Over the past few weeks, we have explored recruiting drivers, especially those who don’t presently drive buses or coaches for a living, and subsequently training them to PCV level. Having got this far – and given the expense of your brand-new recruits – how do you keep them? Well, firstly, don’t allow your operations people […]

Like many owners and directors in our industry, I hold and retain a PCV driving licence. For many years, we didn’t have to do anything other than submit to a medical every five years after the age of 45, and consequently I have had a few of the latter… so far with a clean bill […]

I have several Euro VI vehicles in my fleet, certainly enough to ensure I don’t pay fees to go anywhere, at least for now.  I also have a diesel car, but I won’t be able to pop into London without paying £12 as it is only Euro 5 spec. Not that I would want to […]

With the London Ultra Low Emissions Zone introduced on 8 April and the zone being extended to greater London for buses and coaches from October 2020, it has suddenly seen our industry wake up to the reality that we haven’t got the fleet to match. Admittedly the Mayor has brought this forward, but even so, […]

Private hire is flexible, and the traveling public’s perception is that certain times will cost more. However, I often find that my competitors charge much the same, without thinking about the time of year or a date. This is an opportunity missed. My view is, I will charge more where demand is likely greatest. That […]

Whichever the type of private hire, getting the price right is the hardest part. In theory, it follows the same rules as pricing a contract, as I explained in my school contract costing example. By the way, I won the contract, the school accepting that there was a need to recognise that coaches had to […]

So far, I have covered the direct costs of operation and included the overhead, to bring the daily contract cost to £378.50 per day. This is the purely the cost to provide the service but does not include any profit. Last time I looked, as well as providing a social service and generally having a […]

I have watched several episodes of BBC TV drama, Don’t Forget the Driver, but I am disappointed that it is a stereotypical view of the coach industry. It may make good comedy, but sets us back years. Enough said! To ensure we don’t forget the driver, I have been reviewing several school contracts coming up […]