First Group has acquired Gloucestershire-based KB Coaches, adding 30 vehicles to its growing UK and Ireland coach portfolio, and establishing a presence in the county.
Stonehouse-based KB Coaches employs 34 people and has a particular focus on home-to-school transport, alongside private hire and team travel for football clubs.
The acquisition expands First Bus’s coach operations into a new part of the UK, and adds further expertise in the home-to-school market as the group continues to develop its diversified coach portfolio.
Transport Manager, Tom Weaver, and Operations Manager, Dean Francis, will remain with the business, providing continuity for customers and colleagues, while owner Andy Francis will retire following the acquisition.
KB Coaches will continue to serve its existing customers, with current services, contracts and bookings continuing as normal.
The acquisition is the latest step in the expansion of First Group’s UK coach portfolio, which now comprises nearly 600 vehicles and employs more than 700 people across the UK and Ireland.
In recent years, FirstGroup has acquired established operators including Anderson Travel, Eagle Coaches, Hills Coaches, J&B Travel, Lakeside Group, Tetley’s Coaches, Wilfreda Beehive, Matthews and York Pullman.
Gareth Davies, Managing Director (Coaching) for First Bus, said: “It brings something new to our coach portfolio, both in terms of geography and the markets it serves, and gives us a strong platform from which to develop our presence in the region.
“A key part of our approach is preserving the local knowledge and relationships that make businesses like KB Coaches successful, while giving them access to the scale, expertise and investment of the wider First Bus business.”
