Ishift or manual, TV, DVD or video, 3 point seat belts, rear saloon w/c, phone, reversing camera, MOTs till late 2013. ÂŁ57,000 + VAT (manual gearbox)

29 + 17 seats, 323,719 miles.

Full executive, 53 reclining seats, good leg room, used on holiday programme, one owner from new, 430,000kms, 12 months MOT.

POA

ÂŁ84,500+VAT - P/X considered

ÂŁ25,000

Nigel McCree - 01509 502695

Arriva Bus & Coach 01274 681144

Tel: Adrian on 07717 768315

Royal Blues - 01803 872422

2000 VOLVO B7TL’s

2009 Renault

2002 Futura

Dennis Dart Mini Plaxton Pointer 8.8m

Voith gearboxes, Plaxton President bodies, LWB, converted to single door high capacity schoolbuses with 83 seats.

16 reclining seats, perfect for airports, takes 20 big suitcases, A/C, TV, DVD, hot drinks & fridge, 3 point belts, overhead racks, front entry, 166,000kms, great on fuel, sale due to fleet restructure.

Full exec spec, Eminox euro 4 exhaust, 49 seats, green cloth, manual, 792K kms, new MOT on sale.

MOT till Aug 2013, CCTV cameras, CCTV recorder, manual front, side & rear destination, front ramp, Euro 2, blue patterned moquette.

POA

ÂŁ19,000 + VAT

EnsignBus 01708 865656

Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701

ÂŁ55,000 + VAT L.J. Edwards: 01323 440622 option 2 or John 07974 369570

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

ÂŁ5,750

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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44 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

" E W F S U J T F

P O

U I F T F

Q B H F T

B M M

Z F B S

G S P N K V T U

c

D B M M

2007 MAN Plaxton Panther

2000 SCANIA T9

2008 MAN Auto Ayat

49/53 seats, LEZ compliant, toilet, DVD/CD, fridge, hot drinks, Webasto. Only used on our own holidays and excursions.

Excellent condition – £90,000 + VAT

53 seats, excellent condition, PSV 26/5/13, Taxed 30/4/13, service records. Lovely bus all round and just had an interior re-trim.

51 seat full executive, owned from new, choice of 2, real head turner, used on tour programme, low mileage @ 240,000kms, a lot of coach for the money, looks great and great value at just...

Please call Jamie 01730 267543 or 07956 029344

ÂŁ24,750

ÂŁ89,000+VAT - P/X considered

Florida Taxi Coaches 01787 477701

Contact Eric on 0792 138920

Tel: Adrian on 07717 768315

2003 Futura

2005 Daf VanHool

VOLVO B12B

2004 Iveco Daily 45c13

Neoplan Starliner

32 leather seats, full rear servery, airline style overhead lockers, 240V inverter and onboard generator, Blaupunkt sound system with DVD & Sky TV, ASTronic gearbox, A/C, WC, fully carpeted, removable ski box.

ÂŁ65,000 + VAT o.n.o.

Full exec spec, Eminox euro 4 exhaust, 49 seats, green cloth, manual, 695K kms, new MOT on sale.

Auto, 49/51 seat executive, purple, immaculate, Webasto, air conditioning, retarder, WC, DVD, reversing camera, hot water, fridge, leather headrests/piping, MOT May 2014, one driver from new, 486,000km. Must sell due to retirement.

375,604 miles, PSV 25/4/13, taxed 31/3/13, full service history.

11 seat front entry wheelchair accessible minibus, white, diesel, 80,000 miles.

ÂŁ10,000 - no VAT

ÂŁ65,000 + VAT L.J. Edwards: 01323 440622 option 2 or John 07974 369570

ÂŁ95,000

ÂŁ120,000

Burns Coach Tours 01651 851279

Contact William on 07733 914050

2007 Setra 415GTHD Comfort Class

2002 Mercedes Vario 614

2004 Optare Solo M850 SLF

13 seat front entry wheelchair accessible minibus, diesel, 160,000 miles.

Burns Coach Tours 01651 851279

Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076

29 seats + 19 standees, fully DDA compliant, Hanover LED, Cummins engine, very clean. ÂŁ29,500 + VAT Southdown PSV 01342 711840 email: bussales@southdownpsv.co.uk www.southdownpsv.co.uk

Burns Coach Tours 01651 851279

1998 Volvo B10M Jonckheere Mistral

2010 Temsa Avenue

2007 Unvi Riada

2007 Setra S415HD

Converted to 70 seater in September using Cogent 3+2 seating all fitted with 3 point belts, MOT till Oct 2013 and has no known defects.

42-48 seats, 60,667 miles.

22 seats with 3 point belts, certified courier seat, DVD, P/A, air-conditioning, MOT 15/04/14, brand new engine with Mercedes warranty.

49 seats, blue and red interior with leather trim, drinks facilities, fridge, air conditioning, vacuum system, DVD and centre toilet.

POA

ÂŁ35,000 Milligans Coach Travel 01290 550365

ÂŁ42,000

POA

Arriva Bus & Coach 01274 681144

Burns Coach Tours 01651 851279

Arriva Bus & Coach 01274 681144

49 seats, AS Tronic gearbox, Mercedes engine, Euroliners, Ambiente seats, serviced by Mercedes since new, one owner, 302,000kms, MOT Apr 2014. Must sell due to retirement.

ÂŁ120,000

ÂŁ6,995

Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076

2009 Mercedes Tourino

Manual, 32-seat executive, purple, Webasto, air conditioning, retarder, WC, DVD McLaren colour seats with leather headrests, spare double seat, must be seen, 211,000km, MOT April 2014. Must sell due to retirement.

ÂŁ110,000

Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

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April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 45

" E W F S U J T F

B

T J O H M F

W F I J D M F

G P S

B T

M J U U M F

B T

c

D B M M

2006 (56) Ford Transit 17 seat minibus

2005 Volvo B12B Plaxton Panther

2.4 diesel, one owner, 40,000 miles.

