Newport Transport has taken delivery of the first of its new coaches to be used as part of its partnership with FlixBus from 7 August.
The Flixbus-branded Volvo 9700s will serve Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Bristol in daily journeys to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
According to the council-owned operator, the link-up with the fast-growing coach brand represents a major new era in its long history. Founded in 1901, the business is aiming to diversify, having recently introduced Yutong battery-electric coaches for private hire and day trips in south east Wales.
Morgan Stevens, Operations Director for Newport Transport, adds: “The arrival of the new FlixBus coaches marks a moment in the company’s history as a municipal bus operator. This is an exciting new venture, which will bring more growth opportunities for the business and therefore, more opportunities for our staff too.
“We are currently putting a new team of experienced coach drivers in place so that we can deliver a high-quality and professional Flixbus service. The team will work separately from our current private hire coach team providing consistency of service across the business.”
Newport Transport is actively recruiting new drivers thanks to the partnership.
Lee Ahern, Engineering Director at Newport Transport, adds: “The new Volvo 9700 coaches are powered by Euro VI engines, the highest standard to ensure minimal carbon emissions. They are also PSVAR-compliant, ensuring services are accessible to all passengers. Each vehicle will have 53 seats and are all equipped with individual USB chargers, a toilet and temperature control.”
Hayley Russell, Team Lead of Operations at FlixBus UK, adds: “We’re excited to welcome Newport Transport’s drivers onto the FlixBus network.
“As a company, we are close to the drivers working for our operator partners – we know they are the face of our business and we want them to feel a part of the FlixBus family. My operations team spends a lot of time in coach stations getting to know our driving team and thanking them for their part in our growth!”
