RHA has marked four years of involvement with coaches and says it has enrolled more than 170 coach operator members capturing 2,500 vehicles in that time, along with attracting over 40 associate members.
The milestone was achieved on 15 December. It came a day after the Association celebrated its 80th anniversary. To recognise the latter, an illustrated book has been published to tell the story of eight decades at the forefront of industrial, social and business changes in the UK since the mid-1940s.
Milestones reached in the four years of RHA Coaches include formation of National Coach Week, which was held for a third time in 2024. Legal services for coach operators have also been introduced and the Association staged a presence at the recent Euro Bus Expo trade show at the NEC Birmingham.
An early recruit to the helm of RHA Coaches was Operations Manager Andy Warrender, who brought experience from a long career working in the coach sector.
Mr Warrender describes the fourth anniversary as “a significant day,” adding that RHA Coaches has “developed a unique offering for coach operators, and we are now the fastest growing trade association in this space.”
He adds that many coach operators that have signed up as RHA members previously never engaged with trade bodies. “Today, they are proud RHA ambassadors,” he continues.
“With unrivalled industry experience, a range of trade suppliers, exclusive services and a strong policy base, RHA Coaches members can be assured that we are representing their interests and actively campaigning on the key challenges and priorities facing the sector.”
RHA Membership Director Phil Snowden adds that the Association is “proud to represent the coach sector through our range of services and campaigning efforts.”
He notes: “Members that have been on this journey so far see the value of RHA resources, sector knowledge, and engagement on their behalf with regulators and policymakers on coach-specific issues.
“Ever since those early conversations with our first members, we have been actively representing coach as a sector in its own right. We look forward to celebrating many more milestones in the years ahead.”