49 seats with belts, I-Shift, MOT May, LEZ compliant, fixed toilet, courier seat, low driver’s position, radio/CD/PA system.

ÂŁ9,995 + VAT

ÂŁ57,500

IVECO DAILY 40C13 FRONT ENTRY 17 SEAT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS

2800cc turbo diesel, Ratcliffe Palfinger underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for up to 4 wheelchairs, coach style interior, front entry, analogue tachograph, panoramic glass, 125000 kilometers/78000 miles, excellent condition, supplied with 12 months MOT, fully serviced to Good GarageScheme standards, 3 months parts and labour warranty. £8495 – NO VAT

2008 Scania K340 Irizar Century

Ex-rental, LEZ compliant, 49 reclining seats, courier seat, climate control, ZF automatic, centre toilet, radio, PA, TV, DVD, fridge, wheel trims, MOT October 2013.

FOR SALE OR RENTAL

Pembridge Vehicle Management 01633 485858

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076

Santander Used Assets 07753 712444

2002 IVECO DAILY 50C13 17 SEAT FRONT ENTRY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINIBUS

2011 EVM X-Clusive Sprinter 519CDI

1996 Volvo VanHool B9M

2005 Bova Futura

2800cc turbo diesel, certificate of initial fitness, access underfloor rear wheelchair lift, tracking for upto 6 wheelchairs, 72000 miles, excellent condition, COIF, PSV, tacho, supplied with 12 months MOT or PSV, fully serviced to Good Garage Scheme standards, 3 months parts and labour warranty. ÂŁ6495 + VAT

16 seats with 3 point belts, TV, DVD, plug door, air-con, 60,000 miles, mint condition, under warranty to April.

38 reclining & belted seats, air-con, PA/Video/ DVD/VCR, floor mounted WC, full servery, full service history, MOT to October 2013.

ÂŁ59,950

ÂŁ15,000

49 seat executive, excellent condition inside and out, used only for touring and excursions, 12 months MOT, 470K kms, owned since new, genuine reason for sale. ÂŁ75,000 + VAT o.n.o.

Ben Weaver Commercials 0114 275 7076

EVM – 07749 103203

Royal Blues - 01803 872422

Call Paul – 07968 106891

Iveco 17 seat wheelchair accessible minibus

2007 (07) Ford Transit 17 seat minibus <RXÂś UH L Q FRQW URO

Unwin Innotrax floor to take five wheelchairs, underfloor lift, rear heating, tachograph, front entry drop step with slam door, COIF, PSV.

2.4 diesel, six speed, one owner, 64,000 miles, FSH, COIF/PSV.

ÂŁ15,495

ÂŁ9,950 + VAT

Pembridge Vehicle Management 01633 485858

Pembridge Vehicle Management 01633 485858

2012 Ford Transit

1999 MAN Neoplan Transliner

16 coach style seats with seatbelts, tacho, manual gearbox & Euro 5, ideal social club or schools vehicle, in plain white â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ideal for putting on your own livery, still in warranty and LEZ compliant.

Manual, air con, fixed toilet, TV monitor with DVD/video, seat belts, low driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position, radio/cassette/PA, water boiler, courier seat.

ÂŁ16,500

ÂŁ19,995

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

Ventura Sales 01342 835206

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Telephone Jade Cassidy on 01733 293247 or email jade.cassidy@coachandbusweek.com

682335-1082-Ensign:Layout 1

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Ensig DOUBLE DECK 85

SEAT S

2000 DENNIS TRIDENTS Alexander ALX400 bodies, converted to high capacity 85 seat school buses.

LEZ

COMPLIANT

Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant for 2012 with traps to Euro 4, CCTV, Alexander ALX400 bodies, DDA compliant or upseated to 80 seats.

1999/2000/2001 V/X/51 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS

1999 T/V REG DENNIS TRIDENTS

1999 T/V REG DENNIS DART SLF’S

Cummins/Voith, LEZ compliant with traps, Plaxton President bodies, 62 seats dual door (£13,000) or 70 when converted to single door (£16,000).

80 seats, Voith gearboxes, Euro 2 engines with traps, or full Euro 3 with traps, Plaxton President bodies, can be DDA with 78 seats.

1986 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN TRI-AXLE

Caetano Compass bodies, 39 seats, ramps.

2000 VOLVO B7TL’S

Gardner engine, Voith gearbox, 100 seats with seatbelts.

SWB, CCTV, particulate traps so LEZ compliant, Plaxton President bodies, dual door 62 seats or single door 71 seats.

1999 VOLVO B7TL’S

Euro 3 engines with traps, 8.8M long, Marshall bodies, 25 seats, DDA.

2002 DENNIS DARTS

2001 Y REG DENNIS DARTS

Plaxton Pointer 2 bodies, 10.1m , Cummins Euro 2 engines, DDA, 31 seats, CCTV, particulate traps fitted, LEZ compliant, only £6000 each plus tyres.

2002 52 PLATE VOLVO B7TL’S DDA and LEZ, 70 seats, Euro 3, £24000 plus VAT.

OPEN TOP BUSES A SPECIALITY -

Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Telephone 01708 865656 Fax: 01708 8 Visit our website for current s

682335-1082-Ensign:Layout 1

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nbus

K ER SPECIALIST 1990 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN OPEN TOP

1998 R REG VOLVO B10BLE’S

Cummins L10 / ZF, 78 seats.

ZF 6 speed manual, Plaxton Premiere 350, 53 seats.

1998 R REG DENNIS JAVELIN

2000 DENNIS SUPER POINTER DARTS

Cummins 160 engines, Voith gearboxes, DDA compliant, 41 seats.

Cummins L10 / ZF, Alexander RH body, 78 seats with retractable belts, MOT Oct 2013, tacho.

