Starting Up

In spite of the large number of small operators who have left the industry over the last four or five years, low start up costs and easy entry still make the bus industry an attractive option for those who have a mind to give it a go. And there are enough operators who’ve made it to the semi-big time to testify to the rewards, even if there are more who have been taken over or simply gone to the wall.

A redundant National Express West Midlands manager Mick Singh and his son-in-law Mel Kang have between them established 12-vehicle AMPM Travel of Acocks Green, strategically placed between Birmingham & Solihull. From next week, they plan to operate new six-day-a-week commercial service 6 (Birmingham-Hall Green-Solihull).

What seems relatively unusual about AM-PM is, first, the uniformity of its Pointer Dart fleet (all of which are SLFs and all of which AM PM can crow are London LEZ compliant, being ex-Metroline). Being P-, R- and V-reg, they’re not new by any means but, usually, start-ups have an eclectic mix of types, sizes and shapes (and even liveries).

AMPM also has an attractive livery. Though this won’t be to everyone’s taste, it uses modern colours to good effect and, importantly, it stands out from the NXWM crowd. In many respects, it’s more innovative than either the old Travel West Midlands or new NXWM liveries.

The decent branding’s completed by a well thought out contemporary logo and even a strapline.

AMPM’s spent some time in getting the preliminaries right. Will it find matters harder when on the road? After improvements from 25 January 2009, NXWM operates its 6 at about double the proposed AMPM frequency. NXWM’s 37 (also Birmingham-Solihull), which touches AMPM’s 6 at Sparbrook, now operates at every five.

i Picture courtesy West Midlands Buses in Photographs (used with permission)

c Meanwhile, following news that National Express may not only sell its London bus operation to Comfort DelGro and has recently sold its Dot2Dot airport transfer business, comes speculation in yesterday's Transit magazine that NatEx may be forced to sell what Transit called "non-core businesses" Travel Dundee and The King's Ferry. This follows a bidding war in 2007 for Spain's Continental Auto resulting in a high bid price. There's even a suggestion that Spaniards at Continental & Alsa may take a controlling interest.