Ben Colson MBE is standing down as Chair of Bus Users UK after five and a half years in the role. Ben joined Bus Users in 2018 following an illustrious career in the UK bus industry. In 1996 he founded the Kings Lynn based Norfolk Green Bus Company, the only SME to receive the UK […]
Thornes Independent of Hemingbrough, North Yorkshire is set to hand over the 71 route to Go-Ahead-owned East Yorkshire on 14 April. The rural Service 1 route has been operated by Thornes since 1952, the same year Queen Elizabeth acceded to the throne. Running between the operator’s former home village of Bubwith and Selby, the service’s […]
FirstGroup plc has agreed to buy Ensign Bus Company Limited, the Essex-based operator founded by Peter Newman which has extensive operations around London. The acquisition of the Ensignbus business will not only provide a number of synergies and value accretive growth opportunities in the B2B and bus vehicle dealership markets, but it will also enhance […]
Two major European transport organisations are calling for the minimum driving age for bus and coach drivers to be lowered to 18 in a bid to address global driver shortfalls. Minimum age for bus and coach drivers is between 21 and 24 in most EU countries, a huge barrier to attracting people after school. Minimum […]
James Thorley has been promoted to UK Bus & Coach Fleet Sales Manager at Scania UK. In his new role, James will be responsible for leading the fleet sales team, building and maintaining long-term customer relationships and partnerships with fleet bus and coach operators. He comes with a wealth of experience having spent more than […]
Today Transport Focus launches its new survey, ‘Your Bus Journey’, to find out how satisfied passengers across England and Scotland are with their bus journey. The transport research group survey will be used to make the case for future improvements and identify good practice. It is intended to help transport authorities, bus operators and governments […]
The dwindling supply of PCV drivers is highlighted by the driving test passes since the height of the pandemic. In the five years from 2007/8, 24,568 PCV tests were passed. In the five years until April 2022, just 16,586 drivers joined the industry – a fall of more than 30%. Not all of this is […]
Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week 2023, Alexander Dennis has announced enhancements to its AD24 Training Academy courses for apprentices in order to future-proof the bus industry’s workforce. The developments to the training are aimed to reflect the evolving industry and close a widening skills gap. The training will continually be developed further to incorporate new […]