1992 LEYLAND OLYMPIAN

2000 VOLVO B7TL’S

Voith automatic gearboxes, SLF, Alexander ALX300 bodies, 44 seats and 27 standing, heavy duty low floor buses. They can also be converted to be DDA compliant.

Cummins Euro 3 engines, ZF gearbox, Hanover LED’s, DDA, single door, 67 seats.

2002 DENNIS TRIDENT

2002 02 PLATE DENNIS TRIDENTS

Euro 3 Cummins engines, DDA compliant , Plaxton President bodies, Hanover LED’s, 67 seats converted to single door or 62 seats as dual door.

2007 56 PLATE SCANIA OMNICITY

41 seats, 12m, DDA compliant, long MOT.

ZF 6 speed manual, Caetano Algarve body, 49 seats, centre sunken toilet, very smart for age.

1995 M REG VOLVO B10M

ZF 6 speed manual, Plaxton Premiere 350, 53 seats.

1995 M REG VOLVO B10M

Alexander ALX400 bodies, 80 seats, DDA compliant.

- BRITAIN’S BIGGEST BUS DEALERS Park, Purfleet, Essex, RM15 4YF 8 864340 e-mail: sales@ensignbus.com t stock at www.ensignbus.com

696691-1082-Stafford

8/4/13

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Call for details on our vehicle conversions, upseating, refurbishment, and change of use conversion. Also vehicles available for hire short and long term.

www.staffordbuscentre.com email: martin@staffordbuscentre.com Telephone: 01782 791774 Mobile: 07803 222552 View our latest arrivals on www.staffordbuscentre.com

DENNIS DART CAETANO BODY S.L.F. 2000 W REG Fitted with 44 fully belted seats and 16 standing, so ideal school bus £8950

VOLVO OLYMPIAN, NORTHERN COUNTIES “LOW HEIGHT” BODY 1998 R REG Volvo engine/ZF gearbox, 76 seats plus 8, can be belted if required. £11,950

DAF SB220 ALEXANDER 1998 R REG 42 seats + 26 standing, good quality replacements for those unreliable, expensive to run Darts.

PHONE FOR MORE DETAILS

ADL ENVIRO 200. B900 2008 08 Reg.29 Seats and 17 standing, Fully repainted POA ENVIRO 300 ALSO AVAILABLE

DENNIS DART PLAXTON SUPER POINTER 1999 V REG Undergoing total internal re-fit to include 45 seats with belts.

FROM £12,950

MERCEDES 814D VARIO MELLOR BODY 2003 03 REG Fitted with 28 h/b seats on tracking, tail lift and Alison auto gearbox, low miles, up to 6 w/chairs and 12 seats. £19,950

MERCEDES 814D VARIO PLAXTON BEAVER 2 2002/3 52 REG 28 Removable H/B seats on tracking, tail lift, PSV tested, auto gearbox, choice of many, very presentable £14,950

MERCEDES 815D MEDIO 2005 05 REG Mercedes built mini coach with 25 seats, large boot etc. £27,950

DENNIS JAVELIN PLAXTON PREMIERE 2002 (51) REG Fitted with 70 highback coach seats, new MOT, manual gearbox £39,950

BLUEBIRD AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS 2000 W REG 60 high back coach seats with 3 point belts, Cummins engine and (reconditioned) Alison gearbox, very simple and rugged construction PHONE FOR MORE DETAILS

FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT FACTORY BUS 2011 11 REG C.O.I.F plus PSV MoT, very low miles, as new. £15,950

OPTARE SOLO M920 1999 V REG Currently being panelled/painted and belted to 31 seats plus wheelchair. £12,950

FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT FACTORY BUS 2007 (57) 80k miles, tacho, PSV, COIF etc. £10,950

FORD TRANSIT 15 SEAT BUS 2007 07 REG Very low mileage, suitable for school use if required as its 3500 cwt, can be driven on any full car licence. £9,950

DENNIS DART PLAXTON MINI POINTER 2002 52 REG Cummins ISB 4 cyl engine and Allison gearbox, fully panelled and painted, recent test £13,450

FORD TRANSIT 17 SEAT FACTORY BUS 2010 59 REG Will have new COIF and PSV test, tachograph and only 60k miles. £14,950

WE ALSO HAVE AVAILABLE OPTARE SOLO ALL MERCEDES ENGINE ALLISON BOX W Reg, 25 seater, very short with new belts plus new paint. £12,950 W Reg, 29 seater, 9.2mtr with new belts plus new paint (in build now). £12,950 52 Reg, 29 seater, 8.5 mtr with belts plus new paint. £16,950

1999 V with auto box, 33 bus seats with belts (cert for 31), new paint and test. £8,950 1999 T with auto box, 29 coach seats but LWB, so plenty of room, destination and power door. £8,950

MERCEDES 814D VARIO PLAXTON BEAVER R 2004 04 with manual box, 33 removable seats, power door and destination, tail lift etc. £16,950

FORD TRANSITS x 10 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 Mostly PSV All 17 seats, tacho etc, all below 60k miles.

Vehicles available for short or long term lease

682251-1082-Ventura

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696710-1082-Pickrell

H. W. PICKRELL

8/4/13

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MINIBUS AND WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES

Gardiners Lane North • Crays Hill • Billericay • Essex • CM11 2XE Tel: 01268 521033 • Mobile: 07860 894331 • Fax: 01268 284951

Email: sales@hwpickrell.co.uk - www.hwpickrell.co.uk Finance available on all vehicles (subject to status) Written details on request.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE MINI BUSES For latest stock arrivals follow @h_w_pickrell

56 RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD

08 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD

07 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5TD

57 REG RENAULT MASTER M M33 2.5TD

6 speed manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, side step, 6 rear high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, Eberspacher heater, Unwin tracked floor, Ricon tail lift, 14,300 miles only.

Manual gearbox, high roof, O & H conversion, PAS, side loading door, AVS side step, 8 high back seats plus 2 x w/chairs & driver, Unwin tracked floor, ricon internal tail lift, 33,175 miles only.

