Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
City’s biggest bus firm celebrates 20 years on the road
BOSSES at Xplore Dundee are today celebrating 20 years of transformation since being taken over by National Express.
The firm first purchased Tayside Buses — which later became Travel Dundee — in February 1997.
After years of rebrands, the company settled on its current name in September 2015.
To celebrate the anniversary of the takeover, Deputy Lord Provost Christina Roberts and staff from Xplore Dundee will join managers Frank Sheach and Andy Shaw at Slessor Gardens to recreate a 1997 photograph marking the sale to National Express.
That picture featured Jack Henry from Tayside PTC and Phil White from National Express alongside then Lord Provost Mervyn Rolfe. Xplore Dundee managing director Elsie Turbyne (pictured below) has overseen many of the changes at the Dundee firm over the years. She said: “We are proud to be a part of the National Express family and delighted to mark 20 years of working alongside colleagues across Britain and the rest of the world. “We have seen a great many changes in that time — people have come and gone, vehicles have been bought and sold, and the city of Dundee looks very different indeed! “However, one thing has been consistent and will continue to be: we work hard to live up to the values of the National Express group by providing a safe, good value and high quality bus service to the people of this city and we will continue to do so throughout this anniversary year and beyond.”
Xplore Dundee’s first travel centre opened in Commercial Street in 2001 and three years later, the firm became the first operator in Scotland to operate a 100% low floor bus fleet to improve access for passengers.
Eleven years after its first rebrand, bosses decided to rename the firm National Express Dundee in line with its other bases across the UK before changing to Xplore Dundee as part of a £1 million revamp.
Dundee and Angus College students designed the colour-coded route with the livery of buses being changed from their original red to green.
The company remains a major employer in the city with around 360 members of staff as well as owning a fleet of around 130 buses and coaches.
Marc Winsland was born the same year the takeover took place.
He now assists with the commercial development of Xplore Dundee.
“I’ve only been with the company for 18 months but I know what a success the Xplore rebranding has been,” he said.
“We’re one of the biggest employers in the city and that’s certainly not lost on us. We are definitely a major part of the city.
“I remember my gran telling me when I was a baby that she used to struggle to get the pram up the bus stairs but it was a huge improvement when the low flooring was introduced.
“That was thanks to the investment from National Express so it has been hugely beneficial.”