Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel
{{EngvarB|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
|name = Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel
|logo =
|logo_size =
|image = Johnsons PN09EMJ (8482217854).jpg
|image_size =
|image_caption = Optare Olympus bodied Scania N230UD in Birmingham in February 2013
|company_slogan =
|parent =
|founded = 1909
|key_people =
|headquarters = Henley-in-Arden
|locale =
|service_area = Gloucestershire
Warwickshire
West Midlands
|service_type = Coach operator
|alliance =
|routes =
|destinations =
|stops =
|hubs =
|stations =
|depots = 2
|lounge =
|fleet = 85
|ridership =
|fuel_type =
|ceo =
|website = [http://www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk/index.html www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk]}}
Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel is a bus and coach operator based in the Warwickshire town of Henley-in-Arden.
History
File:Johnsons Coaches YJ57 YCL.jpg in 2011]]
In 1909, Jack and Blanch Johnson purchased a carrier business with one carriage and two horses in Henley-in-Arden. In 1922, the first motorised bus was purchased. In the late 1970s, it began to operate coach tours, expanding with the purchase of the Fletchers Coaches business in 1989 and Arnold Shaw Coaches in 1993.[http://www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk/our-history.html Our History] Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel
In 2000, it diversified into bus service operations with services operated under contract to Warwickshire County Council. In January 2015, Whittles of Kidderminster was purchased from East Yorkshire Motor Services with nine coaches.[http://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/johnsons-acquire-whittles-coach-operation/ Johnsons to acquire Whittle's coach operation] Bus & Coach Buyer 18 December 2014[http://www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk/news-detail.php?NewsID=207 Johnsons New Owners of Whittles] Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel[http://www.route-one.net/industry/finance/henleys-johnsons-to-buy-whittles/ Henley's Johnsons to buy Whittles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529023154/http://www.route-one.net/industry/finance/henleys-johnsons-to-buy-whittles/ |date=29 May 2015 }} Route One 18 December 2014
Johnsons' Excelbus operations were sold to the Rotala Group in April 2022. The company's commercial and tendered bus services, as well as most drivers and their fleet of 18 buses, will become part of Rotala's Diamond West Midlands operation.{{cite web|url=https://www.route-one.net/news/johnsons-agrees-to-sell-excelbus-operation-to-rotala/ |title=Johnsons agrees to sell Excelbus operation to Rotala |work=RouteOne |date=29 April 2022 |accessdate=29 April 2022}}
Services
Until April 2022, when the sale of the Excelbus part of the bus business to Rotala was announced, Johnsons operated 24 routes in Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and the West Midlands.[http://www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk/bus-time-tables.html Bus Timetables] Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel{{Cite web |title=Johnson’s Excelbus – bustimes.org |url=https://bustimes.org/operators/johnsons-excelbus |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=bustimes.org}}
All former Johnsons Excelbus services were formally taken over by Rotala subsidiary Diamond Bus West Midlands on 29 May 2022,{{Cite web |title=Johnsons Welcome {{!}} Diamond Bus |url=https://www.diamondbuses.com/news/johnsons-welcome/ |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=www.diamondbuses.com |archive-date=29 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429074535/https://www.diamondbuses.com/news/johnsons-welcome/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-29 |title=Diamond to acquire Johnsons ExcelBus bus operations |url=https://wmbu.org.uk/2022/04/diamond-to-acquire-johnsons-excelbus-bus-operations/ |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=West Midlands Bus Users |language=en-GB}} although due to driver shortages a number of services were taken over earlier on 9 May 2022 .{{Cite web |date=2022-05-05 |title=Diamond to take over some Johnsons services from Monday 9th May 2022 |url=https://wmbu.org.uk/2022/05/diamond-to-take-over-some-johnsons-services-from-monday-9th-may-2022/ |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=West Midlands Bus Users |language=en-GB}} Most of the buses used by Johnsons have also moved across to Diamond Bus. Subsequently retendering has seen several services taken over by Stagecoach including service X20 which now runs from Stratford to Solihull but which Johnsons extended to Coventry along the separate 82 route, now also operated by Stagecoach.
Fleet
Johnsons operated a fleet of around 85 buses and coaches.[http://www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk/our-fleet.html Our Fleet] Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{commons category-inline}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150613234046/http://www.johnsonscoaches.co.uk/index.html Company website]
- [http://www.showbus.co.uk/gallery/wm/johnson.htm Showbus gallery]
{{Bus companies in West Midlands|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnsons Coach and Bus Travel}}
Category:Bus operators in the West Midlands (county)
Category:Coach operators in England