Membership of RHA Coaches opened on 1 March. The trade body says it stands ready to help coach operators “to get back on the road to recovery.”
Chief Executive Richard Burnett claims that the coach industry “desperately needs” RHA’s help. Synergies between coaches and hauliers mean that RHA can support each of those sectors, he continues. “Both are heavily regulated, both have similar issues and challenges, and both have been hit by COVID.”
Mr Burnett adds that RHA is in the process of phasing out its previous identity of the Road Haulage Association in favour of the simpler moniker. To that it has added the strapline of ‘Driving business on the roads’. “This represents a much broader field and a wider range of businesses,” he says.
“Last year, following research in the wider commercial market, it became clear that the Road Haulage Association brand actually limited our ability to speak for different sectors. The perception was that we only represented road haulage operators,” he continues.
Mr Burnett adds that RHA’s decision to move into the coach sector came after an approach from some operators. In January, Andy Warrender joined RHA as Operations Manager – Coaches to steer the new arm.
Membership of RHA Coaches is set at promotional rates for the first year. After that it will fall into line with RHA’s standard scale.
