ECT Charity

What ECT Charity does

ECT Charity (legally Ealing Community Transport) is a UK-registered charity and company limited by guarantee, founded in 1979 in Ealing, West London and now operating across Dorset and Ealing. The organisation provides community transport services — door-to-door PlusBus services connecting rural villages and people with mobility difficulties, group transport minibuses for charities and schools, home-to-school transport for children with SEND, adult day centre transport, London Dial-a-Ride on behalf of Transport for London, local bus routes, and PlusBus for Health (an NHS-commissioned GP access service). In addition to passenger transport, ECT delivers nationally-recognised training programmes (MiDAS and PATS) and operates a MiDAS Driver Assessor Training Centre, and licenses the CT Social Value Toolkit to other UK community transport operators.

Revenue is generated primarily through commissioned contracts with public sector bodies (London Borough of Ealing, Dorset Council, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council, NHS North West London Integrated Care Board, and Transport for London), supplemented by passenger fares, training fees (e.g., £40 for the MiDAS CTA online module), and turnover-tiered annual licences for the Social Value Toolkit (£50-£200). The charity is governed by a Board of Trustees and Senior Management Team, led by CEO Stuart Sheldon, with operational delivery through two depots in Greenford (Middlesex) and Blandford Forum (Dorset). ECT employs 51-100 staff and reports approximately 360,000 passenger trips per year across its two operating geographies, having previously divested its recycling and rail businesses to refocus on community transport.

Name

ECT Charity

Legal name

Ealing Community Transport

Website

https://ectcharity.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ECT Charity is a UK nonprofit providing community transport services in Dorset and Ealing, West London — including PlusBus door-to-door services, home-to-school and day centre transport, London Dial-a-Ride, MiDAS/PATS training, and a licensed CT Social Value Toolkit — primarily under contracts with local councils, the NHS, and Transport for London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Transport Services

NAICS

Special Needs Transportation (485991), School and Employee Bus Transportation (485410), Other Support Activities for Transportation (4889)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700), Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Accessible Airport Shuttle & Special-Needs Transport (THAIAFAJ)

Keywords

• Community transport services
• Door-to-door transport
• Minibus driver training
• Social value measurement
• Passenger transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Middlesex

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contracted Public Sector Services: ECT Charity generates primary revenue through contracts with local authorities, NHS/Clinical Commissioning Groups, and Transport for London to provide community transport services. These include home-to-school transport, adult day centre transport, London Dial-a-Ride services, local bus routes, and PlusBus for Health services.
2. Passenger Fares: Revenue from passenger fares on PlusBus and community transport services. Pricing varies by service area - £9 return in Dorset, £10 return in Ealing after initial free journeys. Some services accept National Bus Passes.
3. Training Services: Revenue from providing MiDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) and PATS (Passenger Assistant Training Scheme) training. Includes fees for online modules (£40 for CTA module), practical assessments, and Driver Assessor certification courses.
4. Social Value Toolkit Licensing: ECT Charity licenses its CT Social Value Toolkit to other community transport organisations. Annual licence fees based on turnover band: £50 (under £250k), £100 (£250k-£999k), £200 (£1m+).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ECT Charity operates community transport services across Dorset and Ealing, West London. The charity provides door-to-door PlusBus services for individuals unable to use mainstream public transport, Group Transport minibuses for community organisations, commissioned home-to-school and day centre transport for local authorities and NHS bodies, and nationally-recognised MiDAS and PATS driver and passenger assistant training.

Product overview

ECT Charity operates community transport services across Dorset and Ealing, West London. The core offering includes PlusBus door-to-door transport services for individuals unable to use mainstream public transport, Group Transport minibuses for community organisations, and commissioned services including local buses, home-to-school transport, and Adult Day Centre transport. ECT also provides training services (MiDAS, PATS, and MiDAS Driver Assessor certification) and offers the CT Social Value Toolkit as a licensed product for other community transport operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PlusBus: Door-to-door transport service for people unable to use mainstream public transport due to mobility or other difficulties.
• Dorset Community Transport (DCT)
• PlusBus for Health
• London Dial-a-Ride

Quantifiable outcome

• almost 360,000 passenger trips per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Transport for LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECT Charity operates London Dial-a-Ride routes on behalf of TfL in Ealing and neighbouring boroughs. TfL provides funding and handles administration for the service, while ECT delivers door-to-door transport for people who find it difficult to use public transport.
• Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group (now North West London Integrated Care Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned PlusBus for Health service since 2014. Service helps patients travel between homes and GP surgeries, aiming to reduce GP house calls and missed appointments.
• London Borough of EalingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned provider of home-to-school transport for children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities, and adult day centre transport services.
• Dorset CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary commissioner for community transport services in Dorset including PlusBus, local bus routes, and home-to-school transport. Supports service through National Bus Pass acceptance and project funding for new routes.
• Community Transport Association (CTA UK)coreTechnology or IntegrationECT Charity is a MiDAS Driver Assessor Training Centre, delivering the nationally-recognised Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme on behalf of CTA. Also delivers PATS training using CTA framework.
• Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioner of home-to-school transport services in the Dorset area alongside Dorset Council.
• Age UK EalingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation working with ECT in the Ealing community transport ecosystem.
• Dementia ConcernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation providing services to people living with dementia in Ealing, working with ECT for transport provision.
• Ealing MencapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay centre partner providing transport services through ECT for adults with learning and other disabilities.
• The Michael Flanders CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay centre partner supporting people living with dementia, using ECT transport services.
• The Three Rivers PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Gillingham Community Shuttle Bus trial alongside Dorset Council.
• Social Enterprise UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry body for social enterprises. ECT Charity holds Social Enterprise Mark accreditation.
• Disability ConfidentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment scheme accreditation demonstrating commitment to disability equality in employment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Arriva UK: Large UK bus and train operator with significant contracted local authority and accessible transport work. Compares on contract-bus operations and PSV regulation, though with a commercial rather than charitable focus.
• FirstGroup: Major UK and North American bus and rail operator, including school and accessible transport contracts. Comparable on contract-bus exposure but serves a much broader commercial footprint.
• Go-Ahead Group: Large UK public transport operator (bus and rail) including accessible services. Overlaps with ECT on community and accessible transport but operates commercially at national scale.
• Stagecoach Group: Major UK bus operator with regional and rural routes that overlap with ECT's PlusBus geography. Operates at substantially larger commercial scale with similar regulatory exposure.

Direct peers

• HCT Group: UK's largest community transport charity, providing accessible transport, social services and training across multiple regions. Directly comparable to ECT in mission, customer base and operating model.

Others

• Community Transport Association UK: Sector membership body for community transport operators, of which ECT is a member and accredited MiDAS training partner. Provides the national policy and training framework ECT operates within.
• Whizz-Kidz: UK charity providing wheelchairs and accessible services for disabled children. Comparable charitable mission and overlap with ECT's SEND and disability customer segments.
• Motability Foundation: Charitable funder supporting inclusive transport, including the original funding for ECT's Social Value Toolkit. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ECT_Charity
• Facebookfacebook.com/ECTCharity
• Instagraminstagram.com/ectcharity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ECT Charity