Dan’s Coach Travel: A Suffolk gentleman

New coach operations are rare these days, but, still in his mid-20s, Dan Trent started his just last year. He has taken a very personal approach to developing his new venture, which is already being rewarded with a growing number of loyal customers as he outlined to Andy Izatt

Running a coach business has probably never been more challenging, but Dan Trent took the plunge and secured an O-licence for three vehicles in April 2018. What makes that all the more unusual is his age. He will be celebrating his 26th birthday this year.

Yes there have been setbacks, but Dan is making a success of what he’s doing because of his genuine empathy with people, the way he has immersed himself in his local community, and his proactive approach. It’s winning him a growing number of loyal supporters. [wlm_nonmember][…]

[/wlm_nonmember] [wlm_ismember]

Growing up with coaches
“Me, my twin sister Hannah and younger brother Joshua were brought up in Cow Green near Bacton in Suffolk,” explained Dan. “When my parents divorced we moved with our mother Wendy to the local main town which is Stowmarket.

“I was more interested in trains when I was young, but when I was 11 our school organised an evening trip to Rollerworld in Colchester. All four coaches operated by John’s Tours of Stowmarket were hired for that and one of the teachers introduced me to the drivers. I can date my interest from that.

“One of the drivers was the owner of John’s Tours, John Cresswell, better known as Big John in the coaching world because he was around six feet five inches tall. He asked me what the most important thing was on his set of keys. I couldn’t guess and he had to tell me. It was the beer bottle opener – I always remember that.

“Two of John’s coaches used to do runs to and from our school and as often as not, John would be driving one of them. My sister and I didn’t need to use them, but I still used to go and talk to him each day and he would tell me about what had been going on. I used to run out of the school gates before he left and down to the bottom of the hill to meet my sister. He would give me a blast on the coach’s air horns as he went by.

“John really was the one who got me into this business. We were always chatting. I occasionally used to clean his vehicles, which were always immaculate, and he used to take me to rallies. Later, when he retired, we reversed roles. Where as he drove and I was the passenger, I was now the driver and he was the passenger. It was so sad because Big John passed away just as the business was starting so he missed seeing the vehicles.

“We moved to Finborough which meant Hannah and I went to and from school with Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham. I asked the owner Richard Squirrell one day who cleaned his coaches? He said the drivers were meant to, but would I like to come and clean them? I was 13 at the time, but said I’d give it a go as John had taught me how to do it properly. For years after that I would cycle over to Hitcham and clean all eight coaches. Occasionally I’d clean for Chris Chaplin who runs Three Cs Travel of Nedging as well.

“Going into the Sixth Form was a way of passing two years until I could drive a coach. I’d already been volunteering in a Finborough care home, sitting with the residents and playing games with them, so I opted to study health and social care.

“When I was 16 I was allowed to work in the kitchen at the care home and when I was 17 became a carer although I was still cleaning coaches. Many of the old women in the home were set against me being a carer to begin with, but after a month or two it was me they wanted looking after them.”

Proud to have a PCV licence

“I got my PCV licence as soon as I could when I was 18,” Dan continued. “Richard Squirrell let me drive his older Van Hool Volvos on L plates back to the yard after school runs, which gave me good experience, but Mum had brought us up to be scrimpers and I wanted to pay for my own training so I didn’t owe anyone anything.

“I booked a week’s course with Suffolk County Council and took my test in a Dennis Javelin Plaxton Premiere. However, I caught a mirror on a sticking out sign and was failed – not a mistake I would make again. I’ve not lost a mirror since.

“Richard Squirrell had promised me a full-time job once I got my licence, so that’s where I went to work when I did pass. I did local ‘schools’ and ‘swimmers’ because that’s all you’re allowed when your 18.

“To be honest, I think it’s a silly rule. If they were to get rid of it, I think the industry might attract younger drivers. They say it’s based on experience but, for example, if my mother got her licence, she could go anywhere but she’d passed exactly the same test!

“What I liked most about passing my test was seeing people I knew when I was out driving. I’d told everyone for years I was going to do it, and that’s what I did.

