1ST BUS STOP LTD

What 1ST BUS STOP LTD does

1st Bus Stop Ltd is a privately held UK passenger transport operator headquartered at The Coachyard, Wharf Road, Gravesend, Kent, founded in 1995. The company runs a mixed fleet of double-decker buses (65–73 seats), executive coaches (49–53 seats), and 16-seat minibuses to serve four distinct demand types: tendered school transport contracts across Kent and Dartford, scheduled public bus services on 20+ numbered routes, private coach and minibus hire for groups and corporate clients, and rail-replacement or breakdown cover. Its competitive positioning rests on safety credentials that pre-date regulation — fleet-wide three-point inertia-rebel seatbelts (98% of coaches), full CCTV, PSVAR accessibility compliance held since 2008, Euro 6 / LEZ-compliant Mercedes-Benz BlueTec engines, and an on-site MOT testing workshop — together with a preferred-partner relationship with Leeds Castle and recurring tender awards from local authorities.

The business operates on four revenue streams with materially different economics. Public bus fares are capped at £3 under the UK Government's Bus Fare Cap scheme, accepting margin compression for volume and government subsidy. Private coach, bus and minibus hire is quotation-based with deposit and 14-day pre-departure balance terms, supported by a quote-request website and a single phone line (01474 326 777). School transport is won via competitive tendering — four new routes (407, 418R, 489, 695) launch in September 2025 alongside existing DW1 grammar-school service and D1/D2/D3 Dartford routes — providing contract-locked managed-service revenue. Rail replacement and breakdown services add professional-services volume on demand. Distribution is direct-to-customer with no resellers; marketing is concentrated on the company website, Instagram, industry events (Southeast Bus Festival, Euro Bus Expo), and PR via the company's news blog. The company is family-led, with Managing Director Mitchell Thurbin and Director/General Manager John Thurbin at the top alongside an Operations Manager, Workshop Director, and a recently appointed Driver Development & Safety Manager. Ownership is private with no disclosed institutional investors, venture funding, or M&A activity.

Name

1ST BUS STOP LTD

Legal name

1st Bus Stop Ltd

Website

https://1stbusstop.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1st Bus Stop Ltd is a privately held Gravesend, Kent-based bus, coach and minibus operator running 20+ public routes, tendered school contracts, and private hire services across Kent, Essex and London with a modern Euro 6 / PSVAR-compliant fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Transportation Services

NAICS

Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (4852), School and Employee Bus Transportation (485410)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural & Small-Town Intercity Scheduled Bus Operators (THAIADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

School & Public Transit Contract Bus Operators (TLAFAGAE)

Keywords

• Public bus services
• Coach hire services
• School transport contracts
• Minibus hire services
• Airport transfer services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gravesend

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Bus Services: Flat fare public bus services across Kent and surrounding areas. Revenue from single journey fares (£3 with government fare cap), day passes, and concessionary travel passes including Kent Travel Saver and 16+ Travel Saver.
2. Private Coach & Bus Hire: Hire of coaches, buses, and minibuses for private events including school trips, corporate travel, sporting events, airport transfers, and tour operator services. Quotation-based pricing with deposits and balance payments.
3. School Transport Contracts: Tendered school bus routes providing daily student transportation to grammar schools and secondary schools across Kent and Dartford areas.
4. Rail Replacement Services: Breakdown and rail replacement transport services ensuring passengers reach destinations during service disruptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

1ST BUS STOP LTD operates a fleet of double-decker buses (65-73 seats), executive coaches (49-53 seats), and 16-seat minibuses providing private hire, public bus routes, school transport contracts, corporate travel, airport transfers, tour operator services, and rail replacement services across Kent, Essex, and London. The company participates in the UK Government £3 Bus Fare Cap scheme and offers cashless contactless payments on board. It also tenders for and operates dedicated school bus routes and PSVAR-compliant accessible transport services.

