Ashby-de-la-Zouch lost its passenger railway station in 1964, so people travelling to and from the town do it by road. Hourly direct buses link it with Burton upon Trent, Coalville, Leicester, Swadlincote and East Midlands Airport, and the airport itself is 9 miles to the north-east, reached by following the A42 to the M1 at junction 23A. Add school runs, day trips and private hire, and there are plenty of coaches and minibuses working these roads with people on board. When one of them stops, the job is no longer just a repair.
Passengers first
If a coach or minibus breaks down near Ashby, ring 01332 916028 and tell us where it is and how many passengers are with it. On the A42, a dual carriageway with fast traffic, the usual advice is to get passengers out on the side away from the traffic and behind the barrier, unless staying on board is safer, and to keep everyone together and well clear of the carriageway. On the A511 or in the town, getting the vehicle out of the flow with hazards on comes first. Let your office know early so onward travel can be arranged if it is needed. We talk the driver through the options while our technician is on the way, and repair at the roadside whenever that is safe and possible.
In the workshop
Coaches, double-deckers and minibuses go up on the same lifts as the HGVs at our workshop in Melbourne, which is within 10 miles of Ashby. They are serviced to the manufacturer's schedule, with attention on the systems passengers depend on without noticing: brakes and air, steering and suspension, electrics and lighting, heating and cooling, and the drivetrain. Safety inspections and preparation for the annual test follow the same standard as our goods-vehicle work, with brake performance checked every time and defects fixed and recorded before sign-off.
A heater or demister that has given up is more than an uncomfortable ride. A windscreen that won't clear on an early airport run is a visibility problem, and DVSA treats the driver's view seriously. Having heating and ventilation checked before the colder months, along with lights and batteries, heads off a good many winter call-outs.
Passenger operators have weeks when every vehicle is needed and weeks when some are parked. Tell us which are which, and we will book servicing and inspections into the quiet spells so the fleet is ready when the bookings come. If you also run vans or trucks, a fleet maintenance contract can put the whole lot under one team. Planned work runs Monday to Friday, 07:30 to 17:00; the breakdown line never closes.