Manual, PAS, LWB, O & H conversion PTS ambulance, SLD, fold out side step, 6-8 rear high back seats, wipe clean interior, lowering suspension, Unwin tracking, Eberspacher heater, choice of two, 72,000-79,000 miles.

Manual gearbox, high roof, Gleneagles conversion, PAS, SLD, electric side step, 8 removable rear high back seats (10 seats in total) plus driver, air con, Unwin tracking & Solo system fitted, Ricon tail lift, 22,487 miles.

NEW UN REG IVECO DAILY 50c17 IRIS BUS 3.0

55 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVG TREKA

08 REG RENAULT MASTER MM33 2.5TD

08 REG FORD TRANSIT 100, 350 2.4T DCI

Agile gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, power front entry door, 16 rear high back seats, Unwin Innotrax flat floor, underfloor Ratcliff t/lift, COIF/IVA to take up to 5 wheelchairs.

Auto gearbox, LWB, PAS, climate control, n/s/f electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor t/lift, ex local authority, COIF'd, 104,180 kms.

Manual, high roof, PAS, LWB, Atlas conversion, twin side loading door, AVS side step, 6 high back seats, Unwin Inotrac tested floor, Ricon tail lift, ex local authority, 30,383 miles.

Manual, MWB, high roof, PAS, DL conversion, side loading door, AVS side step, 8-10 high back seats, fully Unwin tracked floor, Ratcliff underfloor tail lift, 25,033 miles.

08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 2.4TDCI

59 REG VAUXHALL M OVANO LM39 2.5TD

57 REG FORD TRANSIT 100, 350 2.4TDCI

08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4 TDCI

Manual gearbox, semi high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, 17 high back seats including driver, electric windows, Bluetooth, COIF, PSV tested till September 2013, metallic silver, Euroliners, 84,407kms.

Manual 6 speed, high roof, PAS, LWB, Mellor conversion, side loading door, new AVS side step, 14 high back seats, new AMF m2 fully tracked floor, AMF tail lift, tacho fitted only 35,749 kms. (22,214 miles).

Manual, MWB, high mroof, PAS, SCW conversion, side loading door, side step, 8 high back seats, fully Unwin tracked floor, Dash ac, Eberspacher heater, Ratcliff underfloor tail lift, 11,092 miles only.

Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, electric side step, 11 high back seats, Unwin tracked floor at rear, Eberspacher heater, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, tacho, 34,955 miles.

06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 411 CDI

57 REG FORD TRANSIT 100 350 2.4 TDCI

06 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4TDCI

Manual, semi high roof factory bus conversion, side entry slam door with low entry step, 14 x high back seats plus driver, air con, ex lease, only 32,997 kms.

Manual gearbox, LWB, PAS, O & H conversion, n/s full height manual door, 16 high back removable seats, Eberspacher heater, PLS underfloor t/lift, ex local authority, COIF'd,103,080 kms, PSV tested till March 2014.

Manual, MWB, high roof, PAS, SCW conversion, side loading door, side step, 8 high back seats, fully tracked Unwin floor, Dash A/C, Eberspacher heater, Ratcliff underfloor tail lift, 11,092 miles only.

Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, side step, 11 rear high back seats, full Unwin tracking, Eberspacher heater, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, 31,813 miles.

2009 59 REG VAUXHALL VIVARO SL28 2.0 T D

06 REG MERCEDES SPRINTER 413 CDI UVK TREKA

57 REG PEUGEOT BOXER 2.5TD

07 REG VOL KSWAGEN CRAFTER CR50 UVG T REKA

Manual gearbox, low roof, O & H conversion, PAS, twin side loading door, side step, 4 high back seats plus 1 x w/chair, modified low floor, electric winch & fold out ramp, 15,491 miles.

Auto gearbox, LWB, PAS, climate control, n/s/f electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor tail lift, ex local authority, COIF'd, 82,180 kms, choice of 5.

Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, O&H conversion SLD, AVS side step, 8 rear high back seats plus 1 x wheelchair space, Unwin tracking, Eberspacher heater, Ricon tail lift, ex local authority, 20,286 miles.

Auto gearbox, climate control, n/s/f electric power door, 16 high back removable seats on NMI quick release, Eberspacher, PLS underfloor tail lift, ex local authority, COIF'd, 81,280 kms.

59 REG RENAULT MASTER LM 35 2.45TD

60 REG FORD TRANSIT 330 2.4TDCI

08 REG FORD TRANSIT 430 JUMBO 2.4TDCI

58 REG IVECO DAILY 50c13 IRIS BUS 3. 0

Manual 6 speed, high roof, PAS, LWB, O & H conversion, side loading door, side step, 8-14 high back seats, fully tracked Unwin floor, Ricon tail lift, Eberspacher heater, ex NHS, only 12,695 miles.

6 speed manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, MWB, tacho, SL door, 12 rear standard factory high back seats, no tracking (can be fitted), underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, one owner local charity, 20,104kms.

Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, side loading door, AVS side step, 13 rear high back seats, Unwin tracked floor, Eberspacher heater, air con, underfloor Ratcliff tail lift, tacho, 53,946kms.

Manual gearbox, high roof, PAS, LWB, tacho, power door, 16 rear high back seats, Unwin tracked floor, Eberspacher heater, destination board, Ratcliff tail lift, COIF’d, 63,371 miles, PSV till March 2014.

