Fully-owned minibuses are replaced with new vehicles on flexible rental contract supplied by Enterprise Flex-E-Rent; the newcomers will service local bus routes, school trips and social work in East Surrey
East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership (ESRTP) has acquired 34 new minibuses on a rental contract with Enterprise Flex-E-Rent.
The new vehicles include 16 accessible Mercedes-Benz Sprinters that carry 16 passengers, five 16-seat accessible Peugeot Boxers, and 13 non-accessible Ford Transits with 13 seats.
ESRTP is a charitable company based on Oxted, Surrey. It operates minibuses throughout the east of the county, providing contracted day centre, school and rural bus services to Surrey County Council and the wider community.
It was established in 2006 and it now has 48 minibuses and around 70 drivers, mechanics and office staff. Historically, ESRTP bought one new high-quality, custom-built minibus per year and it also took second-hand vehicles at short notice. It also operated two garages with four full-time mechanics.
ESRTP has now switched to sourcing vehicles on long-term rental from Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, and that has resulted in significant cost savings.
Says ESRTP Chief Executive Marcus Dode: “Although the 2016/17 winter was not severe by any means, we struggled to maintain a fully-operational fleet that was available every day. Often, it was the ancillary equipment such as doors, steps and passenger lifts that kept vehicles off the road. Our management team and trustees realised that a fundamental change was needed.
“Enterprise’s experts were able to help us to specify the vehicles precisely, and they were delivered on time and on budget. Enterprise also maintains the ancillary equipment and it provides replacement minibuses when ours are being serviced or repaired.”
He adds that ESRTP no longer has the expense of employing mechanics and garage staff, or purchasing parts and consumables along with paying vehicle excise duty and the rent on two premises.
“The level of service and patience that we receive from Enterprise has make the process of moving away from an owned fleet simple and straightforward.”
