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FROM A SMALL COACH COMPANY TO ONE OF WEST WALES' LEADING TRAVEL PROVIDERS
Learn more about Bysiau Cwm Taf Valley Coaches and the steps we have taken to provide our customers with the ultimate service. Read on and see why we're associated with the Confederation of Passenger Transport and Federation of Small Businesses.
WHO WE ARE
Get to know more about our history
1990
From humble beginnings...
Bysiau Cwm Taf Valley Coaches Ltd was founded in 1990 by Clive & Heather Edwards with the help of the Princes Youth Trust and a loan from a family member. This was used to purchase the company's first coach, allowing us to obtain our first school contract. We started the coach company in a terraced house; there was no room to park a coach! So, a small piece of Whitland car park was rented from the council to be able to park coaches for the time being.
1994
The start of something amazing
In 1994, we moved the company to its current site, situated in a picture-postcard location, right on the border between Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire – just outside the town of Whitland in West Wales. Shortly after moving, the fleet had grown to three vehicles, and we decided the garage was too small for coaches. It was demolished and a two-bay workshop was built in its place. The new garage was ideal for us as we had just employed a new full-time fitter. The yard was also extended to accommodate the 53, 45 and a 21-seater in our fleet.
1997
Time for an upgrade!
1997 saw the purchase of our first new coach, newer vehicles were continued to be purchased to update the fleet on a regular basis.
1999
In 1999 a small tour program was started – this was the beginning of Taf Valley Holidays.
The beginning of the future
2015
Improving our offering
In 2015, the workshop was extended by the addition of a third bay with a 15-metre pit. A rolling road was installed in one of the existing bays, which is designed to accurately test the vehicle's brakes during every inspection. Still to this day, these inspections are carried out by our team of trained mechanics, scheduled and conducted on a four-weekly basis for coaches and a three-weekly basis for service buses (due to the intensity of service routes and daily mileage). Today, the three bay workshops are solely used to service our extensive range of coaches and buses using the latest technology and equipment.
2020
Three decades strong
2020 was a milestone for Bysiau Cwm Taf Valley Coaches Ltd, as we had been operating for 30 years. We broadened our horizons and opened a new depot in Pembroke Dock. This depot enables customers to book and pay for private hire, day tours and holidays. There is also the facility for customers to park their cars safely whilst going on our Taf Valley trips.
WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE NOW
As a leading coach hire provider for West Wales, we are constantly striving to bring our customers the very best products and services the industry has to offer. For this reason, all our coaches and buses are cleaned and prepared to the highest standard. The vehicles are washed every day, and a large cleaning bay is used to carry this out. We utilise an eco-friendly water recycling system as much as possible, which makes use of rainwater harvested from the workshop roof.
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From its small beginnings, our family business has grown from one single Duple Dominant 51-seater, to its now 40 strong fleet of vehicles. We now employ over 45 members of staff ranging from garage fitters and drivers to office staff. We have 24 school/college contracts and run 3 service routes, throughout Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. The private hire work has increased enormously, and the holiday program is ever growing, seeing us provide around 50 holidays per year. Coming up to date, we think we are where we want to be in size of business – big enough to cope and small enough to care.
OUR DRIVERS
All of our vehicles are driven by qualified, uniformed drivers. We ensure that all staff have annual CPC training and hold the now mandatory CPC qualification. The CPC qualification is nationally recognised, and we make sure that our drivers cover both First Aid and The Educational Safeguard of Children. The Driver's CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) is a government implemented qualification, in addition to their vocational driving licence. It is designed to continue a PCV Licence holder’s professional development which carries on throughout a professional bus, coach or lorry driver's career. The aims of Driver CPC:
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Improve the knowledge and skills of lorry, bus and coach drivers before they start driving professionally
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Develop their knowledge and skills throughout their working life
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Improve road safety through better qualified drivers
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Such areas as contributing to health and safety in your work environment, helping passengers with special needs and providing professional customer care, are all included. With this, amongst many other reasons, Bysiau Cwm Taf Valley Coaches will make your planned excursion extra special.
GET A QUOTE
We specialise in group travel, from school/college day trips and social groups to extended private tours. We are able to cater for any requirement you may have, so please call our experienced staff for your free private hire quotation. We will be more than happy to discuss your requirements and answer any questions you may have.