Plans to launch Chariot Transit UK’s demand-responsive minibus service on six routes in London have moved a step closer, with the advertisement of driver jobs, and the delivery of all its Ford Transit minibuses to its Wandsworth operating centre.
Chariot, which has an O-Licence for 30 vehciles, is still waiting to receive its London Service Permit.
Although in its Transport for London (TfL) permit application it put a proposed start date of Monday (29 January), in a statement Chariot says that this was simply because it had to supply a date.
As it is not scheduled bus service, but a ‘closed door’ operation, it is not required to start operating on that date.
The firm, which is owned by Ford Motor Company, already operates using a similar model in US cities [routeone, News, 22 November 2016].
In the latest development, this week, it has placed adverts for full-time drivers for the manual minibuses offering £26,000 a year, with the requirement to work split shifts, Mondays to Fridays only.
It says hours will be approximately 0530-1100hrs and 1530-2030hrs. It is offering overtime, with a prospect of private hire or longer hours, should it win bespoke client contracts.
Last November Chariot was advertising for a GM for London; no details of any appointment have yet been revealed. The UK company’s current directors are all US citizens.
The six London services are targeting commuter routes to railway stations. Ford’s plans to enter London, will be its debut for Chariot outside of the USA. The car marker bought the ‘ride-sharing’ start-up in September 2016.
