Reliance (bus company)

Reliance
An Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC in York, operating service 19 in March 2023
Founded1930; 95 years ago (1930)
HeadquartersSutton-on-the-Forest, North Yorkshire
England
LocaleYork
Service areaNorth Yorkshire
Destinations
DirectorsGary and Hollie Newby[1][2]
Websitereliancebuses.co.uk

Reliance is a bus company that operates regional bus services in North Yorkshire, England.

History

The company was founded by Edward Sheriff in 1930. Initially, the company took over the York to Helmsley route from Ovington Motors using two ADC 416 vehicles and one AEC 426, with the company situated at a depot in Sutton-on-the-Forest, where the company still operates to this day.[3]

Edward Sheriff passed away in 1965, and the company was taken over by his daughter Carol and her husband Richard Shelton, who ran the company until 1980.[3] During their tenure, they updated the fleet with Bristol buses which were purchased from West Yorkshire Road Car Company as well as two brand new Seddon RU single-deck vehicles. However, due to reliability issues, they were replaced by Willowbrook bodied Bedfords five years later.[4]

In 1980, following 52 years of ownership from the Sheriff family, the company was sold to John and Maragret Duff. The livery was reverted back to its original cream and green colours from its original red during the company's tenure with the Sheltons.[3]

In 2013, following a successful bid for funding by City of York Council, the company was allocated £22,000 to install catalytic-reductive exhausts to two buses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[5][6] In 2020, the company received an additional £126,000. This funding included £72,000 to retrofit four buses and £54,000 towards the cost of three new environmentally friendly vehicles, in preparation of the forthcoming implementation of a Clean Air Zone in York city centre.[7][8]

In 2022, the company partnered with Ticketer, a ticket machine manufacturer, to develop a road restriction alert system. The system was designed to mitigate risks associated with low-clearance structures by utilising a national database of road restrictions, alerting drivers via their ticket machine when approaching height or width restricted structures such as low bridges and narrow archways.[9]

In October 2024, following a successful trial in 2023, the previously seasonal summer-only route 74 now runs throughout the winter months.[10][11][12]

In December 2024, the company announced that operation of all four of their routes (30, 31X, 40 and 74), as well as two school routes, will be taken over by Transdev York & Country from 19 January 2025.[13][14][15]

Services

The company runs four routes focused around the city of York:

Route From To Via Notes
30/30X York Bus interchange National Rail Thirsk Easingwold [3][16]
31X Kirkbymoorside
[17]
40 Crayke
[3][16]
74 Grassington
[11]

Fleet

Depots

As of December 2024, Reliance operates from a single depot in Sutton-on-the-Forest, North Yorkshire.[14]

Vehicles

The fleet consists of diesel-powered vehicles, such as those manufactured by Alexander Dennis (Enviro200 MMC),[18] and MCV (Evora).[19]

In February 2020, a Reliance double-decker bus hit a low rail bridge on Leeman Road in York and lost its roof. No injuries were reported, despite the driver of the bus being checked by paramedics on scene, and train services across the bridge resumed a few hours after the incident.[20]

References

  1. ^ Peat, Chris (9 December 2024). "Transdev acquiring Reliance buses and routes". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Bus service connecting York and North Yorkshire expanded". www.gazetteherald.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "FLEET IN FOCUS". BUSES Magazine. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Five rural independents from the west of York". BUSES Magazine. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Electric double-decker first for bus tour company". York Press. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  6. ^ "York is first British city to get electric bus makeover". YorkMix. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  7. ^ Dodd, George (18 January 2020). "Bus companies get £1.6m to go green". York Press. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  8. ^ Deakin, Tim (22 January 2020). "Five bus operators to benefit from York's 1.65m upgrade funds". Route One Magazine. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Reliance sees benefits from Ticketer Road Restriction Alerts". Route One Magazine. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  10. ^ Lomax, Claire (26 October 2023). "Improved winter DalesBus service from Otley". Wharfedale Observer. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Scenic bus route to continue from York this winter". York Press. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  12. ^ "DalesBus from Harrogate to continue for the Winter". Harrogate Informer. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Reliance Motor Services in routes and vehicles sale to Transdev". Route One Magazine. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b Peat, Chris (9 December 2024). "Transdev acquiring Reliance buses and routes". Bus & Coach Buyer. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  15. ^ "York bus routes which have run for 94 years bought out by company". York Press. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Reliance's three local commercial routes". BUSES Magazine. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  17. ^ Darley, Karen (29 May 2023). "Bus service connecting York and North Yorkshire expanded". Gazette & Herald. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Route trials pave the way for Reliance". routeone. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Reliance Motor Services takes Volvo MCV Evora pair". routeone. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  20. ^ Lewis, Haydn (6 February 2020). "PICTURES: Bus hits low bridge in York city centre - ripping roof off". The Press. York. Retrieved 23 December 2024.