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Blacon Buses - iMarkeh - 17/10/2016 23:43
I am looking to start a new bus company but I have a few queries that I think people on this forum would be able to help with.
1. Can you fill a diesel bus at a normal fuel station. If not, how can you refuel without having your own pumps.
2. How much is the average bus refurbishment?
3. Does anyone know of any companies in Cheshire or Flintshire who have space in their depot and are happy to allow me to store buses there at night?
I know a lot about buses and the general operations side of things but I struggle on the start up but so if people are able to help, I would appreciate it. If anyone knows of someone who knows a lot about buses and wishes to become a potential business partner, please let me know. They will need to be able to help me start this up. I am happy to discuss the small print etc.
Ps, sorry if this is in the wrong section. Please move it if necessary.
RE: Blacon Buses - NorthernCounties - 17/10/2016 23:53
I regularly see two Oldham coach companies (kmatt and yelloway) filling up at tesco and I know stotts tours use their local filling station (I think it's esso) but I don't know if they have some agreement to make the fuel cheaper or not
RE: Blacon Buses - motormayhem1 - 18/10/2016 03:58
Most companies that use normal petrol stations tend to use fuel card accounts what can be used at most fuel stations and paid for at a later day through the company bank accounts which is what the likes of cumfybus do.
When i worked at cumfybus i use to fill up inbtesco and get the clubcard points for my own personal use which cumfybus allowed but at supertravel you at to use a certain petrol station because he had an agreement with them and had his own points card which he used against holidays every year.
RE: Blacon Buses - enrag2000 - 18/10/2016 07:28
Your three questions indicate to me that you have no idea about running a bus company and would face an uphill struggle to get going..
More relevant than if you can use a normal fuel station and where to park overnight are how to obtain an operator's licence and meet the requirements. These include confirmation of financial standing (currently you are required to have at least £6650 readily available if you operate just one vehicle) and this is after meeting all set-up costs, you cannot use this sum to buy a bus, the TC can ask for evidence that you have this sum at any time and failure to produce can lead to loss of licence; satisfactory arrangements for the maintenance of the vehicle on a regular basis; you must have a transport manager holding a CPC who is responsible for the operation.
If you have the finance and are serious in this, the first step would be to enrol on a CPC course before you start enquiring if you can refuel in Tesco, otherwise go inside and ask about stacking shelves.
RE: Blacon Buses - Barney - 18/10/2016 09:38
(18/10/2016 07:28)enrag2000 Wrote: Your three questions indicate to me that you have no idea about running a bus company and would face an uphill struggle to get going..
More relevant than if you can use a normal fuel station and where to park overnight are how to obtain an operator's licence and meet the requirements. These include confirmation of financial standing (currently you are required to have at least £6650 readily available if you operate just one vehicle) and this is after meeting all set-up costs, you cannot use this sum to buy a bus, the TC can ask for evidence that you have this sum at any time and failure to produce can lead to loss of licence; satisfactory arrangements for the maintenance of the vehicle on a regular basis; you must have a transport manager holding a CPC who is responsible for the operation.
If you have the finance and are serious in this, the first step would be to enrol on a CPC course before you start enquiring if you can refuel in Tesco, otherwise go inside and ask about stacking shelves.
I'm very much inclined to agree with you but I had no idea that Sir Alan Sugar posted on this site. I would have suggested that Blacon Buses kept to building up his model collection. Talk about being brutally honest.
RE: Blacon Buses - Mayneway - 18/10/2016 11:10
Imarkeh hopefully I don't come across as brutal as others on the thread but it's a very tough industry to break. You would probably have stood a better chance 15-20 years ago but it's very tight now and sadly small independants are ceasing every week.
Having said that plenty of enthusiasts with a love of buses have and do set up and run their own business. Off the top of my head the guy who set up. Peoplesbus in Merseyside is an enthusiast - didn't his first venture in the 90's go belly up? Janes boddice the owner of Midland classic set up his business after a life long interest in Stevensons of uttoxeter and Martin Bott who set up South lancs travel was a huge enthusiast.
Have you worked in the industry at all? I would say try and get involved with a local company to you. Even if it's volunteering a couple of hours a week cleaning buses or shunting possibly just to try and grasp what's actually involved with running your own company. It might make you see things differently or it might make you want to do it more but experience is key. I love pies but I wouldn't just buy a bakery and assume I could start baking and selling myself
RE: Blacon Buses - motormayhem1 - 18/10/2016 11:29
The other main thing is insurance costs as they are sky high and would be difficult to pay without any big financial backing.
RE: Blacon Buses - chester285 - 18/10/2016 14:07
Not only what's been mentioned, you also have to factor in the cost of each bus leaving departing the bus station, no council will allow free departures!
Unfortunately if your looking to set up a company in Chester your going to go up against the big two, being Stagecoach and Arriva, who not only have the financial resources, they also have vehicles,drivers and depots, both companies would have no hesitation in running a new business of the road before it even gets established, which wouldn't bother them in the slightest but could leave the directors of a new business in financial ruin, personally its financial suicide in the making
RE: Blacon Buses - iMarkeh - 18/10/2016 14:25
To answer some questions.
NorthernCounties & MotorMayhem: Thank you for your help. I thought it was possible but I wanted to check.
Enrag2000: I cant do a CPC course as I cant drive buses. I would be paying someone to drive and preferably I would have someone with a CPC certificate.
Barney: My model collection is big enough. I would like to own a bus company as there are so many viable routes in the area which the majors do not want because they do not make them enough profit.
Mayneway: I have tried to work in the industry but most wont take me because of my autism. Arriva have no wales based schedulers (all in Aintree), Stagecoach have no jobs, Aintree/Helms wont reply. Jones Coaches have no vacancies. I did say I would volunteer but still no. My idea is not to serve city centres or the major areas. I would like to keep more out of town shopping centres to residential areas. Getting people to jobs and shops. The majors dont want the routes I am thinking of because they dont make x amount of profit. With me, as long as I can make a small amount of profit, that suits me. Maintenance and staff would be put in costs therefore profit would be what is left after paying everyone (I know quite a few people dont know what profit is and say I have to pay for maintenance out of profit).
Chester285: As I said, I am looking for more out of town routes and on a Sunday, I plan to do like small routes to local attractions like Greenacres or Ice Cream Farm. Stagecoach doesnt have the buses and they wouldnt take it because of the type of route. Arriva have 4 spare buses in Chester per day but again, they wouldnt make a high amount of profit for them. Stagecoach arent going to run CoCH - Bumpers Lane via Blacon in a million years. Arr and SC say it is unviable. I will make it viable by keeping costs lower. I would wash buses myself. No fuel in the depot to save any problems that would cause. As cheap depot as possible and buses would be second hand. Arr drivers are on £130 per day. I would like to pay drivers around £90 if I can. That would be over an 8 hour shift or so. All drivers would be local as well.
RE: Blacon Buses - buses7675 - 18/10/2016 15:13
(18/10/2016 14:25)iMarkeh Wrote: Arr drivers are on £130 per day. I would like to pay drivers around £90 if I can. That would be over an 8 hour shift or so. All drivers would be local as well.
Are you sure about this?! £130 per day (based on 8 hours) makes it £16.25 ph
£90 over 8 hours is £11.25 ph
That seems very very high for quiet routes, £16.25 ph is more than the busy Liverpool Arriva and Stagecoach depots get!