Helicopter hire website and brokerage system added to the Transport Broker Group

Diamond Aviation Helicopter

Diamond Aviation Helicopter

A helicopter hire brokerage system is the latest service to be launched by the growing Transport Broker Group. The news website (http://www.helicopterhire.net/) will join the company’s impressive portfolio of services which includes a specialised wedding car hire website, plus a coach hire and limo hire broker system.

The new venture will offer helicopter hire services all over the UK and will allow customers to compare a range of companies and their rates before making a decision. The same sophisticated brokerage system which is used successfully in the other businesses run by the Transport Broker Group will be adopted for use in helicopterhire.net.

Within the space of several years, the Transport Broker Group has successfully launched a number of high achieving companies. One of their biggest success stories is Limo Broker which is now one of the UK’s leading providers of chauffeur driven limo hire. Coach Broker is following in its footsteps and is growing month on month with expansion plans taking its hire service to new parts of the UK and Ireland.

helicopter hire logo

helicopter hire logo

The Transport Broker Group’s most recent project is a wedding car hire website which provides luxury chauffeur driven wedding vehicles for hire at an affordable rate across the country. With their expertise in the transport industry, this venture is really taking off and is looking forward to a busy wedding season in 2010.

With the introduction of the helicopter hire website, the company is adding yet another valuable string to its bow. The launch of the new service means the group is well on its way to achieving a complete transport hire service covering the widest range of vehicles possible.

For more details, please visit www.helicopterhire.net or www.TransportBroker.co.uk

Arriva Bus and Coach Ltd are proud sponsors of the Transport Broker Awards 2009

Arriva Bus and Coach Ltd sponsor the Transport Broker Awards 2009

Arriva Bus and Coach Ltd sponsor the Transport Broker Awards 2009

As one of the UK’s largest bus operator, the 2009 Transport Broker Awards is honoured to announce that Arriva Bus and Coach Ltd is sponsoring this year’s event. The awards are due to take place on December 13th at the Vale Hotel, Cardiff, with some of the biggest names in the transport industry scheduled to attend.

The awards ceremony will bring together bus, coach and minibus companies, small and large from all over the country to celebrate the end of what has been for many, a tough year. As well as an evening of indulgence with a champagne reception on offer upon arrival, a 3 course Christmas dinner and music and dancing to follow, there will also be an awards ceremony to reward the highest achievers of the last 12 months.

There are a number of categories for nomination including regional awards and nationwide awards. There’s also a category for small businesses which operate a fleet of one or two coaches, as well as a prize for the best up and coming company, plus the prestigious, Coach Provider of The Year award.

Arriva is currently one of the biggest transport providers in the whole of Europe and employees over 44,000 employees operating services across 12 European countries. Their generous sponsorship of the Transport Broker Awards 2009 is a welcome addition to the event with their success not doubt inspiring some of the businesses attending the awards ceremony.

Domino’s Pizza Pontyclun to celebrate launch with local coach tour pizza giveaway

Domino's Pizza

Domino's Pizza

Home delivery pizza giants, Domino’s Pizza, are launching their brand new franchise in Pontyclun, South Wales with a bang. Domino’s Pizza delivery and take-away Pontyclun has teamed up with Cardiff-based Coach hire company, Coach Broker, to offer local residents a free taste of what’s to come.

If you live or work in the Llantrisant area then keep your eyes peeled in the coming months. The latest Domino’s Pizza outlet in Pont-y-clun will be taking to the streets in a massive attention-grabbing double-decker bus adorned with the recognisable Domino’s trademark sign to give pizza fans a free taster.

Domino’s Pizza is one of the leading pizza home delivery companies in the world, so it is especially fitting the new outlet should choose to promote itself by taking its pizza out to the people directly. The double-decker Domino’s coach will be touring the Llantrisant, Talbot Green and Pontyclun area in the coming weeks as part of its promotional tour.