09 REG RENAULT MASTER LM35 2.5 TD

696148-1082-Blythswood

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52 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

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April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 53

Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales

B7 Deckers & ISB Plaxton Pointer Darts (51 plate)

Choice of 5 each, double doors, DDA compliant, Eminox exhaust systems, complete with tyres

Call: 01226 727769 Mobile: 07912 103497 Email: geoff-ripley@btconnect.com www.geoff-ripleysbuscoachsales.com

681973-1083-Pembridge

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NEW PRE-REGISTERED FORDS

New Ford Transit 17 seat 4.3ton 135ps minibus. From £19,495 + VAT

FORD TRANSIT MINIBUSES

(12) 2012 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus 2.2tdci 135ps, tacho, 2300 miles only, ex-demo in silver, COIF/PSV £20,695 (12) 2012 Ford Transit Tourneo 9 seat Trend 2.2 125 PS, air-con, Bluetooth, in Midnight Sky Blue, 2,608 miles £14,900 + VAT (11) 2011 Ford Transit 9 seat Shuttle Bus, twin side loading doors, large rear luggage area, delivery miles only £16,995 (10) 2010 Ford Transit 17 seat 140ps minibus, tachograph, 33000 km,FSH, COIF/PSV £15,250

D L O S

(57) 2007 Ford Transit 17 seat 2.4TDi 100ps, six speed gearbox, tacho with 16,000 miles, COIF/PSV £11,995 (07) 2007 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus 2.4 diesel, six speed, one owner, 64,000 miles, FSH, COIF/PSV £9,950 + VAT (56) 2006 Ford Transit 17 seat minibus, 2.4 diesel, one owner, 40,000 miles £9,995 +VAT

OTHER MAKES

New Peugeot Boxer 16 seat 3.5 ton and 17 seat w/chair accessible minibuses, 2.2 diesel 120ps, six speed gearbox LEZ COMPLIANT From £24,750 + VAT

(56) 2006 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat LWB minibus, 2.8 diesel, high back seats with three point seat belts, 19,000 miles only £9,450

OTHER MAKES

(56) 2006 Peugeot Boxer 3.5t on 17 seat minibus 2.8 diesel, high back seats with three point belts, 33,000 miles £8,995

D L O S

(55) 2005 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat minibus 2.8 diesel, with three point seat belts, tow bar, removable seats to rear, 77,000 miles £6,995

LDV MINIBUSES

(57) 2007 LDV Maxus 17 seat, high back seats with three point belts, twin side doors, COIF/ PSV, silver £7,500

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

(55) 2005 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 17 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, tracking to take two wheelchairs, low side entrance step, easy clean floor £7,495 (57) 2008 Iveco 50c15 wheelchair accessible minibus, 17 seats or 4 seated + 5 wheelchairs, rear heating, underfloor tail lift, front entry drop step, COIF/PSV £15,495

(57) 2008 Iveco 50c15 wheelchair accessible minibus, 17 seats or 4 seated + 5 wheelchairs, rear heating, underfloor tail lift, front entry drop step, 90,000 km COIF/PSV £15,495

D L O S

(08) 2008 Peugeot Boxer 3.5 ton 2.2 diesel, wheelchair accessible minibus, 11 seats, tracking to take three wheelchairs, in board lift £13,995 + VAT (07) 2007 LDV Maxus 13 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, under floor lift, space for two wheelchairs, electric side step £8,495

(06) 2006 Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9 cdti 9 seat, inboard lift, tracking for 2 wheelchairs, 45,000 miles £8,995

Y 2001 Renault Mascot 2.8 diesel, 16 seat wheelchair accessible minibus, front entry drop step, fully tracked floor to take five wheelchairs, under floor lift, rear heating, COIF/PSV £6,495

Contact Graham Thatcher – email: sales@minibussales.co.uk

Tel: 01633 485858 Mobile: 07866 443304

Pembridge House, The Park Business Centre, Plough Road, Goytre, Penperlleni, Nr Usk, South Wales NP4 0AL – 10 minutes from M4 motorway. Viewing by appointment only

Finance Contract Hire and Finance Lease Available. We deliver Nationwide. All vehicles prepared to VOSA standard COIF/PSV specialist

All above prices are subject to VAT @ 20%

p55_CBW_1082

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Page 55

Kinglong Scotland Come and see us on our external stand at

Scottish Fleet Management Seminar at the Hilton Coylumbridge from 8th-10th May 2013 to discuss:

April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 55

The Transport Man 07802 803527

ADVISORY SERVICES

OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE

CPC Na onal Qualified I Business Strategies Scheduling Appraisals I Public Inquiry Assistance I Maintenance Audits I Former Licence Holder O en licence holders cannot see the wood for the trees Let someone on the outside help you on the inside.

I I

AUDIO & VISUAL

&KHFNSRLQW

• Specialist school buses • New tourist coaches and many other products

PRICE ON APPLICATION ON THESE AND MANY OTHER QUALITY USED VEHICLES

Tel: 01651 872864 24-hr Mobile 07769719252 Email: kinglongscotland@yahoo.co.uk Station Yard, Oldmeldrum, AB51 0EZ

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MANY USED VEHICLES FOR SALE

2010 BMC Nifty 2012 Kinglong 9 Metre Service Bus 57 Plate Sprinter 55 Plate Volkswagen LT 58 Mercedes Sprinter 92 Leyland Tiger

CHECKPOINTS

+44(0)1524 271200 www.checkpoint-safety.com

BUILDINGS HEAVY DUTY STEEL BUILDINGS

Bus Workshops - Secure Storage Supplied any width, any length Building to BS5590 - Doors high enough for Double Deckers - Finance available For further information phone

BLUELINE BUILDINGS 01709 578333 anytime

PHOTOS AND FULL COLOUR AS STANDARD ON ALL VEHICLE FOR SALE ADVERTISEMENTS

CRAIG TILSLEY Suppliers of Reconditioned

ENGINES

Tel: 01782 791524 or 01782 791527 Fax: 01782 791316

Email: info@craigtilsley.co.uk www.craigtilsley.co.uk

DAF MAN MERC, VOLVO SCANIA, GARDNER LEYLAND, CUMMINS ENGINES CYLINDER HEADS CRANKSHAFTS CRANKCASES CAMSHAFTS PUMPS ETC

Moorfields Industrial Estate, Cotes Heath, Stoke-on-Trent ST21 6QY

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FINANCE

PARTS

Innovative funding solutions to fit every business. We specialise in raising funds for all types of companies from sole traders to PLCs.

