Reading the Editor’s comment last week [routeone/Comment/1 August], we took a step back after we kept looking at our business.
Firstly, we got rid of our three trucks after 20 years on animal feed deliveries. Although the rates and payment were good, my family wasn’t interested in trucks. It was my thing and after high wages and high fuel usage, heavy tyre and brake wear margins were slim, so the trucks went with the men to the feed mill firm.
Then we started looking at European coach hire. We had a name for being good at it by schools and groups, but the schools were not asking us for trips in the shoulder months.
So, we decided to get rid of all European private hires, other than our brochure tours and the battlefield tours to France and Belgium that we do for a few companies.
We also got rid of any London jobs except for some customers and we are now not placing drivers down the south east of England and wondering what time to set off on a Friday to Toddington or Dover.
However, we are still very busy and have plenty of drivers.
Peter Bibby, Bibby’s of Ingleton
