Prospect Coaches – Growth and diversification in the West Midlands

Training

Investment in the driving team is high on Prospect Coaches’ agenda and IIP Bronze standard has been achieved. Back in 2006, the company was already looking forward to the CPC requirements and preparing to source courses that supported the needs of the business. First Aid became a Dudley Metropolitan Borough requirement before the formal CPC period so most drivers had effectively completed six modules by the 2013 deadline. However, the refreshment of the First Aid qualification will fall into the next CPC programme. Prospect Coaches engaged the services of Colin Rowe at Clockwise Briefings to deliver their CPC programme.

Drivers have also participated in Halesowen College’s ‘Safeguard’ course designed to help their handling of potentially difficult teenagers although the company considers the risk presented is minimal.

Nathan strongly believes that all drivers should participate in an effective CPC system, ‘The initial implementation (of the current system) was wrong’, he said. ‘Any professional driver should do a defined set of modules including as a minimum drivers hours regulations; health and safety; lifestyle and customer care.’

Availability of suitable drivers is becoming more of a challenge with an ageing workforce and Nathan expects that the company will need to implement its own training programme within the next 12 to 18 months. Training of a new recruit has recently been piloted in a one off trial at an estimated cost of £2,500. Nathan is also wary of the legislation change losing the differential between automatic and manual licences and the impact this could have on the company’s manual gearbox vehicles.

Facilities

The growth in the fleet has been accommodated within the Lye site with improved hardstanding across the whole area. All the out of service vehicles on site in 2006 have been cleared and the only non operational vehicle currently on site is a recently withdrawn Neoplan bodied Dennis Javelin which is providing valuable chassis spares. A coach wash has been installed to ensure the larger fleet can be well presented at all times.

Fleet

Back in summer 2006, Prospect Coaches had 25 licences and thirty operational vehicles on its books, mainly Plaxton Premiere and Excalibur bodied Dennis Javelins. The first brand new vehicles for 25 years had just been received; two 70 seat Plaxton Profile bodied Volvo B7Rs with wheelchair lifts. They had been chosen for the quality of service Plaxton already provided and the need for quick delivery to postpone the introduction of digital tachographs to the fleet.

The Profile proved to be the ideal vehicle for the company’s operations and three more, this time 57 seaters on Euro3 Alexander-Dennis Javelin chassis, joined the fleet in Autumn 2007. At the time, it looked likely that these would be the last new Javelins but ADL listened to customers’ requirements and offered the Javelin at Euro 4 in 2008. In the next five years Prospect added thirteen to the fleet, both new and late model secondhand examples in 57 and 70 seat configurations. One of them appeared at EuroBusExpo in 2008 sporting an appropriate NEC index mark. The Javelins mainly supported growth in the company’s operation although two replaced the now non-standard Volvo B7Rs which readily found buyers on the secondhand market. A secondhand 2003 Javelin added variety with its MarcoPolo bodywork, despite being non standard it is well regarded by the management team.

The company’s initial move into the executive market brought two new late model Volvo B12Ms into the fleet with Plaxton Panther coachwork, again 57 seaters to maintain commonality across the fleet. Many expected the next vehicles to be Prospect’s first King Longs but these were delayed and a new Volvo B9R with 55 seat Plaxton Elite coachwork in a distinctive livery joined the fleet for the 2012 season. It had appeared at Coach and Bus Live in 2011 and has been replicated in miniature by an Oxford Diecast model.

With the latest deliveries, Prospect Coaches now have 47 vehicles, two DAF/Plaxton Premieres, four King Longs, six varied Volvo/Plaxton and 35 Javelins, all but the MarcoPolo and a Berkhof example carrying Plaxton coachwork. The next new vehicle will introduce Euro6 to the fleet.

King Longs

At EuroBusExpo 2012, Prospect Coaches’ first two King Long were unveiled. They were the first XMQ6130Ys in the UK and marked the culmination of around two years of the two companies working together to deliver a high specification vehicle at a considerably lower price than a European built alternative. Entering service in 2013, the further development work on them appears to have paid off, as they were away on tour more than any other vehicle during the year and are reported to deliver over 14mpg on long distance work. One of them is also the team coach for Stourbridge Football Club.

The XMQ6130Ys returned to the NEC for Coach and Bus Live 2013 where they were joined by a pair of XMQ6120Cs intended for schools and local work. With a new Plaxton Leopard bodied Volvo B9R also at the show, Prospect Coaches probably established the highest profile of any operator at any UK show in recent years. The XMQ6120Cs were delivered as 55 seaters but are normally used as 51 seaters with a wheelchair position opposite the lift equipped full size centre doorway. They have a regular school duty where their layout helps ensures a wheelchair user can be integrated with the rest of the class.

No more King Longs are expected at present but various new King Long vehicles are often present in the yard whilst the company undertakes PDI work on them in their role as approved agents.

Plaxton Leopard

Having standardised on the Profile for its core activities, Prospect Coaches was one of the operators who provided feedback to Plaxton on the need for an entry level coach for schools and day work. When the Leopard was announced, Ros was confident enough to place an order from the drawing board saying, ‘Plaxton products are tried and tested in our fleet so we have every confidence in this new model. The specification appeals, especially the in-swinging door which is essential to rapid loading on our school and college operations. We see the Leopard as a direct progression from the Profile, the Plaxton coach on which we have built our successful business.’

One of the first Leopards built, the Prospect Coaches’ vehicle donned a leaping leopard graphic wrap for Coach and Bus Live 2013 where it was in the Showcase section. It still retains the wrap which is so popular that some schools specifically request it. The vehicle recently returned to Plaxton where it was brought into line with current production and gull-wing mirrors were retrofitted, completely transforming its appearance. In service, it has recorded some excellent fuel consumption figures, over 15mpg being obtained on a recent tour to Ireland.

Like all the fleet, the Leopard has a select registration mark. On vehicles in the current index scheme, the marks start with the letter P and have three letters usually referring to family names, in the case of the Leopard it is an abbreviation of Ros’ dog’s name!

Looking Forward

Ros described the company’s key to success as, ‘the quality of team, the reliability of service and the quality of coaches on offer,’ traits the company intends to take forward alongside the continued focus on profitability. In support of the latter, Ros follows the trends from the Plimsoll business analysis reports stressing that, ‘Keeping your finger firmly on the financial side is key to business success. Businesses do not fail overnight and you can see them declining.’

Keeping a tight reign on the finances has made the company of interest to other organisations wishing to grow their businesses but Ros made it clear that Prospect Coaches was not on the market, ‘We have been approached to sell but in no uncertain terms we told them that we are not for sale.’ Ros and Geoff have a succession plan in place that will see Nathan and Martin taking over with the next generation, in the form of Martin’s daughter, already showing an interest in being part of the business at an appropriate time.

A lot has been achieved by the Prospect Coaches team in the past eight years and their enthusiasm means there is more to come. Ros’ ambition to be a respected operator has certainly been delivered.