A specially commissioned luxury double-decker coach has been kitted out with giant vinyl graphics all along the outside of the vehicle to promote the new outlet launch in Llantrisant. The coach has also had professional kitchen equipment installed so that the touring bus can offer piping hot freebies to those who’d like to sample some of Domino’s finest pizza.

Please visit http://www.dominos.co.uk/ to order a pizza from a local store (Pontypridd, Bridgend, Cardiff etc).

For more details and updates about the opening of Llantrisant branch, please visit http://www.dominos-pontyclun.co.uk/ or join their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DominosPontyclun.

Double Celebration for Arriva at Scottish Transport Awards

Arriva is celebrating after its flagship airport service and one of its employees took top honours at this year’s Scottish Transport Awards.
The bus company picked up the ‘Best Bus Service’ award for its Glasgowflyer 500 service, which offer commuters a high frequency 24/7 service direct between Glasgow Airport and the city centre.
Jimmy McGrory, whose job as a service regulator ensures buses run on time, was also crowned ‘Frontline Employee of the Year’.  Jimmy, aged 55, from Erskine, has worked for Arriva for 28 years and was “over the
moon” to collect the award.
Ralph Roberts, director and general manager for Arriva Scotland West, said: “It’s great news that the hard work and dedication behind our Glasgowflyer has been recognised as being the best bus service in Scotland. A major factor of its success is the people behind the scenes who ensure the service is tip top day-in-day out.
“I’m very proud of Jimmy who’s an extremely popular member of the team at Arriva Scotland West and with our customers in Erskine and Glasgow. They rely on him to ensure their bus is on time and gets them where they
need to be, which he does admirably. He’s a real credit to the company.”
Jimmy said: “I was so happy to hear that I had been nominated for the award, but to actually win is the icing on the cake. It’s nice to be recognised for doing a job that I enjoy so much.”
The annual Scottish Transport Awards sees the best of the transport community get together to recognise and celebrate industry achievements across Scotland. This year’s winners were honoured on 29 October at a
ceremony in Glasgow.
Arriva were awarded with two awards

Arriva were awarded with two awards

Arriva is celebrating after its flagship airport service and one of its employees took top honours at this year’s Scottish Transport Awards.

The bus company picked up the ‘Best Bus Service’ award for its Glasgowflyer 500 service, which offer commuters a high frequency 24/7 service direct between Glasgow Airport and the city centre.

Jimmy McGrory, whose job as a service regulator ensures buses run on time, was also crowned ‘Frontline Employee of the Year’.  Jimmy, aged 55, from Erskine, has worked for Arriva for 28 years and was “over the moon” to collect the award.

Ralph Roberts, director and general manager for Arriva Scotland West, said: “It’s great news that the hard work and dedication behind our Glasgowflyer has been recognised as being the best bus service in Scotland. A major factor of its success is the people behind the scenes who ensure the service is tip top day-in-day out.

“I’m very proud of Jimmy who’s an extremely popular member of the team at Arriva Scotland West and with our customers in Erskine and Glasgow. They rely on him to ensure their bus is on time and gets them where they need to be, which he does admirably. He’s a real credit to the company.”

Jimmy said: “I was so happy to hear that I had been nominated for the award, but to actually win is the icing on the cake. It’s nice to be recognised for doing a job that I enjoy so much.”

The annual Scottish Transport Awards sees the best of the transport community get together to recognise and celebrate industry achievements across Scotland. This year’s winners were honoured on 29 October at a ceremony in Glasgow.

Related industry awards: Transport Broker Awards.

Cardiff based company Coach Broker power ahead with expansion plans

Coach Broker expansion plans

Cardiff based company Coach Broker has been gaining significant ground in the coach travel industry this year thanks to some shrewd business manoeuvres. After buying out a rival company’s websites and launching a successful news site dedicated to the transport industry, the burgeoning business is now relocating to larger offices to house its growing workforce.