• Full UK coverage

As a specialist business funder, Huxley Corporate Finance can provide your company with a wide range of finance facilities including the following:

• Equipment Finance • Vehicle Finance • Cash Flow • Mortgages • Company Acquisition • Capital Release Scheme • Vehicle Sourcing

Call the team to discuss your current financial requirements on 01829 730062

• Same day local delivery • Next day national delivery • Official Irizar part distributor 65A High Street, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 0DP T 01829 730062 F 01829 730063 E info@huxleycf.co.uk www.huxleycf.co.uk

• All manufacturer parts supplier • Fast, efficient & 24/7

Tel: 01909 511349 www.master-part.co.uk INSURANCE Don’t let your Dennis be a menace Trident/Javelin front hub bearings

1 ) 0 5 0 4

" / %

' 6

$ 0 0 6 3

" 4

4 5 " / % " 3 %

0 /

"

7 & ) * $ &

' 0 3

4 " &

" % 7 & 3 5 * 4 & .& / 5 4

Why convert when you can replace?

The front hub bearings (part no 655387/6) are still available from Bus & Coach Parts Avoid the costly conversion kit Order now on: 0845 3038366

SIGNWRITING LIVERY

Sign Writing Services • School bus sign sets with suction cups – £15 + VAT • Vehicle livery design & supply – fitting by arrangement if required • Legal lettering & graphics supplied by post

Tel: 01884 290818 Mobile: 07583 334455 www.kjsupport.co.uk

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April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 57

REGISTRATIONS G £750 50 LXJ DRZ 40 DRZ 60 LAZ 87 MHZ 24 MHZ 25 RNZ 99 SNZ 55 UIB 69

SPEEDY REGISTRATIONS CO LTD G ‘Buy with confidence – CNDA Member’

£350 £99 £99 £50 ACZ 727 DXZ 1181 KIG 6557 CXZ 4471 AJZ 626 EXZ 1611 LIG 1611 DXZ 4505 CEZ 838 EXZ 1612 LIG 1612 ERZ 6181 JBZ 686 FRZ 4144 MJZ 6749 EXZ 1633 RBZ 696 HIG 3236 REZ 3327 EXZ 1634 SCZ 949 IIG 8287 SUI 7678 FRZ 2035 VIW 848 JIG 8488 TJZ 1119 FRZ 2036 WJI 848 JIG 8489 UUI 1442 JFZ 8762 XIB 646 KIG 6556 UUI 1443 KIG 8976 We Buy for Cash, also Part Exchange

£50 KIG 8977 LIG 2236 LIG 2237 LIG 2238 RNZ 9198 SNZ 3885 SNZ 3886 TUI 7995 UUI 1622

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Millwood, Lisbellaw, Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland BT94 5HQ

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MERIDIAN PCV DRIVER LTD Rising above all others

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58 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

VEHICLE SPARES

TRIM Tel/Fax:

astgate COACH TRIMMERS LTD

01751 472229

Email: info@eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk Web: www.eastgate-coachtrimmers.co.uk

Supplying the Bus and Coach Industry with quality seat retrims and interior refurbishment.

OUR SERVICES:

Testing

•

BLACKPOOL TRIM SHOPS LTD 01253 766762

If you would like further information please call 01543 897505 or visit www.lloydmorgangroup.co.uk

• •

BRUN GROVE BLACKPOOL FY1 6PG

VEHICLE INSPECTION TRAINING

Recovery

•

Collection and delivery service anywhere in the UK, seven days a week.

1 ) 0 5 0 4

" / %

' 6

$ 0 0 6 3

" 4

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0 /

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7 & ) * $ &

' 0 3

4 " &

" % 7 & 3 5 * 4 & .& / 5 4

• •

Full floors re-laid and centre gangways.

TRAINING

Passenger and Commercial Vehicles Recovery Dismantlers Parts Sales

Stock set of Esteban seats to fit Iriza Century coach £2200+VAT

Stock set of Plaxton Premiere seats, newly trimmed £2200+VAT

Stock set of Plaxton Premiere seats, newly trimmed. £1800+VAT.

Full set of 70 Cogent school bus seat covers, cut and sewn. £1000+VAT

Vogal service seats, brand new.

9 doubles, 3 singles. £75+VAT per double £35+VAT per single

Vogal India service seats in red moquette.

9 doubles, 3 singles. £75+VAT per double £35+VAT per single

We have full sets of pads for Esteban Civic V2, plus spares and other service seats in stock

/blackpooltrimshops sales@blackpooltrimshops.co.uk

Specialist vehicle Inspection training with optional IRTEC accreditation

• • • •

DISMANTLING/SPARES:

Refurbishment Repairs

Engine/gearbox rebuilds Fault finding

Buying & selling vehicles

• • •

Reconditioned engines

Reconditioned gearboxes Engine spares

•

Windows

•

Seats

•

Windscreens

Export to foreign markets Repairs

Finance repossession and storage

CALL: 01226 727 769 Bus sales: www.geoff-ripleysbuscoachsales.com Geoff Ripley, Boulder Lane (off Shaw Lane), Carlton, Barnsley S71 3HJ

Mob: 07912 103 497 or 07711 750 434 Fax: 01226 727 607 Email: geoff-ripley@btconnect.com

Trevor Wigley & Son Bus Ltd

TW FULLY LICENSED END OF LIFE VEHICLE CENTRE

TW REDUNDANT AND SCRAP VEHICLES TAKEN TW PROFESSIONAL, EFFICIENT SERVICE TW ALL REQUIREMENTS CATERED FOR TW VARIOUS SPARES AVAILABLE TW CONTACT US FOR FULL AVAILABILITY

