Who created Stagecoach? Why is it called Stagecoach?

Stagecoach is a Scottish transport group based in Perth, Scotland. It operates buses, express coaches, and tram services in the United Kingdom.

The company was formed out of the deregulation of the British express coach market in the early 1980s, though its roots can be traced back to 1976 when Ann Gloag and her husband Robin Gloag set up a small recreational vehicle and minibus hire business called Gloagtrotter in Perth, Scotland.

In 1982, Robin Gloag sold his ownership stake in the business and ceased any involvement through his divorce from Ann.

Stagecoach became very big between 1981 and 1985 when the company entered local bus operation with the acquisition of McLennan of Spitalfield, near Perth.

In 1997, it won the franchise to operate the Sheffield Supertram system, from the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, who own the system.

Stagecoach bought the remaining 27 years of a 30-year franchise, which expires in 2024, and run the operation under the Stagecoach Supertram brand.

On November 21, 2005, the company announced the sale of its New Zealand operations to Infratil.

In October 2010, Stagecoach expanded by re-acquiring East London and Selkent, Stagecoach’s former London bus operations.

Stagecoach was disqualified from participating in three rail franchise competitions by the Department for Transport after it submitted non-compliant bids for the East Midlands, South Eastern, and West Coast Partnership franchises in April 2019.

In June 2022, Stagecoach purchased London bus operator Tower Transit’s Lea Interchange garage.

Who created Stagecoach?

Sir Brian Souter and his sister, Dame Ann Gloag are the founders of the company.

Why is it called Stagecoach?

It is called stagecoach because it travels in segments or “stages” of 10 to 15 miles.