Stagecoach South Marketing Officer Steve Thorpe has celebrated 30 years – his entire professional career thus far – with the operator.
Mr Thorpe joined the company’s Basingstoke depot in July 1992 at the age of 16, shortly after leaving Cranbourne Secondary School. He was offered a job with Stagecoach by Depot Manager John Chadwick after undertaking work experience, where his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the business was noticed.
Very quickly, Mr Thorpe was involved in researching operator Alder Valley’s network across the Blackwater Valley and south Surrey before Stagecoach purchased that operation. He assisted with the smooth transition of the business, its vehicles and staff into the group’s ownership. In another project early in his career Mr Thorpe co-managed the introduction of Wayfarer 3 ticket machines across three depots.
After moves to Winchester and then Chichester, Mr Thorpe took up the role of Commercial Assistant. He gained a PCV licence came in 1996, something that continues to come in useful.
A move into marketing was made in 2002, although he had contributed to some branding projects before that when low-floor buses were first introduced.
More such work followed. One of Mr Thorpe’s biggest projects was in 2006 with the launch of the Pulse route in Worthing. That was undertaken in collaboration with West Sussex County Council and the government’s kickstart scheme. In 2007, efforts around the well-known Coastliner route 700 were recognised with a Marketing Campaign of the Year award.
More recently, Mr Thorpe spent an eight-month secondment with Stagecoach South Wales as Marketing Manager, while in 2022 he oversaw the development of a Platinum Jubilee special livery that was subsequently adopted across the group.
Speaking about his 30 years with Stagecoach, Steve Thorpe says: “Hampshire Bus was the first operator outside Scotland that Stagecoach purchased, so I have followed the Stagecoach story from an early age.
“I have always admired Stagecoach’s innovation and am proud to have played a part in the continued development of the business, particularly here in the south.”
