[C]umbrian bus and coach company Reays has appointed two newcomers to its management team as the successful family-run firm continues to expand.
Steve Crossley, 49, becomes operations director with Reays, having previously been South West delivery director for Royal Mail in Plymouth where he was in charge of 1,600 vehicles, 3,500 staff and a budget of more than £100 million.
Joining him at Reays’ Wigton headquarters is Andy Darvill, 33, who is the new operations manager, having held a similar role for a smaller coach company in the North East.
Managing director Chris Reay said: “We are absolutely delighted to have brought in Steve and Andy to the company. Their experience and expertise fits in perfectly with our future plans as we look to grow the business further.”
Reays runs one of the largest fleets of private hire coaches in the north of England as well as the award-winning City Hopper public bus network in Carlisle. The independent firm, which was set up by Chris’s father Walter in 1985, also operates the staff park-and-ride facility at Sellafield and its own holiday business. Reays’ contracted clients include Premier League Burnley FC and international travel companies Kuoni and E-voyages.
Steve, who comes from Staveley near Kendal, had worked for Royal Mail for 27 years before joining Reays. He will head up Reays’ operations across all services, with his role also including compliance.
He said: “I wanted a change in career and a new challenge closer to home and when this opportunity came up, I chatted to Chris about the success the company has had to date and how he wants to build on that. What comes across is the passion right through the length and breadth of Reays to deliver a fantastic service to all our customers.”
Andy’s role involves managing the company’s day-to-day bus and coach operations and dealing with allocations and vigilance of regulatory compliance.
“To work for what I consider to be such a ‘shiny’ operator as Reays has been an ambition of mine for a long time,” said Andy, who will be moving to Cumbria with his partner and three young children this summer.
“Reays’ vehicles always look so pristine and perfect when you see them on the road and they have such a good reputation for the quality of their vehicles in the bus and coach industry all over the country,” he added.
