The Kings Ferry – Operator

New coaches

Four of the new coaches are new brand new 63-plate Caetano CTNO65D bodied models while the fifth is a 2006 former National Express Levante that has been refurbished to act as the spare vehicle for the main fleet. The new coaches have centre sunken toilets and 49 recliners trimmed in blue patterned moquette with individual cupholders and an electrical socket mounted on the seatback between each double seat. Wi-fi is also fitted. They are equipped with Hidral lifts that stow behind the bottom step of the entrance. This installation has been developed by Caetano in conjunction with The Kings Ferry to offer the same functionality as the lifts previously specified but with a lower weight and none of the rattling experienced with the more complicated system. The spare coach retains the black leather National Express trim, rear saloon toilet and PLS lift.

As well as supplying the coaches, Volvo is assisting by providing garaging and office facilities at the Avonmouth premises of Wales & West Truck & Bus Ltd. MD, Billy Nairn told me that his company would also be providing full body and chassis maintenance for the fleet under contract, and would be conducting a two hour clinic on the vehicles every morning between 5-7pm. Although the depot opens from 07.00 to 24.00 Monday to Friday and from 07.00 to 13.00 on Saturdays, The Kings Ferry will have access around the clock every day of the year.

Five experienced full time local coach drivers have been recruited, several of whom were previously with Rotala’s Wessex operation and Mark Purchase has been appointed as Transport Manager. He is a former Business Development Manager for Webber Bus and has a good mix of business and operations experience.

A full range of information mediums are available to inform passengers and potential passengers and keep them informed. Instant service updates are available through the @NBristolCommute twitter site, there is the www.bristolcommute.com website, there is the 0117 922 9005 telephone line and there is a Coach Tracker Smartphone App that enables you to find your stop and track your coach (www.thekingsferry.co.uk/tracker). This tracker has been developed by Utrack and is fed from Traffilog tracking technology. It will enable on time performance figures to be published. Part of the route from Weston-Super-Mare is already covered by real time displays and these will be updated to include the C1-C4 services.

All ticket types except local journey tickets, which can only be purchased on the coach, can be purchased on line. A useful facility is an E-Wallet online ticketing account in which customers can buy and store tickets.

As an incentive, those signing up on line as registered users will be entitled to free travel during November and December. Season tickets are being offered that offer considerable discounts and, based on London experience, Ian expects that the majority of users will make use of them. In Kent, 52% of users are annual season ticket holders.

To promote the services a programme including considerable local television advertising is being run. There are also printed timetable and information booklets. At the launch the coaches were in full Kings Ferry livery but I understand that the plan is to add ‘Megarear’ advertisements covering the whole of the rear of the coach which will help to promote the services to car users who will see them on their journey into work.

An interesting aspect of the operation is the adoption of the new Mobile Fare system from Cobham Systems, a transport logistics IT house from Southwater, West Sussex. Their MD, Chris Kings, explained that Cobham had previously worked with National Express on airport systems. The new product was the first of its type and was using Casio hardware, the main USP of which was that it took chip and pin but had an integrated printer. The system communicated live to the depot, enabling loadings to be monitored so that, if necessary a relief coach could be despatched straight away. Because it was a live system, a customer could register at home, get a barcode to his Smartphone and use it soon afterwards.

There is a rail service linking Weston-Super-Mare with the Abbey Wood area but there is currently no rail provision from Portishead although there are moves to reintroduce a service. I was told that there are rail capacity issues and that the coach service is more comfortable, direct and cost efficient for commuters.

Last word

The Kings Ferry, who celebrate 45 years in business this year, is the UK’s best known name in commuter coach operation. Agreeing to fund the third and fourth years itself represents a considerable leap of faith in an area with little previous coach commuting tradition and the company will be hoping that it provides the positive commercial experience that will create the springboard to encourage the creation of other similar operations elsewhere.

By Stuart Jones