The winners of our awards for coach operation will deliver consistently excellent customer service. The operators will demonstrate their success through sustained effort.

They will show that they:

• are financially sound
• maintain high operational and engineering standards
• give priority to the Health and Safety of staff and passengers through comprehensive risk management
• invest in their fleet and staff
• form effective partnerships
• identify with and respond to the communities they serve
• always strive to sustain and grow the market for coaches and coach services.

There are three categories, based on fleet size (see below for the definitions). From the winners of these three awards, the judges will decide on an overall winner, who will be UK Coach Operator of the Year. This page describes the result of that competition.

Results 2019

Winner, Gold Award: Horseman Coaches

Reading based Horseman Coaches was incorporated in 1977 with a £100 deposit on a mini-coach. Then in 1984, it acquired acquired Smiths of Reading to become the largest privately owned fleet in the south of England, peaking at 125 vehicles. Horseman has since consolidated, reducing its fleet to 60 vehicles, while increasing its profit margin. The company employs 61 full time staff and has 18 part-time employees. Horseman operates highly specified coaches on a variety of work types including home-to-school contracts, corporate shuttle services, private charter, UK and European tours and transport for members of royal families visiting or residing in the UK.

A family business punching above it's weight, and in a very close-run contest with the other two finalists, Horseman takes the gold for its professionalism.

Winner, Silver Award: Williams Coaches

Williams Coaches operates 32 coaches from a purpose built depot in Brecon on the borders of mid and south Wales. It employs 34 staff and has over 60 years experience of providing top quality coach travel, priding itself as being one of the leading coach operators in Wales. Throughout its history, Williams has always been committed to reinvesting profits and maintaining positive relationships with staff and customers, embracing industry advances and achieving the highest standards. The company works closely with the local authority providing transport for schools, the highways department and even 4x4 vehicles transporting nurses and carers during periods of heavy snow.

A solid submission that ticked every box and just missed taking the overall gold, the judges were very impressed with this entry. Williams is a family owned business that takes a great deal of pride in what they do and that values all its employees.

Winner, Bronze Award: Allenby Coach Hire

Surrey based Allenby Coach Hire is a second generation family run company specialising in the 16-35 seat mini-coach market. The company has a strong customer ethos built around its three core values of being reliable, presentable and friendly. These values, which are delivered daily by its team, are recognised in its online review rating of 4.92 out of five, meaning that 99% of the customers who reviewed Allenby would recommend it. The company is a founding member of the government's Earned Recognition Scheme, a new way to prove you meet driver and vehicle standards launched last year. As members of the scheme, Allenby has to regularly share performance information with the DVSA. In return, its vehicles are less likely to be stopped for inspections. The fleet is regularly updated and all Allemby's coaches are Euro VI compliant.

In a tightly fought contest, narrowly beaten to become the overall bronze winner, the judges were full of praise for Allenby, which they described as being solid, innovative and consistent as well as punching well above its weight as a small operator.