Johnsons agrees to sell its bus operations to Rotala
Johnsons Coaches has agreed to sell its Excelbus operation to Rotala subsidiary, Diamond Bus in a deal which includes 18 buses and other assets and is expected to be concluded by the end of May. Johnsons will continue to operate 45 coaches and employ 180 staff and aims to maintain its strong position in the coach tourism market.
All of Johnsons Excelbus commercial and tendered work is included, with most drivers and some operating staff becoming part of the Diamond Bus West Midlands operation, working from Diamond’s existing depot at Redditch. The buses will be rebranded into the Diamond Bus livery.
Peter Johnson, operations director, Johnsons, says: “As we look forward and consider the challenges of meeting the needs of air quality and environmental issues, through electric, and then hydrogen-powered vehicles, we have decided that we must now focus on building our coach business in terms of holidays, day trips, private coach hire and school services.”
John Johnson, commercial director, adds: “We are proud to continue to offer the high-quality coach services Johnsons is known for. As an industry leader and multi-award winner we are committed to growing our coach business for the long term, and we look forward to continuing to provide a great quality and friendly service for our customers.”