Putting Drivers and Operators together since 2007
INTRODUCTION:
Welcome to The Freelance Coach Drivers Team Limited, the UK’s largest premier coach driver agency dedicated to the passenger carrying industry. The brain child of Mr Del Haggerty was born following a forced redundancy back in 2007 when Del was laid off for the winter period; a time of year when many companies release freelance drivers to ease their financial burdens over the industry’s quietest period. “I was fed up of being laid off in the winter months and had started to look at incoming traffic via the holiday industry. I began as a driver with The Travellers Choice, based in Lancashire and asked, if I could start an agency, would they use it?” The response was positive and The Freelance Coach Drivers Team was born. With many years of experience as a driver, Del knew firsthand the pitfalls of ‘freelancing’ and industry’s views of freelance drivers; with this in mind he set upon his crusade to change the views of an entire industry to the freelance driver. His journey quickly joined the road to success, which led to The Freelance Coach Drivers Team becoming a limited company in 2008, with registered drivers topping the 350 barrier in 2012.
His business plan is working, in fact, not only are The Freelance Coach Driver Team Ltd. the largest specialists in coach drivers in the UK today, they were also awarded the coveted Lloyds TSB Commercial Award in 2011 for Smallest Business Expansion with the highest turnover, and are well on target for breaking the £1m for 2012. David Collins from Lloyds TSB Commercial added: “The Freelance Team is an excellent example of how a well run business in a niche market can expand quickly and successfully, even during a difficult economic period.”
WHY JOIN THE TEAM?
The Freelance Coach Drivers Team strives to bring good quality drivers and operators together which over the years has been a mountain in itself to climb. To join the team drivers must register first, which takes them through a rigorous application process including DVLA Driver Check, CRB Checking, Reference Checking, Identity Checking, and following their recent acquisition of Western Training Services Limited, training for Driver CPC’s as well. “It wasn’t always this hard to get on board, but we’ve most definitely graduated from the schools of hard knocks. Lots of drivers can talk the talk, but it’s a different story altogether when you get them to walk the walk. The industry is changing in many different ways, companies come and go – but the actions of a driver can send you down the river overnight. We’re determined to build the strength of our team and supply our customer base with good solid hard working drivers, who’ve been checked and can be relied upon; we’ve had to completely change things and to survive many drivers who were on the books, have been removed. You might fool me once, but you’ll never get a second chance.” This new hard line has proved popular with Dels customers too; boasting some of the biggest names in the touring industry such as The Travellers Choice, Redwing Coaches, Chiltern Travel, Bowens Group, JJ Kavanagh & Sons, Edinburgh Coachlines, DAC, Mainline Coaches, Llew Jones International, David Palmer, Hemmings Holidays and much more. To set up an Operator Account couldn’t be easier; and for drivers the process begins by registration.
GOWTH & EXPANSION
What Del started from his front room in Torquay, has expanded to a suite of offices in the prestigious industrial area of Marsh Barton in Exeter, Devon. “Growth is the natural progression from Success”, say Del and that success has seen him work with several companies which he then bought out to strengthen his platform in the market. A massive customer base in Scotland including Edinburgh Coachlines had him working with Scottish Independent Drivers (SID) which he eventually bought. His Scottish connections have grown so rapidly, it has led to the opening of their new Scottish offices inside the Edinburgh Coachlines Depot. “We’re constantly looking at ways to expand and Edinburgh was a natural move for us as a Company. We need to have a structure in place where drivers can report to us, customers can meet us and so on without the need of doing absolutely everything through email and social media websites. This was revealed following feedback from our drivers so although the progress may not be as quick as our drivers would like; progress is being made and we do listen to their views”
Another item on the minds of every driver in the country is the new legislation being forced upon them for Driver Certificates of Professional Competence. “Driver CPC is not going to go away. That is a fact and everyone may as well get used to it. We signed a £100,000 deal with Western Training Services last year to carry out all of our Driver CPC training and managed to be in the right place at the right time towards the end of last year to buy the company.” Del’s foresight in training has impressed many operators and gained national media attention with a full double page spread inside the industry’s Route One publication. “We’re now a registered and accredited training organisation with JAUPT, the Joint Approval Unit for Periodic Training for the Driver CPC, we’re also DSA (Driving Standards Agency) and Department of Transport registered for Driver Training in coaches and trucks, ADR training, along with a string of others. My advice to you is visit our website www.wts.co.uk for more information on that, I may own the company but I employ professionals who can give you all the right information you want on that subject. Coaches and drivers – that’s me, for everything on the training side, speak to Charlie or Dan.”
Del’s son Charlie Haggerty has been holding on tight since the roller coaster of drivers was released from the stops; working his way up through the ranks to the very respected position of Finance Director. Charlie (pictured above) has sat in many boardrooms from the tender age of eighteen and was even one of the youngest recorded fully fledged coach drivers in the UK. Charlie, who’s deeply involved in the operations of both The Freelance Coach Driver Team Ltd and WTS Limited is fully up to speed on the Driver CPC issues and has the cards to prove it.
THE COMPANY
The aims of the Company are to supply operators with the demand for high calibre experienced coach drivers. Drivers who have been through our registration process, which very importantly is reviewed regularly. This process includes DVLA licence checks and Driver Check registration, The Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced and Vetting & Barring Scheme checks, Reference Checks, and other application procedures. Our drivers are always smart, polite, customer friendly and everyone complies with the Employment Agency’s Act 1973. This new enforced standards with The Freelance Coach Drivers Team Ltd has resulted in an increase in business and industry recognition throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. So much so that for the first time in the history of the industry’s annual trade show ‘Coach and Bus Live’ – Freelance were given the opportunity to enter the show. For years driving agencies have been refused entry to the show, however, based on the fact that The Freelance Coach Drivers Team Ltd is the only specialist agency dedicated to the Coach Industry, they were invited to the trade show in 2011 and also to return for the European Show of the year, Eurobus 2012.
Another remarkable achievement and testimony to the value of
The Freelance Coach Drivers Team Ltd.
