Passengers change everything
A broken-down lorry is a problem for the load and the schedule. A broken-down coach or minibus is a problem for every person on board. That changes how we approach the job: getting passengers safe and on their way comes first, and the repair plan is built around it.
If a coach or minibus stops, ring 01332 916028 and tell us how many passengers are on board and where the vehicle is. We will advise on keeping everyone safe while we come out, and repair at the roadside wherever that is safe and possible. See 24/7 emergency breakdown and recovery.
Servicing and maintenance
Coaches and minibuses go up on the same lifts as our HGVs at the workshop in Melbourne, near Derby. We service them to the manufacturer's schedule and look after the systems that keep them reliable: brakes and air, steering and suspension, electrics and lighting, heating and cooling, and the drivetrain. See servicing and planned maintenance.
Inspections and the annual test
Passenger vehicles face the same expectation as goods vehicles: regular safety inspections and a vehicle ready for its annual test. We carry out safety inspections and MOT preparation for coaches and minibuses, with brake performance checked every time and defects fixed and recorded before sign-off.
The repairs we see most
- brake and air system faults, including the air system faults that cause so much downtime
- electrical and lighting faults, which matter all the more before winter
- engine warnings and derates, found with proper diagnostics
- clutch and gearbox problems
- cooling system faults (see coolant system faults)
- steering and suspension wear (see steering and suspension checks)
One team for mixed fleets
Plenty of operators run coaches or minibuses alongside vans and trucks. A fleet maintenance contract brings the whole lot under one schedule and one team, with the same technicians on the 24/7 line who know your vehicles from the workshop.
Keeping passengers safe while you wait
If a coach or minibus breaks down on the road, the driver's first job is the passengers:
- get the vehicle as far from moving traffic as possible, hazards on
- on a motorway, get passengers out on the side away from traffic and behind the barrier, unless it is safer to stay on board
- keep everyone together and away from the carriageway
- ring us on 01332 916028 with the location, the number of passengers and what the vehicle is doing
- let your office know, so onward travel can be arranged if needed
We will talk the driver through the options while our technician is on the way.
Heating, demisting and the colder months
For passenger vehicles, a heater or demister fault is a comfort problem and a safety one: windscreens that won't clear are a visibility hazard, and DVSA treats a driver's view seriously. Getting heating and ventilation checked before winter, alongside lights and batteries, saves a lot of cold-morning breakdowns. It is part of our servicing.
Busy seasons
Coach and minibus operators have their busy periods, and that is the worst time for a vehicle to be off the road. Planning servicing and inspections around your quieter weeks means vehicles are ready when the work is there. We will fit planned work around your diary wherever we can.
Booking work
Ring 01332 916028 or use the form below with the vehicle, its registration and when it is due. The workshop is open for planned work Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 17:00, and the breakdown line is answered 24 hours a day.
