FirstGroup plc has announced an expansion of its coach operations in Aberdeen following the acquisition of local operator, J.D.Peace & Co Aberdeen Ltd.
The business, which is also known as Peace Coaches, currently operates a fleet of 20 vehicles, and provides home-to-school transport for local authority and independent school customers, alongside private hire and cruise ship shore excursions.
With the acquisition, Peace Coaches will join First Bus-owned King Coaches in an effort to strengthen the Group’s existing operations in Aberdeenshire. The business will be overseen by Neil Simpson, General Manager of King Coaches, and all existing services, contracts and bookings will continue as normal.
Comprised of almost 600 vehicles and over 700 employees, the acquisition also forms part of FirstGroup’s strategy to develop a diversified UK and Ireland coach portfolio.
Gareth Davies, Managing Director (Coaching) for First Bus, said:We already have a strong coach operation in Aberdeen through King Coaches, so bringing Peace Coaches into the business is a natural next step for us in the region.
Peace Coaches has an experienced team, an established customer base and strong expertise across school transport, private hire and cruise work. Together with King Coaches, that gives us an even stronger base from which to serve customers and develop our coach operations in the north east of Scotland.
Our immediate focus is on continuity. Peace Coaches customers will continue to receive the service they know, while the team will benefit from being part of a wider coach business with the resources and expertise to support future growth.
We’re very pleased to welcome the Peace Coaches team to First Bus.
