22 October 2015

Fancy buying your own bus company?

There has been a lot of interest in an advert placed on DaltonsBusiness.com:

 BUS OPERATING COMPANY SOUTH WEST - Coach-Bus-Taxi Hire Businesses for Sale in Devon UK

The full advert reads

BUS OPERATING COMPANY, undertaking numerous REGISTERED SERVICES, including town, country and coastal routes. Benefits from no competition in some areas. Operating a fleet of modern buses, all low floor ensuring easy access. Main depot premises, presented and equipped to a high standard, vehicle and wash down area, bus parking facilities, additional visitor car parking, considered one of the largest operators in the area, benefiting from new Lease terms. Enjoying multiple income streams, income increasing year on year, turnover in excess of £1 million. Superb opportunity to acquire professional transport business, masses of potential to expand, could be amalgamated with similar business. Price on Application. Ref: M31380N

It remains to be seen who this is, and if they do get a sale. If its one of the larger companies then there may be competition issues to contend with?

There has been plenty of speculation with several companies mentioned as possibilities. Being described as one of the largest operators in the area does narrow the field down a bit as does the modern fully low floor fleet. That bit seems to rule out Countrybus at least. Dartline seems to fit the bill but the advert does not mention the coach business. I am sure all will become clear over time.

14 comments:

  1. it could be webber bus in somerset or any bus company in somerset or doorset
    or it could be tally ho bus side there selling off
    just idear

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, it specifically says Devon.

      A £1m turnover isn't a huge business and 'one of the largest operators in the area' is deceptively vague. I doubt that means 'Devon', probably just the business's local area. I suspect it may well be AVMT, especially with the references to lack of competitors and having a low-floor fleet. Possibly Dial-a-Bus/Local Link in Torquay as an alternative but surely there's competition there from Stagecoach and Country Bus at least.

      Delete
  2. It's got to be tally ho. They don't really have any major competition, only Stagecoach who are interested in the principal routes to Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter from Kingsbridge. Their operation is rural, has coastal elements and has various funding streams from commercial, tendered and school routes.

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  3. Go Devon bus next?

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  4. I heard it will be bought by First bus..lol. First Devon buses!!! Ha

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  5. it could be country bus .or dartline selling off there bus side off thing
    or tuners buses in Exeter .or the bus company in Barnstaple /
    bet stage coach bye it

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  6. This link: http://www.movehut.co.uk/property/174964-14/ says the fleet operates 20 modern buses, the majority of which are low floor, fitted with state of the art ticketing/tracking equipment. Does this help narrow it down any further?

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  7. In other news, Kernowfox the completely fake brand from the start has now decided 3 months after the franchise announcement that is no longer going to start a Cornwall business surprise surprise!!! Its probably because nothing was happening a load of people branded them fake, and finally it got reported to Facebook as a scam.

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  8. I think it's tally ho, there area is not really competed on, they do have low floor vehicles, if it is then stagecoach certainly wouldn't be able to buy it as they would defiantly end up with a monopoly in Devon

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  9. it is beaconbus. found out from md of citybus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's most unlikely as Beacon Bus finished some time ago. It's also not likely to be Tally Ho (or any other coach company selling their bus side) as the advert states that the depot is included in the deal.
      My comments don't seem to be getting through but the second advert (thanks Anon 13:57) gives more clues - the size of the operation, the mix of work and the fact that there's two operating centres points very much in the direction of Dial-a-Bus. Country Bus is too big, AVMT too small and Rail River Link too specialised.

      Delete
    2. beacon bus wound up ages a go
      I said Barnstaple last week

      Delete
  10. this company has been listed for months, even years, when i enquired about it, few years ago, it was Beaconbus, unless someone is listing thier own business, using the exact same wording, it's just an old advert...Beaconbus

    ReplyDelete

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