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Stephensons of Essex

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Stephensons of Essex
File:Stephensons of Essex logo.PNG
A Stephensons coach, previously run on the London Link Express services.
Founded1975
HeadquartersRiverside Industrial Estate, South Street, Rochford, SS4 1BS
Service areaEssex
Service typeBus
Routes72
Fleet89
Annual ridership1.5 million[1]
Fuel typeDiesel
Managing DirectorBill Hiron[2]
WebsiteOfficial website

Stephensons of Essex is a privately owned bus company based in south Essex, in England, operating local bus and contract services in the same areas as Arriva Southend, Ensignbus, First Essex, NIBS, and Regal Busways. It also runs private hire coaches, and has a bus and coach dealership and sales service. It is one of the largest independent bus operators in Essex[1][2] and employs over 40 full and part-time staff.[3]

History

Stephensons was founded in Rochford in 1975, and has since expanded by gaining contracts for bus routes.[1] In 2005, the company won the contract to operate the Dengie Connections services from Arriva Southend, which it will run for five years from 1 April 2007 at a cost of £407,300 per year.[4] In 2008 it won the contract to run the Withamlink services 38 and 39. Stephensons have introduced an SMS Text Messaging service for their school bus services which provides updates on delays and cancellations.[5]

Bus fleet

Stephensons currently has a fleet of 59 vehicles, mostly painted in their white and light green livery, but with a few in Asda and Tesco liveries which run the free bus services to these supermarkets. The fleet consists of 35 single-deckers, 50 double-deckers, and 4 coaches.[6] A fleet of four new low-floor, 24-seat, 7.8m Optare Solo Slimlines were purchased in April 2007[7] to replace the Mercedes-Benz Sprinters used by Arriva on the Dengie Connections services. Two more new low-floor, 28-seat, 8.8m Optare Solo Slimlines were purchased in October 2008 to run the Withamlink routes 38 and 39 under contract to Essex County Council.[8]

Single-deckers

Double-deckers

Coaches

Fuel theft

Stephensons has been the victim of diesel fuel theft from their bus depot on the Riverside Industrial Estate in Rochford on at least two occasions. On 20 April 2008, two thieves pumped 3,500 litres of fuel from a diesel supply tank into containers in the back of a Ford Luton van, but were disturbed by a patrol and escaped, abandoning the van and the fuel in a park playground behind the depot.[9] On June 24, 2009, thieves siphoned diesel from the fuel tanks of Stephensons coaches and loaded it into a Ford Luton and a Ford Transit van.[10] On both occasions Stephensons offered a reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of the thieves.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Stephensons of Essex. "Stephensons of Essex Website - About us". Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  2. ^ a b c David Rowlands (August 8, 2008). "Optare: Latest News: Press Releases: Optare Olympus enters service with Stephensons". Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  3. ^ "Belmont International - Transport Risk Management Case study: Stephensons of Essex". November 26, 2007. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  4. ^ "Essex County Council Highways and Transportation - Executive Decision - Dengie Peninsula Passenger Transport Network" (PDF). 2007. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  5. ^ Stephensons of Essex (February 16, 2009). "Stephensons of Essex Website - Travel for schools". Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  6. ^ Stephensons of Essex (April 29, 2013). "Stephensons of Essex Bus Enthusiast's Page - Operational Fleet" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  7. ^ "Mistral Group - 'Stephensons take four new Solos'". April 12, 2007. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  8. ^ "Mistral Group - 'New Solos for Stephensons of Essex'". October 14, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  9. ^ "Echo News: 'Fuel thieves caught red-handed'". April 21, 2008. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  10. ^ Christine Sexton (June 30, 2009). "Echo News: 'Thieves siphon 7,000 litres of diesel from coach yard'". Retrieved 2009-07-29.
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