A long-running bulls-for-hire scheme in the Scottish Highlands and Islands is coming to an end.
The service, managed by the Crofters Commission, has been supplying bulls to crofters in the area but, facing declining usage, it is soon to be wound up.
400 out of 13,000 crofters are currently using the animals, according to Environment Minister Mike Russell. The alternative will be for crofters to keep bulls themselves, but this will mean keeping them indoors over winter and paying for their increasingly expensive feed.
photo credit: pamzpix
photo credit: dichohecho
Hiring a coach or bus for your next event can work out as a cost effective way to transport your passengers. Not only will it save you time and money, it can also have less of an impact on the environment. For example a journey to Paris by coach will produce 10.6 kilos of carbon per passenger journey, compared to 52 kilos by air. A trip to Vienna consumes just 22 kilos by coach compared to 190.9 kilos when flying.
The first thing you need to consider when hiring a coach is what date you will be departing and returning, and at what times. This helps the coach hire company give you a complete quote taking into consideration driver’s hours and what breaks he or she will need to take.
The number of passengers you have has a significant effect on the price of coach hire. There is no point having a 49 seater coach when you only have 20 people (unless you have a very large amount of luggage). Full size coaches are designed with large luggage space, so it’s good to have an idea of how much luggage you will be bringing.
Now you have all the information, it’s time to go and get the quotes. The internet is the best way to find companies in your local area, the closer the operator is to your pick up point the cheaper it will be as the operator does not have waste fuel and time getting the pick up point. So head to your favourite search engine and search for “coach hire London” or whatever you local pick up point is and choose a company which meets your needs.
There are nationwide booking agents in the coach industry who offer a managed service for sourcing your coaches. These companies can offer excellent discounts due to their knowledge, experience and buying power in the market place. Generally they will offer you a number of quotes which are tailored to your requirements and let you choose which is best for you. These companies will then book the coach on your behalf and deal with all the payment and booking process which takes a lot of headaches out of coach hire, especially for those who are not familiar with the process of procuring a coach for hire.
Here are a few points to remember:
- Always make sure you get a booking confirmation
- Always read the terms and conditions
- Always double check the information given to you form the operator
- Make sure you have the driver’s mobile phone number before the date of travel
Author: Greg Dickson of EasyCoachHire.co.uk, providers of a fully-managed coach hire service.
