First buys York Pullman

[westyorkshirebus]

www.busandcoachbuyer.com/first-buys-york-pullman/

FirstGroup has signed an agreement to purchase York Pullman Bus Company.

York Pullman comprises five brands in the provision of bus and coach services. It has a strong presence in regional and business to business (B2B) operations in York and the surrounding area of North Yorkshire.

York Pullman is predominantly a provider of home-to-school and college contracted services and private hire operations including rail replacement. It also comprises a small number of local bus routes operated on behalf of several local authorities and which First believes are complementary to its operations in York.

The business has a mixed fleet of more than 130 vehicles with varying passenger capacity which has enabled it to build a broad range of customers.

The acquisition of the York Pullman business is expected to both enhance FirstGroup’s operational footprint in North Yorkshire and provide growth opportunities in adjacent markets and development of its private hire capability.

[stevieinselby]

This seems like a really odd move.
There is pretty much no overlap between the worlds of York Pullman and First York.

York Pullman
- a handful of minor subsidised village buses
- lots of school and college contracts
- Moorsbus and Dalesbus routes
- private hire coaches
- good working relationship with other independents

First York
- major city buses only, no rural routes at all and very few contracts (mostly add-ons to commercial services)
- no school or college buses as far as I can see
- they did one year of Dalesbus and that's it
- no private hire as far as I can see
- no evidence of working relationship with other operators

I can see the Pullman brand going downhill rapidly from here.

[kendall17]

Jan 26, 2024 12:36:45 GMT 1 stevieinselby said:

I can see the Pullman brand going downhill rapidly from here.

Like Ensign has?

[mattb7tl]

Jan 26, 2024 12:36:45 GMT 1 stevieinselby said:

This seems like a really odd move.
There is pretty much no overlap between the worlds of York Pullman and First York.

York Pullman
- a handful of minor subsidised village buses
- lots of school and college contracts
- Moorsbus and Dalesbus routes
- private hire coaches
- good working relationship with other independents

First York
- major city buses only, no rural routes at all and very few contracts (mostly add-ons to commercial services)
- no school or college buses as far as I can see
- they did one year of Dalesbus and that's it
- no private hire as far as I can see
- no evidence of working relationship with other operators

I can see the Pullman brand going downhill rapidly from here.

It seems like they are snapping up companies that have opportunities to profit from things other than normal bus services. Ensign, and their reselling of vehicles, and it seems a focus on coaches as seen in Aberdeen and Cornwall
If they've done what they have with Ensign, and let the company run relatively as normal without much interference, hopefully it shouldn't start to decline? 

[stevieinselby]

Jan 26, 2024 13:23:03 GMT 1 mattb7tl said:

It seems like they are snapping up companies that have opportunities to profit from things other than normal bus services. Ensign, and their reselling of vehicles, and it seems a focus on coaches as seen in Aberdeen and Cornwall
If they've done what they have with Ensign, and let the company run relatively as normal without much interference, hopefully it shouldn't start to decline?

Possibly. I'd forgotten they had bought Ensign and kept it running as a separate company. Given how they seem to be trying to distance many of their bus companies from the First brand, it probably makes sense that they are not trying to subsume it into an existing operation.

[SCH117X]

The Route One article does imply no visible change
www.route-one.net/news/york-pullman-bus-company-agrees-sale-to-firstgroup/

[stephen01]

Jan 26, 2024 13:23:03 GMT 1 mattb7tl said:

Jan 26, 2024 12:36:45 GMT 1 stevieinselby said:

This seems like a really odd move.
There is pretty much no overlap between the worlds of York Pullman and First York.

York Pullman
- a handful of minor subsidised village buses
- lots of school and college contracts
- Moorsbus and Dalesbus routes
- private hire coaches
- good working relationship with other independents

First York
- major city buses only, no rural routes at all and very few contracts (mostly add-ons to commercial services)
- no school or college buses as far as I can see
- they did one year of Dalesbus and that's it
- no private hire as far as I can see
- no evidence of working relationship with other operators

I can see the Pullman brand going downhill rapidly from here.

It seems like they are snapping up companies that have opportunities to profit from things other than normal bus services. Ensign, and their reselling of vehicles, and it seems a focus on coaches as seen in Aberdeen and Cornwall
If they've done what they have with Ensign, and let the company run relatively as normal without much interference, hopefully it shouldn't start to decline? 

been confirmed by YP today they are staying standalone.

[smithy]

All they what first will do Is provide engineering support for any brake downs in York etc and spare buses etc