Call 01226 723147 Night Service 01226 716479 Fax 01226 700199 Email wigleys@btconnect.com

www.twigley.com

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Complete the form and return to Samantha Noble, Subscriptions Dept, Coach & Bus Week, 3 The Office Village, Forder Way, Cygnet Park, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX or call 01733 293240

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60 | COACH & BUS WEEK | April 10, 2013

Seen something funny? Send it to gareth.evans@coachandbusweek.com or write to: Last Stop, Coach & Bus Week, 3 The Office Village, Cygnet Park, Forder Way, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX

Tuesday: Press day. We’re firmly on track until late morning when it all seems to kick off. A colleague’s wife is taken ill so he has to dart to the hospital, while another colleague suffers a heart complaint on their daily walk back from Tesco at lunchtime. An ambulance is called and takes the colleague concerned off to hospital. Despite the events, which inevitably shake us all up somewhat, we manage to get the final page off the the printer by 1800hrs-ish.

Jenny Colgan, who has released 14 novels, is looking for stories with a central theme of ‘journeys’

A novel idea It’s not too late to put pen to paper and apply for National Express’ short story competition.

The operator has teamed up with award-winning women’s author Jenny Colgan and her publishing house Little Brown to launch its ‘Take us on a Journey’ short story competition, which closes on Sunday, April 28.

The competition invites people to submit fictional works inspired by travel and offers an exciting and rare opportunity to become a nationally published author, a chance to fulfil a lifetime ambition, enjoy a CV-boost, or even to just use the inspiration to pick up a pen.

Dilbert

The winning entry will be published in the e-book edition of Jenny’s best-selling novel ‘The Good, The Bad and The Dumped’, which is out in summer. Short stories can be up to 2,000 words long and must be unpublished and original. The central theme of the stories must be ‘journeys’, and these can either be literal or metaphorical.

Tom Stables, Managing Director of National Express Coach, said: “National Express carry millions of passengers every year to UK destinations and we also help people go on holiday abroad, with a third of our network serving airports. We thought it would be interesting to turn the tables and ask people to take us on a journey

with our short story competition.

E-books are an increasingly popular choice on the coach and we are really looking forward to seeing the entries.”

Jenny Colgan, who has just released her 14th novel, ‘The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris’, added: “We’ve had some brilliant entries so far but we want to remind people it’s not too late to enter. Everyone has a story to tell.

Whether you’ve written a bit before or are a total beginner, why not tell us your story and see where we can go?”

To enter and for full terms and conditions visit www. nationalexpress.com/coach/Offers /competitions/jennycolgan.aspx

Wednesday: A hectic day putting the Lucketts material together. Two bits of good news - my colleague with the heart scare is given the green light and my other colleague’s wife is home. As has been the norm for many weeks now, work away on preparing our house for sale once I’ve come home from the office.

Thursday: Another hectic day in the office – no lunch breaks for me this week.

Forge on with Lucketts and catch up with a friendly coach dealer.

Friday: Work on CBW at home before heading to the office, where I subedit pages and make some newshounding calls for this week’s issue. Catch up with an industry friend and also speak to a coach operator who has never been profiled before. I leave the office at lunchtime to have our house valued. Push on with a CBW feature at home again later.

Saturday: Another agent visits. The fees are eye-watering - he starts off at £3,500. Yikes! My face probably says it all, so he asks what it would take to clinch the deal. He drops to £2,500 but that’s still a lot more than the guy we saw yesterday. Moving is an expensive business. By the end of the day, our house is on the market – and we’ve got two viewings already arranged. It’s surreal but we know it’s got to be done. We’ve got to move up the property ladder.

www.coachandbusweek.com

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RECRUITMENT & people

In association with

Deadlines Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm Contact Ian Gillis T: 01733 293484 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

FirstGroup Manager rewarded for work FirstGroup’s Reward Manager, Lisa Proctor, has been recognised at a recent at a national benefits management event in London.

She was named in the ‘Hot 100 Benefits Managers for 2013’, one of two representatives from Scottish companies which featured.

The ‘Hot 100’ recognises the best players in the benefits industry and the work they do within their organisations to provide employees with quality rewards packages.

Lisa joined professionals from Santander, BT Group, HSBC, Asda and KPMG in the Hot 100.

“It was a pleasant surprise to feature in such a prestigious list,” said Lisa. “The rewards we provide to our colleagues at First are the

Obituary

Bill Lewis

Lisa Proctor, Reward Manager best the transport industry has to offer. Inclusion in the ‘Hot 100’ is a reflection of the excellent package First provides.”

Lisa joined First in 2006 and is responsible for delivering its reward package to 38,000 UK employees. She holds an honours degree in law, an economics MSc in Finance and Investment Management from the University of Aberdeen, as well as an advanced qualification in Reward Management from the Chartered Institute of Personnel (CIPD).

The bus industry has lost an experienced and popular member of its flock, with the passing of Bill Lewis on Thursday (April 4).

While the exact cause of death is unknown, Bill had been cared for in a nursing home for the last 18 months or so.

Paying tribute, John Owen told CBW: “He was President of The Bus and Coach Council (as it was then) in 1983, and followed Gilbert Armstrong as General Manager of Southampton City Transport from 1973 until he retired in 1986, succeeded by Bill Jelpke.

He joined Southampton in 1967 as Deputy General Manager from Manchester Corporation where he was Planning Officer. He had started at Manchester as a graduate trainee after a period selling soap products for Proctor & Gamble – which no doubt contributed to his extrovert nature. As firstly Senior Traffic Officer and then, from 1974 as

Traffic Manager, I had the pleasure of Bill as my immediate boss from 1967 until I left for Swindon in 1983. He was charismatic and inspired all around him.

“Bill was responsible for setting up the ALBUM Retired Members’ Section in the mid to late 1980s and was its first Chairman/Secretary for at least 10 years. For that we also have a debt of gratitude to him.”

