Bus service improvement work requires more than fares-first focus
Something is lost on ministers when they anchor better bus services in England to lower fares. Beneficial in the short-term…
Serially non-compliant tiny minority still under the industry’s surface
Compliance around the industry is undoubtedly the best it has ever been. The days of ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ poor-quality…
Coach industry political mojo: work needed to regain momentum
A scant positive from the start of the current decade was how the coach industry gained some political traction. Elected…
Employee ownership trust: a growing trend within coach and bus
Moving a coach or bus operation fully or partly into an employee ownership trust is gaining traction. At least four…
‘Kill switch’ hysteria for electric bus fleets: as ridiculous as it sounds
Dramatic talk of clandestine ‘kill switch’ fitment to battery-electric coach and bus fleets built in China, while no doubt good…
School transport trouble: correct funding for LAs is the only answer
Home-to-school transport is a core income source for many operators, particularly SMEs. And yet in England at least, some of…
routeone Awards 2025: waiting for the winners is almost over
At the time of writing, little more than 36 hours remained until the 2025 routeone Awards presentation evening. The culmination…
Autumn Budget looks set to be a tricky one for coach and bus
Speculation around this month’s Budget is at fever pitch, with mainstream media sources attempting to outdo each other in drawing…
Crisis point reached with poorly managed roadworks schemes
Few are the operators or drivers who have not silently (or otherwise) cursed roadworks. No argument can be made that…
Can direct award adoption help to protect SMEs in bus franchising?
Work around bus franchising is ramping up, with the contract procurement process having begun in West Yorkshire and market engagement…