The transport provider operates a nationwide service offering coach and minibus travel all over the UK at the most competitive price. The success of the company hinges on an ability to utilise sophisticated internet based marketing tools which ensures that Coach Broker ranks highly on all major search engines. Following a hefty investment of £250,000 to acquire over 60 websites from a rival Bristol based Coach Company this summer, Coach Broker has further strengthened its grip on the transport market and has seen a massive increase in the number of traffic visiting its websites, and a subsequent increase in bookings.

In just over a year the Coach Broker workforce has almost doubled, which is especially impressive given the current economic climate. The company has recently confirmed that they will be taking over another floor of office space in the same building where they currently operate in Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff Bay. As well as extra sales staff, Coach Broker has also had to expand its web development team, with more web developers and content writers employed to cope with the mounting workload.

The Managing Director of Coach Broker, Tej Randeva, who also runs the successful luxury transport provider Limo Broker from the same offices, says the expansion plans are coming on leaps and bounds as the company gears up for their move to the new offices. Coach Broker is still running its recruitment scheme to take on more sales, customer service and accounts staff as business continues to boom for the bus and coach firm.

Cost of London bus travel set to rise

Transport for London set to introduce price increases for bus fares

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced that travel costs in the capital will rise from January of next year. Bus and tube travel will see a sharp rise in the price of fares as part of the announced plans. The increase in ticket costs is needed to help make-up a gaping hole in Transport for London’s (TFL) funding budget.

From January 2010 the price of a single bus fare for oyster pay-as-you-go customers will increase by 20p to £1.20. The cost of a 7-day bus pass will jump from £13.80 to £16.60. On average bus fares are expected to see a 12.7% price increase.

Commuter groups and unions have condemned the news. They were angered further by the announcement that many of the planned improvement projects across London’s transport system will be delayed.

Boris Johnson conceded that the travel price increase is badly timed but is a necessary measure to ensure the future of TFL. The transport organisation currently has a £1.7 billion deficit on its funding budget for the next 3 years. He said “No one wants to make an announcement like this, especially when Londoners are feeling the effects of the recession.” The mayor blamed the current economic climate and the mistakes of his predecessor, Ken Livingstone, for the need to raise the cost of travel in London.

National Express provides Veterans with free coach hire to London for D-Day commemoration

Coach operator lays on complimentray coach travel for war heroes

Coach operator lays on complimentray coach travel for war heroes

Coach operator National Express generously laid on free coach travel for 700 World War ll Veterans last Sunday to transport the war heroes to London to partake in the D-Day landings commemoration. They Veterans joined the Prime Minister Gordon Brown and defence secretary Bob Ainsworth for the ceremony held at Westminster Abbey.

Over 700 members of the Normandy Veterans Association were transported using the fleet of specially charted coaches. The majority of the Veterans are over 80 years of age and so the direct and free coach service to London enabled many of them to make the trip, who otherwise may have struggled to attend the service. Coaches were dispatched from 20 different locations across the UK including Birmingham, Liverpool, Leicester and Southport.

It was particularly important that as many of the Veterans as possible made the trip to Westminster for the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day landings as it was expected to be the last time the men would be able to collect as a group to commemorate the important historical event.

The honorary general secretary of the Normandy Veteran Association, Peter L Hodge said “The special coach services mean members can travel comfortably to Westminster Abbey as a group without worrying about travel expenses or connections. The Association does not receive public funding, so it makes an enormous difference to get travel for free.”

Rugby Union Autumn Internationals approach

Rugby Union returns to the Millenium stadium soon

The home internationals return to Wales soon

With the Rugby Union Autumn Internationals on the horizon and thousands of fans from the home teams, and those who’ve travelled half way across the world to support their side descend upon the UK, coach hire companies are noting an increase in the number of booking for November during the tournament. Teams from New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and Samoa will be jetting into the UK to take on the best of our international sides.

