Maynes Coaches is a family-owned business that has traded successfully since 1947, employing over 80 employees and having a fleet of around 45 vehicles, with regular fleet investments every year. In the current social and political environment, they are aware that everyone is under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and do their bit for the environment.

Maynes Coaches joined the ECO Stars scheme in 2013. They achieved a highly creditable rating of 4 stars at their first assessment and have retained that rating by acting on the recommendations of the ECO Stars fleet expert.

The process

Maynes Coaches supplied a full fleet listing to the ECO Stars field consultant. The consultant followed up with an on-site visit to discuss fleet and fuel management practices and to complete the application form. Each individual vehicle was assessed along with the overall fleet management operation. The result was a four-star rating which was an excellent achievement and reflected their proactive approach to achieving operational efficiency. As part of the ECO Stars process, once the assessment has been completed, a ‘Road Map’ is produced, which highlights key actions that could be considered.

Reassessment and future plans

The latest ECO Stars reassessment in 2023 confirmed Maynes Coaches continued 4-star status. Since joining the ECO Stars scheme in 2013, they have been actively working to reduce their carbon emissions throughout their entire fleet. One of the ways in which they manage to do this is by keeping as energy efficient as possible by subjecting their fleet to regular maintenance from their in-house engineers to ensure potential faults are eliminated. Keeping the vehicles well-maintained also increases fuel consumption efficiency.

Since their last ‘Road Map’, all vehicles are compliant with the strictest tier of emissions categorisation, and their fleet is fully Euro 6. The coaches also have comprehensive vehicle tracking and telematics systems that allow them to monitor any unnecessary idling and give a full carbon impact report for every journey. They also utilise this information during their in-house training sessions to optimise driver performance and ensure that they are upholding their responsibility of lowering their emissions.

They have also selected Tom Tom Webfleet to track their vehicles in real-time, reduce fuel costs and improve driver efficiency. In the coach, their drivers benefit from top-of-the-range satellite navigation, with drivers given advice on driving style to improve efficiency and a smooth driving. The system identifies routes appropriate for the size of the vehicle and will calculate or re-route vehicles using TomTom HD Traffic information. The system also monitors driver behaviour, acceleration, braking and several other parameters, giving information to the driver, allowing them to drive the vehicle in the most efficient way, and producing reports on vehicle fuel consumption, the time the vehicle has spent idling and CO2 emissions. The system also has full camera integration allowing them to view the journey live in their office as well as give alerts due to drivers driving style or any time a pre-set parameter is exceeded.

A cohesive collaboration of technology has allowed Maynes Coaches to become more efficient and eco-conscious.

Kevin Mayne, Maynes Coaches Operations Director, was delighted to find that their 4-star rating had been retained. They are also a member of ‘Green Tourism’ and are continually working with partners to ensure that their fleet is as eco-efficient as possible.

Interested?

It couldn’t be easier!

To join ECO Stars, call: 01344 770700

email ecostarsTRL@trl.co.uk