RHA helps to get coaches back on the road to recovery

1st March 2021

Monday 1 March sees the launch of the latest addition to the RHA’s portfolio of services to the UK commercial vehicle sector, RHA Coaches.

Commenting, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “Last year, following research among the wider commercial market, it became clear that the ‘Road Haulage Association’ brand actually limited our ability to speak for different sectors. The perception was that we only represented road haulage operators. We’re now in the process of phasing out the words Road Haulage Association replacing them with the simpler RHA and carrying the strapline, ‘Driving business on the roads’. This represents a much broader field and a wider range of businesses”.

At the end of 2020 the RHA was approached by operators from the coach sector. They too had been hit hard by the virus with cancellations, social distancing and reduced demand from events and tourism resulting in 90% of the UK fleet parked up. They were concerned that they didn’t have a strong voice, that they were not being represented and they were frustrated. We were approached by a number of coach operators asking if the RHA would be willing to try and build their credibility and influence with Government, and would we be interested in taking it forward?

Concluding, Richard Burnett said: “There are many synergies and similarities between coach and truck operators. Both are heavily regulated, both have similar issues and challenges, and both have been hit by COVID. That’s why the time is right for the RHA to support a commercial sector that desperately needs our help.”

For more information, go to https://coaches.rha.uk.net/