First Bus is looking towards what it says is growth and development of its Yorkshire coach operating businesses after significant investment at J&B Travel, Tetley’s Coaches and York Pullman.
Those three companies collectively run over 230 vehicles in North and West Yorkshire. The investment programme supports fleet renewal, depot upgrades, operational enhancements and future opportunities for growth through “real ambition for the future”, the owner adds. It also owns Wilfreda Beehive in South Yorkshire.
Across the last year, 17 new coaches at a value of more than £4.5 million have been received. J&B Travel has seen five Yutong GT12 models, three Scania K360s with MOBIpeople Premium bodywork, and a Temsa HD13.
They are predominantly utilised on the Stanningley operator’s growing commitment to the FlixBus scheduled network and were supplied by Pelican Bus and Coach, BASE Coach Sales and Temsa Sales UK, respectively. Tetley’s has taken two Temsa HD13s, while York Pullman has added six of the same type including a pair delivered recently.
Structural investment in wash facilities, operational upgrades and technology and people are part of wider plans, First Bus says. It bought York Pullman in 2024 and followed that with J&B Travel and Tetley’s Coaches in 2025. Formerly independent coach operators in other parts of the country have also been acquired by the group.
Coaching Director of the First Bus Yorkshire coach businesses David Hough cites “huge opportunity across the coach sector” as influencing the investment. He notes segments such as home-to-school transport, private hire and scheduled services as being ripe for growth.
“We are already seeing strong demand across the businesses, and we want to continue building high-quality, reliable operations that customers can trust,” Mr Hough adds.
“The Yorkshire coach businesses have fantastic reputations, strong local relationships, and incredibly committed teams. What makes each of them successful is their deep connections to the communities they serve, and that is something we want to build on, not change.
“Our focus is on supporting the teams, improving facilities, modernising fleets and strengthening our operations while allowing each company to retain its own identity and strengths.
“The introduction of 17 new coaches across the businesses demonstrates our commitment to investing in modern, accessible and reliable vehicles for our customers while creating a strong platform for future growth.”