“In 2012 I moved over to Mulleys Motorways at Bury St Edmunds on the basis that it would be half service work and half ‘in the yard’ – cleaning and out on ‘schools.’ I used to drive double-deckers including Leyland Olympian tri-axles from Hong Kong. There were two 90-seaters and a 100-seater, but they were long days and I was working six days a week. It wasn’t what I wanted so I went to Three Cs Travel. I was 19 by then so still restricted in what I could do, but was working on the farm in the summer as well. However, I did miss the people I’d made friends with on those service runs and the drivers too.

“Once I was 20, I was able to go out on private hire, which I really enjoyed. It’s always nice when you go to a coach park and there’s someone there who you know. It makes the day go so much quicker. Older drivers had told me that everyone huddled up and had a laugh, but initially I was disappointed because the ones I approached didn’t want to talk to me. I think they were just miserable. Doing the job because they had to, not because it was their passion.”

My Bedford interlude
Said Dan: “In 2015 I went driving for Chris Birchnall at Attleborough-based Norfolk Coachways. That came about because of a coach I’d preserved. I love the older ones with chrome down the sides and had taken a chance buying a Duple Dominant Bedford YMT on eBay that had been new to Suffolk County Council. I kept it with a preservation group near Colchester and had it two or three years when I bought a Scania Van Hool that at one time been operated by John’s Tours. The thinking was if I was going to start up on my own at some point, I needed a more suitable vehicle.

“With space for only one vehicle near Colchester, I needed to sell the Bedford which by then was parked with Mark Judd at Guyhirn. My friend Jonathan Joplin of Tittleshall-based Peelings Coaches said he knew someone who might want to buy it – Chris who was already running the four Bedfords that had been operated by Turner & Butcher of Kenninghall before it closed in 2014. We did a deal.

“Chris hinted he was looking for a full-time driver and I thought I’d love to go and drive those coaches. I wasn’t going to commute so I lodged in Morley and Wicklewood. There were newer vehicles in the fleet as well and when Chris needed another, I sold him my Scania. I’d put the idea of starting my own business on the backburner because I was enjoying what I was doing so much, but after nine or 10 months I was really starting to feel a bit homesick so gave notice. We parted on good terms.”

My own business

“I went to work for Mulleys again, but made them aware that I was planning to start my own business,” recalled Dan. “I had a couple of possible transport managers in mind, but had to withdraw my O-Licence application when they let me down, which was very disheartening at the time. I had a month off, but went back working for Squirrell’s Coaches in January 2017. There were drivers Richard employed that I really liked. We all got on well and were always having a laugh.

“I still had at the back of my mind that I wanted to get an O-Licence. Deciding I couldn’t rely on anyone else being my transport manager, I booked a week’s course with Novadata Transport Training at Braintree. The group I was in gelled really well and we helped each other out although it was a horrible wait for the results. It was the longest six weeks of my life, but I was so pleased when I found out I’d passed.
“It wasn’t easy finding a suitable yard to park vehicles. I’d found one in Stowmarket where I could keep two, but wanted to apply for three disks so really needed somewhere more suitable. One day I popped into Corern Farm south of Woolpit where OFT Commercial Vehicle Services operate lorries.

“I used to drive the children of Richard Owen who runs OFT to school and he was so helpful. Then there’s Philip and Erne who own the yard. They were just the same. Richard agreed to lend me the space and OFT would undertake the six-weekly inspections on my vehicles.

“I was able to manage the financial standing. As I said, Mum had taught us to save, but to be honest, I wouldn’t be here if I had a mortgage to pay as well. I’m still living with her and my bedroom is my office.

“It was a long time before my licence was granted. I’d applied around Christmas 2017 and they say it should take nine weeks, but it overran. I kept phoning, but was told there was a backlog. I hate complaining, but had told my caseworker one morning in April that I was going to have to if I didn’t hear soon. He rang me back that afternoon to say my licence had been granted. He told me it was an Easter present.

“I’d taken on the yard space at OFT from January 2018 so decided to buy a 1997 Van Hool T8 Volvo B10M before I got my licence. In April I bought another Volvo B10M Van Hool T8 53-seater from Whincop of Peasenhall. New in 1993, it’s the same age as me. I like to give all the coaches names and I call that one Bananarama because of its yellow livery. It’s the best vehicle I’ve ever owned. Mark, the Transport Manager at Whincop, and I quite often chat. He always jokes: ‘What one are you having next.”

