FirstGroup strengthens Aberdeen coach business with acquisition of J.D. Peace & Co Aberdeen Ltd.

The business operates a fleet of 20 vehicles, providing home-to-school transport for local authority and independent school customers, alongside private hire and cruise ship shore excursions.

Peace Coaches joins First Bus-owned King Coaches, strengthening the Group’s existing presence in Aberdeenshire and bringing together two established local businesses with complementary operations and customer bases.

The business will be overseen by Neil Simpson, General Manager of King Coaches. Existing services, contracts and bookings will continue as normal, with the focus on providing continuity for customers and colleagues while exploring opportunities created by the two businesses working more closely together.

The acquisition forms part of FirstGroup’s strategy to develop a diversified UK and Ireland coach portfolio, which now comprises approaching 600 vehicles and employs more than 700 people.

Gareth Davies, Managing Director (Coaching) for First Bus, said: “We already have a strong coach operation in Aberdeen through King Coaches, so bringing Peace Coaches into the business is a natural next step for us in the region.

“Peace Coaches has an experienced team, an established customer base and strong expertise across school transport, private hire and cruise work. Together with King Coaches, that gives us an even stronger base from which to serve customers and develop our coach operations in the north east of Scotland.

“Our immediate focus is on continuity. Peace Coaches customers will continue to receive the service they know, while the team will benefit from being part of a wider coach business with the resources and expertise to support future growth.

“We’re very pleased to welcome the Peace Coaches team to First Bus.”

Neil Simpson, General Manager at King Coaches, said: “Peace Coaches is a well-established Aberdeenshire business with an experienced team and strong relationships with its customers.

“King Coaches and Peace Coaches have complementary strengths, and I’m looking forward to working with the team and building on the excellent service they already provide.

“For customers, it will be very much business as usual, while over time we’ll look at how the two businesses can work together and make the most of the opportunities that creates.”