7 Dec 2011 07:00
7 December 2011
STAGECOACH INVESTS £44M IN NEW VEHICLES FOR BUDGET COACH NETWORKS IN NORTH AMERICA AND UK
·; More than 100 state-of-the-art coaches ordered from Belgian manufacturer
·; 95 double-decker vehicles for United States/Canada and 11 for UK network
·; Coaches feature greener engines, toilets, wi-fi, power sockets, CCTV
Stagecoach Group announced today (7 December 2011) that it is investing around £44million in a fleet of new double-decker coaches for its expanding megabus.com operations in North America and the UK.
More than 100 state-of-the-art coaches have been ordered from Belgian manufacturer Van Hool for the market-leading budget travel service.
megabus.com offers daily, express coach travel from $1 in North America and for as low as £1 in the UK1.
The 13-metre coaches, which meet the latest Euro 5 emissions standards, will have 81 seats and are equipped with a toilet, power sockets, wi-fi and CCTV.
The order includes a £40million investment in 95 vehicles for the megabus.com network in the United States and Canada. More than 15 million passengers have travelled with megabus.com in North America and the investment follows the recent announcement of megabus.com's expansion to the southern United States.
Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Sir Brian Souter said: "The tough economy and rising fuel prices are having a real impact on household living standards and people are looking for ways to save money. megabus.com is the perfect solution to help make people's pound or dollar go further in these difficult times.
"Many of the people we are attracting, particularly in North America, used to travel by car, so the switch to greener coach travel is better for the planet. This latest investment will also mean we can continue to offer a high quality product as well as great value fares and meet the growing demand for low-cost travel in North America and the UK."
Low-cost coach services started running out of a new hub in Atlanta, Georgia, to 11 cities in the states of Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida from 16 November. The latest hub is operated under contract by Coach America, a major United States coach operator.
More than 500 new jobs have been created by megabus.com throughout North America and the successful brand now links 72 cities in the United States and Canada.
The new vehicles for North America will be delivered between January and summer 2012 and allow megabus.com to provide more capacity on its growing network.
A £4million fleet of 11 coaches have also been ordered for the megabus.com UK network, which now carries around 3 million passengers a year and links 60 locations across the country.
The coaches, which will be delivered between December 2011 and January 2012, will operate on operate on the London to Bristol, London to Cardiff and London- Sheffield-Leeds-Newcastle routes. They will replace 15-metre single deck vehicles currently used on most of these journeys.
Visit www.megabus.com for network, timetables, fares and service information in the UK and North America.
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact: Stagecoach Group Communications on 01738 442111 or email media@stagecoachgroup.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs 35,000 people and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services.
megabus.com
megabus.com carries around 3 million passengers a year in the UK, covering around 60 locations. In North America, megabus.com links 72 cities across the United States and Canada.
Megabus.com high-resolution and broadcast-quality content for download:
B-roll: http://www.hanser.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/megabus-dc-b-roll.wmv
Photos: http://www.hanser.com/2009/news/megabus-photos/
1 A 50p or 50c booking fee applies to all megabus.com bookings.