The Derbyshire couple behind price comparison website Coach Hire Comparison say recent rail strikes have been a boost for the business.
James and Laura Stokes founded the tech company in 2010 and have grown it to the point where it is used by around 130 independent coach and minibus operators across England, Scotland and Wales.
The business, based in Shirland, near Alfreton, allows people to input their details and get a response with the best coach and minibus quotes.
Most of the operators are owner-managed with a small number of vehicles – ranging from eight-seater minibuses to double decker coaches.
The couple are now eyeing expansion into Europe and said annual bookings are on track to reach £5.3 million for the first time, up from £3.4 million last year.
They said the site has provided 90,000 quotes so far this financial year, compared with a usual annual average of 60,000.
James said the success was fuelled by the introduction of new features on the site as well as continued growth in coach travel, most recently due to rail strikes.
They have also been helped by the ongoing post-Covid resurgence in demand for everything from airport transfers to school outings, corporate bookings, stag and hen trips and travel to and from music festivals and sporting events.
More recently, they have seen a positive impact from a new partnership with Gauntlet Insurance, which is attracting new operators to the site.
James said Coach Hire Comparison was now in discussions with other companies about similar partnerships.
He said: “We have seen a marked upsurge in quotes and bookings each time rail strikes have been announced, and especially for last-minute requests when train services have been cancelled at short notice.
“As a result, people have stuck with coach travel, especially while there remains uncertainty about rail services.
“During the past year we have added new features to our system, which have boosted conversion rates once quotes have been provided.
“We have begun pushing out quotes to operators outside of the areas directly mentioned in the routes requested, and this has had a tremendous impact on bookings as it has created greater competition and has therefore brought benefits to customers.
“Our enhanced Away from Base service has also been well-received. It enables operators to utilise their vehicles during a stay at a destination while awaiting the return journey by advertising their availability while they are there.
“The robust coach travel market, combined with user-friendly improvements to our website, has meant operators listed on Coach Hire Comparison are often run off their feet.
“A significant number of operators up and down the country have had to increase the size of their fleets to cater for the increase in demand they’ve seen over the past 12 months.
“These positive developments give us enormous confidence for the future and we are now looking to take the business to the next level, with potential expansion into European travel being looked at along with company contracts for transporting their staff and more complex sporting and other event bookings.
“We also continue to invest in our technology to enhance the customer experience and bring even more success for the operators with whom we work.”