Top class rugby action will be taking place up and down the country during the month long tournament which kicks off on November 7th. With matches being played in England’s home ground of Twickenham, Wales’s Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Ireland’s Croke Park in Dublin and Scotland’s Murrayfield in Edinburgh many rugby fans will be embarking on some serious travelling.

Wales’ clash with rugby heavyweights, New Zealand’s All Blacks sold out in record time. Late year the fans at this event were treated to an electrifying start to the game as the Welsh team stared down the opposition refusing to move after the All Blacks had performed the Haka. This year tickets for the match on the first Saturday of the tournament are being exchanged for large sums of money on the internet, as expectations are high for another intense face off.

With matches take place on every Saturday throughout November Rugby fans will have plenty to keep them occupied. How the home teams perform during the Autumn Internationals are thought to give a good indication of how they’ll fair during the 6 Nations Championship which takes place early next year so each team will be looking to prove themselves.

‘Tis the season for office christmas parties

Christmas parties are getting better every year

Christmas parties are getting better every year

Love them or hate them, chances are you’re going to be invited to one this festive season. However things are definitely looking up for the humble office Christmas party, gone are the days of a bottle of cheap sherry, a dry mince pie and some dubious photocopying techniques. Now company bosses are looking for alternative and actually, enjoyable ways to reward their employees at the end of a busy year.

Despite the credit crunch, people are still willing to spend money on enjoying themselves. If anything, companies want to thank their staff after putting up with the various cut backs and pay freezes which have been afflicting many organisations over the past 12 months by throwing an alternative do. From Roller Discos in London’s Vauxhall to Masquerade Balls in Manchester’s Salford Quays and booze cruises around Cardiff Bay, wherever you are and whatever your taste, you’re bound to find a unique way of celebrating Christmas this year.

For all you foodies out there, why not dine at celebrity chef Marco Pierre White’s Knightsbridge restaurant? If you want to really let your hair down whilst you eat, book a table at a comedy club such as the Glee Club in Cardiff where you’ll be treated to a meal, drinks and top class entertainment from some of the funniest comedians on the UK circuit.

Many coach and minibus hire firms offer special deals around Christmas time help ease the burden of the cost of travel to your chosen party destination. Another popular alternative to the conventional Christmas party is to organise a team bonding day full of outdoor activities. Coach hire is available for those looking to transport a large group for a trip to an outdoor pursuits centre for an action packed day. Try your hand at archery, clay pigeon shooting, coasteering, rock climbing, paintballing, kayaking, quad biking, or horse riding for a Christmas outing with a difference.

With so many exciting options available to you there’s no excuse for having a dull do this Christmas

England prepare for Wednesday’s clash with Belarus

England intend to continue their good form

England intend to continue their good form

For what will be the final game of the World Cup qualifying season England host Belarus at home in Wembley Stadium next Wednesday October 14th. With England’s current winning streak showing no signs of faltering, football fans from all of over the country are expected to descend upon the capital next week.

With an impressive 14 goals in 4 games under their belt, England can hold their heads high and look to the World Cup with confidence. It’s a far cry from their performance two years ago when they struggled to qualify for Euro 2008. In fact England have enjoyed an easy ride on their quest to qualify for the South African World Cup next year, sailing through their initial matches and producing some top quality performances.

Now only a whisker away from confirming their place in the starting line up for next year’s World Cup, England are hoping to pull off another convincing win against Belarus. At their previous meeting earlier in the tournament England trounced Belarus 3-1 in front of their home crowd in Minsk. Wayne Rooney was the golden boy of the match putting two goals passed the Belarus goalie. Fellow scouser Steven Gerrard added to the victory by contributing one further goal.

However, Belarus have a secret weapon at their disposal which could make life difficult for the home side. Their star player Alexender Hleb is a world class footballer and during his successful career has played for top sides Barcelona and Arsenal. 

Having said this, England are hot favourites to come out on top and pull off another winning performance in Wembley next Wednesday. Coach and minibus hire companies have reported a surge of bookings to Wembley Stadium ahead of the match as fans get fully behind the England squad.