By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: UK tourism: Business is booming for coach operator Bill’s
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > Features > UK tourism: Business is booming for coach operator Bill’s
Features

UK tourism: Business is booming for coach operator Bill’s

Only a dearth of available replacement premises is preventing big expansion for the Buckinghamshire operator as it launches its 2024 trips brochure

Paul Halford
Paul Halford
Published: February 19, 2024
Share
Bill's Minibus and coach Hire (1)
SHARE

As it goes into its 20th anniversary year, business is better than ever for Bill’s Minibus and Coach Hire. In fact, only a scarcity of bigger premises to move into is holding back the Milton Keynes-based operator from big growth, says Managing Director Ryan Legg. 

Contents
‘We need a bigger yard’ The power of a launchDriver issues 

This success was mirrored by its 2024 brochure launch last month — its first since before the COVID-19 pandemic — when it welcomed hundreds of regular and new customers. Such is the popularity of its launches, it had to hire a conference venue on the outskirts of the city and near its main depot. 

A recently acquired six-year-old Scania was on display within The Ridgeway Centre as Ryan and Daytrip and Holiday Manager Charlotte Baker talked optimistically about 2024. “Last year was probably our best in terms of the overall company,” says Ryan. “Private hire, and everything in general, has been doing really well. 

“I wouldn’t put it down to anything in particular. We’re still the same size as a couple of years ago with an O-Licence for 25. We’ve just kind of perfected everything. We had a bit of a rebrand in 2022 as our brand was quite basic and old-school. I think that helped quite a lot. We took on some new contracts and our name has got about a bit more.” 

In September, Bill’s will welcome its first brand new executive coach, an Irizar in anniversary livery — one of four due to come straight off the production line in which it has invested for this year. 

‘We need a bigger yard’ 

“The biggest problem we’ve got at the moment is premises,” says Ryan. “We need a bigger yard, but we can’t find one for love nor money. Milton Keynes is a new city so it’s not like Northampton, where there are old yards everywhere. We’ve had meetings with the council, the MP, but nothing. We are constricted by the yard space — otherwise we could double the size we are. I could go out and get contracts tomorrow for 40-50 vehicles, but we just haven’t got the space.” 

So, for the moment, Bill’s — which spreads its fleet across two depots — is concentrating on selling out the current daytrips and short breaks in its 2024 brochure. It is confident in doing so, especially after a launch attended by around 400 people and where a similar number of brochures were devoured. Such is the demand, the operator can no longer cope with on-the-day payments at the launch so now has a box into which customers can drop their order forms.  

The power of a launch

The operator's 2024 brochure contains more trips than ever before
The operator’s 2024 brochure contains more trips than ever before

For Charlotte, a brochure launch is invaluable for the business. “It’s about meeting people,” she says. “You speak to customers on the phone all the time and you don’t get that rapport that you do when you speak to them face to face. And it gives them a chance to ask questions or suggest things. 

“It’s gone well today. Especially after the pandemic, we didn’t know how it was going to go. But we’ve got some really loyal customers who come back all the time.” 

Bill’s will operate more trips than ever this year. “Ones that are popular and they sell out every year, they always go in the brochure, but there are quite a few new ones,” says Charlotte. “We have so many people wanting to go to different places and do different thing that we had to up our game.” 

The operator, which was founded and is owned by Ryan’s father, Bill, prides itself on customer service and using good hotels. “We won’t just put you in a two-star hotel,” says Charlotte. “It needs to be a four-star. I haven’t done it so much recently but we used to go and vet the hotel beforehand.” 

The brochure contains mainly day trips with just seven short UK breaks. “We’re getting quite a lot of people asking for more holidays, but we’d rather have six fully booked than twelve that are half-booked,” says Ryan. 

He adds of the focus on the UK: “We always said we’d never go across the water. I don’t think we need to. The amount of work we’ve got locally and in the UK, I’ve got no interest in going abroad. It’s just a hassle.” 

The fact that most of the clientele at the Bill’s launch have been around longer than the host city of Milton Keynes says much about the market, but Ryan and Charlotte detect an evolving, younger customer base, whether that be perhaps due to cost-of-living restraints. “They are getting younger,” says Charlotte, alluding to an increase of families now seen on board. Ryan adds: “I think in the past it was 60, 70, 80-year-olds, whereas now it’s 40, 50, 60.” 

Driver issues 

As with many operators, driver costs and shortages are a big challenge.  “We try and be competitive [with salaries], but trying to find good drivers is another issue,” says Ryan. “The customers expect a certain standard. When you get a new driver and they don’t understand what’s expected of them, they get a bit of a shock because they can’t just sit there and drive; it’s a bit more involved than that.” 

Bill’s solution is to try to be flexible with staff. “Work-life balance is what we’re seeing [as the answer],” Ryan says. “People don’t want to do 60 hours a week anymore.” 

Times in the industry may be changing but, despite challenges, the general trajectory for Bill’s is upwards. “2024 is going to be a busy year,” says Ryan. 

Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
Previous Article Fix for coaches required at Dover before EU Entry/Exit system introduced Dover and the EU Entry/Exit System: Quick fix needed for coach
Next Article Coach industry concerns about EU Entry Exit System at Dover Coach industry calls for change to Dover Entry/Exit System plans
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Temsa HD12 and HD13 delivered to Cresta Coaches under Asset Alliance rental deal
Temsa pair join Cresta Coaches on Asset Alliance rental agreement
Deliveries
Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new ÂŁ15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd