Demand for buses and coaches fell 4.6% in 2014, according to figures from the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders). There were 7,352 PCVs registered in the year, with 478 of them in December (26.1% down from last year). This comes at a time when the commercial vehicle market has seen a return to […]
Former Optare Director, Chris Wise, has joined Wright Customcare as National Parts Manager for the UK. In his new role with the Irish bus manufacturer, Chris will be reporting into Managing Director – Sales and Customcare for Wrightbus, Ian Downie. As a key member of the aftersales team, he will use his extensive industry expertise […]
Bus and coach operators are being invited to take part in the IRTE Skills Challenge, which this year takes place on 1 to 5 June 2015 at S&B Academy in Bristol. This annual event champions the work done by PCV technicians throughout the UK and Ireland. The free to enter competition is open to operators […]
CT Plus Guernsey Ltd has been announced as Guernsey’s preferred company to run the island’s scheduled and school bus services. The operator is part of the HCT Group, a social enterprise. The island’s Environment Department and the company have already been engaging in ‘productive discussions’. It is anticipated the contract signing will take place soon, […]
The two largest companies formed to take advantage of the liberalisation of Germany’s intercity coach market have announced their merger with immediate effect. MeinFernBus and Flixbus, both founded in 2011, intend the merger to drive further significant growth in operations across Germany and into neighbouring countries. With the support of new investor, General Atlantic, MeinFernBus […]
Angela Coaches of Southampton driver and BUSK (Belt up School Kids) campaigner Stephen Gaiger has used his coach mascot, teddy bear Sgt Bilko, as the star in a short film to encourage children to remain seated and belted whilst in transit. A number of coach drivers representing various operators across the country also feature in […]
For the last 30 years, Frank Riola has been at the heart of the bus and coach seating business, yet his initial involvement was largely coincidental. Proudly Italian in origin, he was christened Francesco and came to Cambridgeshire at the age of ten in 1964. Not only does his company, Abacus Tubular Products, supply seats […]
Following our story on the changes to the Dartford Crossing and some of the concerns raised by a number of operators regarding this (B&CB 1305, 5 December 2014) I’ve been speaking to Nigel Gray, Project Director Dart Charge at the Highways Agency and Simon McBeth of SANEF, an Operations Advisor to the Dart Charge Project. […]