Product overview

1st Bus Stop is a private bus, coach, and minibus company offering a comprehensive suite of transportation services. The core offerings include Bus Hire (65-72 seat double-decker buses), Coach Hire (49-53 seat executive coaches), and Minibus Hire (16-seat minibuses). These are complemented by a public Bus Routes network across Kent and surrounding areas, along with specialized services including Private Hire, School Transport, Corporate Travel, Airport Transfers, and Tour Operator Services. The company participates in the UK's £3 Bus Fare Cap scheme and accepts contactless payments, Kent Travel Saver passes, and concessionary travel passes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bus Hire Double-decker bus hire service offering 65 and 72 seater vehicles for large group transportation, equipped with seat belts, PSVAR compliance, and CCTV; available for schools, corporate clients, and private events.
• Coach Hire Executive coach hire service with 49 and 53 seater vehicles equipped with air conditioning, overhead storage, toilets, and intercom systems, powered by BlueTec® Euro 6 compliant Mercedes-Benz engines.
• Minibus Hire 16-seater minibus hire service with DVD player, reclining seats, seatbelts, and GPS tracking for smaller groups seeking comfortable transportation.
• Public Bus Routes Public bus service network covering Kent and surrounding areas including routes 3, 4, 34, 111, 407, 418R, 423, 489, 695, D2, DW1, Dart 1, Dart 2, Dart 3, Meopham 1, NAG1, NAG2, and VIG01 connecting towns, villages, and schools.
• Tickets & Fares Cashless flat fare ticketing system with £3 single journey cap under UK Government Bus Fare Cap Grant Scheme, accepting contactless payments, mobile payments (Apple Pay/Google Pay), day passes, and Kent Travel Saver passes for students and concessionary passholders.
• Private Hire Customized transportation for any occasion including weddings, corporate events, school trips, sporting events, and group travel, with 20% discount for bookings with 20+ passengers on weekdays.
• School Transport Contracts Dedicated school transportation service providing safe, reliable transport for large groups with professional drivers, including home-to-school routes and tendered contracts for grammar schools and secondary schools.
• Corporate Travel Business transportation tailored to corporate needs with professional drivers and premium vehicles for corporate events, staff travel, and business travel.
• Airport Transfers Airport transportation service providing safe and elegant transport for groups of various sizes to and from airports.
• Rail Replacement and Breakdown Services Emergency and rail replacement transportation service ensuring passengers reach their destinations during service disruptions, with quick response times for breakdowns.
• Tour Operator Services Transportation for group outings including sightseeing tours and excursions, with expert guides and comfortable vehicles for leisure destinations such as Leeds Castle.

Quantifiable outcome

• Safe transportation for 75+ students on school trips
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Leeds CastleflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner1st Bus Stop has been selected as an official preferred coach hire partner for Leeds Castle, one of Kent's premier tourist destinations. This partnership positions the company as the recommended transportation provider for visitors traveling to Leeds Castle, likely including shuttle services, group tours, and special event transportation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reays Coaches: North West England family-owned coach operator providing school transport, private hire, and corporate travel. Comparable business model (multi-generational family ownership, school tendering, private hire, event transport) though operating in a different UK region.
• Lucketts Travel: South Hampshire private coach and bus operator with school contracts, private hire, and tour services. Comparable in business model (family-owned coach operator tendering for school routes and serving private hire), though operating in a different South East sub-region.
• Chalkwell Coach Hire: Long-established South East England coach and bus operator offering private hire, school transport, and corporate travel. Comparable on private-hire coach model, school contract tendering, and regional South East footprint.
• The Kings Ferry: Kent-based private coach and bus operator serving school contracts, private hire, and corporate travel in the South East. Closely comparable by geography (Kent), customer mix (schools, corporate, events), and fleet offering (executive coaches and double-deckers).

Broad incumbents

• Arriva Southern Counties: Subsidiary of Arriva operating local bus services across Kent, Essex, and Greater London. Comparable because it competes for the same tendered local bus and school routes, though at substantially larger scale and with a broader network.
• Stagecoach South East: Major UK regional bus operator with strong presence in Kent and the wider South East. Competes for tendered routes and operates scheduled local services in overlapping geographies.

Peers

• National Express (UK bus and coach):

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/1stbusstoplimited
• Facebookfacebook.com/1stbusstoplimited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 1ST BUS STOP LTD