“Then I bought another B10M T8 from an operator in Taunton. A 57-seater, it was cheap and I thought if it turned out to be no good I could strip it of usable parts that could be used on the other two. It drove well back from Taunton, but underneath was in poor condition so that’s what happened to it.

“My 53-seat Scania L94 Irizar came from Grahams of Kelvedon in August when it ceased trading – one owner from new in 1999. I had to spend £3,000 on a replacement fuel pump, but it’s still a good coach which is Euro IV London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) compliant and has air-conditioning. It’s the coach I send out first and the one that goes longer distances although, to be honest, I much prefer local work. Currently I am on the lookout for another coach. Maybe another Irizar?

“While OFT does my inspections, G&G Repairs near Little Finborough, affectionately known as Groomies, does all my maintenance and MOTs and I’d be lost without them. Safety is a priority and if that means I make no money and have to dig into my savings to make sure my vehicles are right, then that’s how it has to be.

“As well as filling in a defect sheet before leaving the yard, I and anyone who drives for me fills in a log book so I have an exact record of everything that vehicle has done. There’s a folder with insurance details as well as cleaning kits, tools and items such as spare light bulbs and seat belts.

“Sticky Moo of Ipswich vinyls my coaches. It does a grand job and it’s great helping another new business along. It’s slowly conquering the coach companies of Suffolk!”

Developing markets

“My first regular work was a school contract subbed from another local company,” said Dan. “The route then came up for tender. I put a bid in, but unfortunately didn’t win it. However, the company that won the contract rang me up before the route even started saying could I help it cover it for three to four weeks. I declined because of the cheek of it!

“Some operators will tell you that the school run is your ‘bread and butter,’ but I’m not so sure. I’ve had to adjust to not having one and so far, it’s working out well. There’s nothing coming up for renewal in this area until July anyway. I would like to think that I will get something, but I’ll have to see.

“I started doing my own day excursions almost straightaway because Jenny who I knew from my Squirrell’s bingo run ordered me to do it! Word of mouth recommendation brought me a lot of customers for that to start with although I was also flagging up what I was doing on the internet. I had my website professionally designed, which I think was a good investment. The first excursion was to Ely and carried 26. By the end of the year I was carrying close to 50 each time – almost a full coach.

“What I did to generate more interest was get involved in local groups. The Salvation Army’s Cameo group, for example, nipping into the groups at the Combs Community Centre where I would hand out information, and going to the Stowmarket United Reform Church coffee mornings on Thursdays.

“It was at that coffee morning I met Michelle Frost who had just started a Monday community group called the Jam Pot. She said come along, and I go whenever I can, playing games, helping out with various jobs and helping to pack up afterwards. I have the job of running the raffle and chocolate bingo because I’ve got the gift of the gab apparently. Last time we did one, it raised around £60-70 which goes back into the group. It’s doing things like that that has helped generate interest in my excursions. I also keep my local pick up route short and those that are picked up first in the morning are first off in the evening. That’s fair for everybody.

“It’s about being involved. The Jam Pot organised a free lunch in Stowmarket for the elderly, lonely and vulnerable on Christmas Day and I put on a coach for free to get them there. I also like to reward loyalty. If people are going to use me over and over, they get a slightly better price and that attracts them back.

“I’ve also organised open mornings where friends and family made cakes and we sell them for charity. Again, it’s helping the community and a way of publicising my trips. It’s such a competitive market out there. The work is not just going to come to me. I have to find my customers.”

Personal touch
“Mum says I am the company and she’s right. I do everything including all the organising. I do nearly all the driving because it has to be that way for now, but when people ring up, I don’t just ask them what they want. I ask them how they are and we have a chat. The personal touch goes a long way.

“Last year I put out a questionnaire on the coaches asking where people would like to go in 2019. What they told me was they wanted to go to places they wouldn’t normally be able to reach.

