Jeff Counsell retired from Trentbarton and Kinchbus on 28 February, bringing to an end an almost 50-year career in the bus industry for the highly respected former engineering apprentice.
Mr Counsell steps down from the position of Managing Director of both businesses, having announced in September 2022 that he intended to retire. He joined Trentbarton in 1999 as Engineering Director, later becoming Director of Service Delivery and then MD in 2009.
Retirement comes one week after Mr Counsell received his concessionary bus pass, something that he says he intends to make good use of. “I will still be riding on buses, and not just because it has been my job for so long. I am a passionate believer in all public transport,” he says.
“Retirement is a strange feeling, but it is starting to sink in. I will miss the people terribly. I will miss interacting with our people and with our customers,” Mr Counsell continues. “The last three years have been hard for so many people, and for the bus industry. COVID-19 and its aftermath kept me very busy, but away from the parts of the job I love the most – being out and about with our people at depots, bus stations and on board.”
As part of a management reshuffle following Mr Counsell’s retirement, he will be succeeded by Tom Morgan as Managing Director (Buses) for Wellglade Group. Mr Morgan steps up from the role of Trentbarton Group Commercial Director.
Mr Counsell says that he leaves confident that public transport has a positive future, albeit a different one than may have been expected previously, “but constant innovation will get us there.”
Wellglade Chair Brian King has paid tribute to the contribution of Mr Counsell, noting: “Everyone at Trentbarton wishes Jeff a wonderful and well-earned retirement. He leaves with our thanks for his many years of hard work and dedication to the company, its people and our customers.
“Jeff can be very proud of the many awards and accolades won by Trentbarton during his tenure, and also by the high esteem he is held in by so many in the UK bus industry and in the business community. We are all the better for having worked with Jeff.”
Mr Counsell says that post-retirement, he will spend more time with his parents, wife, daughters and grandchildren.
