A SCOTTISH coach hire company has upgraded its fleet to meet rising consumer demand, after receiving seven-figure bank backing.

Bruce Coaches, based in Salsburgh, saw the number of tourists and workers using its routes decline sharply during Covid. However, it began to see customers return during the second half of 2021 as lockdown restrictions eased and people were allowed to travel again.

Since then, the business, which provides coaches for National Express routes from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Birmingham and London, has seen a 50 per cent increase in bookings for the next 12 months.


The Herald:


To meet the increase in demand, Bruce Coaches has secured a seven-figure asset finance facility from Bank of Scotland, enabling the firm to purchase five new 57-seater coaches.

John Bruce, director, said: “The new Levante buses are fitted with a host of high-quality features, including leather seats and LCD screens. We wouldn’t have been able to acquire the vehicles without Bank of Scotland, who have supported us as a business for over 30 years."

The firm has an annual turnover of £5 million and employs 45 people. As part of its current growth plans, Bruce Coaches hopes to further renew its fleet next year with six new coaches.