“The motto I have for my excursions is: ‘Have a laugh, make friends and have a lovely day out.’ While my brochure might just be printed sheets, I try and make it as fun and appealing as possible. What I’ve said about visiting the Dunwich Fish and Chip shop and Southwold in July is an example. ‘On arrival our orders will be taken and cooked to order. Once we have eaten, we will then go just a little further up the coast to Southwold, dropping off at the pier. Burn off your chips, have a go on the slots, have an ice cream! No skinny dipping allowed!’ One of my customers rang me to tell me how much she enjoyed reading that. Mum says it’s me putting my personal touch across.

“What I’ve also introduced this year is a loyalty scheme. I now issue tickets the size of a business card that say such and such a person has booked to go to wherever and the time they’re boarding. It says on the bottom, once they’ve collected four, return them and they’ll get £5 off their fifth trip.

“I’d like to try and encourage more young people and families on to the excursions. We went to Pleasurewood Hills between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth last year and a woman rang me beforehand to say it was her daughter’s 16th birthday. Instead of taking two or three cars, could they all come on the coach? I said that was fine and because there were seven of them, knocked a little bit off the price.

“If a family of four book, whether it’s two adults and two children or one adult and three children, one of the children goes free on the coach. You’ve got to try and help people’s pockets, especially the younger ones. It would be nice to attract a younger crowd onto the coach trips.”
Will to succeed

“Since last September I’ve been doing excursions, private hire and some rail replacement for Greater Anglia,” said Dan. “The team there are great to work with. One in particular knows quite a lot about the industry and I quite often pick his brains. It’s nice to have a relationship like that.

“That mix of work is probably how it will be for the year ahead. Private hire is already starting to trickle in for the summer because the schools are planning what they’re going to be doing in July. I want to get my coaches out as much as I can because come August, there are things I want to do to upgrade them. I want to have the Scania painted and re-trimmed, for example. It still has its original seats. My older customers love that coach because it kneels and is spacious inside.

“Of course there are days when everything seems to go wrong and I wonder why I started up. The £3,000 I had to spend on a replacement fuel pump has been the biggest upset so far. It’s money that could have gone on a better coach. Losing the school run was more of an annoyance, but I have no regrets deciding to do what I’ve done because I’ve got good people behind me and helping me.

“Mum knows nothing about coaches, but she knows a lot about the world and I think she can keep a rein on me. She sometimes clips my wings which is good especially when I’m thinking of buying another coach. My Dad, Mark is always there to give me a lift if I need one. My sister helps with the open mornings while my brother gives his moral support as well. Then there’s Richard who runs OFT and Eric and Philip who own the yard. They give me good advice and are always up for chat and a laugh.

“I think big companies can lose touch. We smaller operators look after each other. Perry’s of Woolpit is just up the road and runs mini coaches. Mike Perry passes his big work to me and I pass my little work to him. There’s no point trying to compete in the little bus market yet…

“Wherever I go in Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire or Norfolk, I know there are operators who will help me if I need it. Matthew Wright of Wrights Coaches of Hoveton, Jonathan at Peelings, Richard Squirrell, Chris Chaplin, Mike Perry, Mark at Whincop and Lorraine Lambert of Lambert’s Coaches of Beccles have all been a big help. Running coaches is still new to me, but if I want to pick someone’s brains, I know there are people I can ask.

“My customers have been very supportive as well. They have spread the word and I’ve lost count the number of times someone has told me I’ve been recommended to them. When I took Freeman Community Primary School at Stowupland out to the local museum I received a big wodge of thank you letters and pictures from all the children. That really tugged my heart.

“I do use some casual drivers – people I’ve got to know around the industry when a second coach needs to go out. I expect between them they have only done a few jobs, but I still took them out for a Christmas meal which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Little things like that go such a long way. I’m currently planning the summer BBQ! Drivers change companies quite a lot in this industry, but I think if they were appreciated more, that wouldn’t happen. You’ve got to look after people.

“It’s getting to the point where I need to think about employing someone else to drive and clean. What’s important is finding the right person, but I already have someone in mind.

“I don’t want to become so big as a business that I lose touch. I had one customer phoned me with some ideas for trips and wanted to discuss them. I drove up to his house and there we were – drinking tea and talking. It’s that personal involvement that makes the difference. I think with the personal touch and clean vehicles that are well maintained, you will go along way. I’m rather looking forward to seeing what this year brings!”

Gallery

[/wlm_ismember]