As this issue went to press, it was confirmed Bill’s funeral is tomorrow (Thursday, April 11) at 0930hrs at Southampton Crematorium West Chapel, Bassett Green Road, Southampton, SO16 3QB. Immediately afterwards, at 1030hrs, there will be a service to celebrate Bill’s life at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church, Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford, SO53 2GJ. After this, everybody is invited to join the family at The King Rufus pub, also in Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford. The family say that those attending are welcome for whichever part or parts of the morning they wish.

www.coachandbusweek.com

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TRAFFIC MANAGER FOR BARNARDS COACHES LTD

Barnards is a long established family company working out of the North East Lincolnshire area.

We are looking for an experienced person to oversee the daily operations within the coach business.

Knowledge of drivers hours and legislation is essential along with the ability to work as a team as well as independently.

Preference will be given to applicants who possess the following: ■ Full PCV licence ■ Computer skills ■ The ability to work under pressure and to deadlines ■ Awareness of legal requirements when travelling abroad (some training will be given) ■ Flexible working hours

Please submit a CV to: Mr Michael Barnard, Barnards Coaches Ltd, Station Road, Kirton Lindsey, Gainsborough DN21 4BD Or Call – 01652 648381 and speak to Donna

Get your vacancy seen by quality candidates Full colour as standard All vacancies posted to www.coachandbusweek.com/jobs Details of all vacancies posted to our Facebook, Twi�er & Linkedin pages

eek, get a w e n o k o Bo alf price h k e e w d secon ! week FREE d ir h t a d an 013 l 27 May 2 un� Offer valid

Contact Ian Gillis

tel 01733 293484 or email ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

www.coachandbusweek.com

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RECRUITMENT & people

April 10, 2013 | COACH & BUS WEEK | 63

In association with

Deadlines Booking: Monday 5.00pm Full artwork: Monday 5.00pm Contact Ian Gillis T: 01733 293484 E: ian.gillis@coachandbusweek.com

New Manager for CPT’S Northern Region Experienced busman Steve Noble has been appointed as CPT’s new Manager for its Northern Region.

He joined the industry’s trade body on April 2 and will work closely with outgoing Manager David Holding who is retiring from the post next month.

Steve started out in the industry as a Senior Management Trainee with the National Bus Company some 41 years ago in 1972. He went on to hold a number of positions with them before joining Northumbria Motor Services Ltd (Newcastle) in 1987 where, in 1994, he was promoted to Managing Director. After the company was acquired by Arriva in 1999, Steve was appointed Managing Director of Arriva North East and held this post up until 2007.

Commenting on his appointment,

Mr Noble said: “I would firstly like to pay tribute to my predecessor, David, for his sterling work in the region and for the industry as a whole over the past few years. I wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement, and very much look forward to continuing with the good work he has been doing here.”

Mr Noble continued: “I plan to visit every operator member in the region over the coming months and will be working to make sure their voices are being heard by key decision makers, and in particular public bodies and stakeholders.

“I will aim to ensure the role of public transport remains high on peoples’ agendas, especially when it comes to all future planning decisions, as well as offering continued support and advice to CPT Members.”

Tranzaura has welcomed Paul Duncan, formerly of Penkridge Transport Management, to its team.

With offices in Northampton & Limerick the firm provides software relating to tachograph compliance and driver safety, using its products Tranztacho and Tranzsafety.

Mel Hurley, CEO of Tranzaura,

determined Paul offered superior experience and professionalism in the sector.

Tranzaura also provides Transport and Logistics Training – featuring a state-of-the-art ‘Training Lab’ providing full support for operator and their drivers and Transport & Logistics business development and support.

Mike Price, Sales Director and Tranzaura’s founder, said: “I am confident and excited by Paul’s plans to team up with Tranzaura and help us to expand our software services and to provide a total compliance package for both our existing and future client base.”

Tranzaura welcomes Paul Duncan to team

Arriva buses. Here to take you there.

Drive your career...

Engineering Director Vacancies North East and London Arriva, part of the Deutsche Bahn group, is one of the largest transport services organisations in Europe, employing some 47,500 people and delivering more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys across 12 European countries every year. We operate an extensive range of services including buses, trains, health and social transport services, airport related transport services, commuter coaches and water buses. We also engage in bus and coach distribution.

Arriva London and Arriva North East are both looking for an Engineering Director to lead their engineering function to deliver improvements in service quality, customer satisfaction and profitability. Reporting to the Regional Managing Director you will have the ability to motivate, inspire and drive improvements throughout your engineering teams.

Essential to the role is the ability to build effective working relationships with key stakeholders and to engage your team in driving the business forward therefore effective communication skills will be essential. Leading the success of the engineering function whilst making a significant contribution to the wider strategic development of the business, you will work closely with our operations, commercial, HR and financial teams to achieve key performance objectives.

With an outstanding career record, demonstrating strong technical competence you will be passionate about high standards. You will be accountable for ensuring that your team have the knowledge to comply and adhere with company standards, in particular vehicle safety maintenance, inspection, plant and equipment, stores, health and safety, work quality, vehicle cleanliness and environmental responsibilities. You will be able to lead your teams through the budgeting process, ensuring effective cost control measures are implemented and adhered to.

The successful candidate will, preferably, be a Chartered Engineer with experience in senior management. We are seeking a leader with the ability to inspire their team to achieve exceptional levels of performance. Experience of operating at the strategic level is required along with strong financial management.

If you have previous experience in the bus industry, in particular within an engineering management/director role and have a proven track record in driving improvements and achieving strong results, then you may be our next Engineering Director.

Interested candidates should apply in writing with CV stating which of the engineering positions they are interested to: Arriva.Vacancies@arriva.co.uk

arrivabus.co.uk

Closing date for applications: Tuesday 30th April 2013

Arriva is committed to diversity, if you’re good you’re welcome

www.coachandbusweek.com

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