Dunn Motor Traction Ltd., trading as Yourbus, is a bus company based in Heanor, Derbyshire, UK. It was formed by Scott Dunn (former Managing Director of Dunn-Line, and eldest son of its founders Bob & Carol Dunn) in June 2009. It runs local buses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire from two depots, one at Heanor Gate Road, Heanor and the other at Ashvale Road, Tuxford.^[1]

Services launched on 29 May 2009 (free) and then 3 days later (fare paying) on service 81 (now Y81) from Nottingham to Bulwell then Hempshill Vale. A sister service (82) initially operated to Phoenix Park P&R, but was subsequently withdrawn. Both services were initially launched as a competitor to the Nottingham Tram, but subsequently such branding was withdrawn.^[2]

In October 2010 a new Y82 service was introduced. Service y81 operated every 30 minutes in an anti-clockwise direction with service y82 introduced to travel in a clockwise direction. Around the Bulwell Loop (Snape Wood/Hempshill Vale). When combined, these two services provided a 15 minute frequency to Bulwell, Hyson Green and then the City Centre. Some morning and evening journeys were numbered y81A and y82A to serve Blenheim Industrial Estate this provides a new link with Hyson Green to these industrial areas. It was announced on 3 December 2010 through the Notices and Proceedings that services Y81/A and Y82/A were to be and subsequently were axed in January 2011.

In February 2011 a Y100 Nottingham - Southwell - Newark (Peak time only) was operated briefly with the service being withdrawn 16 April 2011 following an increase in activity from the other operator along the route.

It was announced on the 1st December through the Route One Magazine that Dunn Motor Traction t/a yourbus will acquire the National Express operations which were operated by Veolia Transport. Ironically these were the operations that were once operated by Dunn Line. The coaches are expected to be housed at the Heanor Gate premises. More National Express work was acquired from the Durham operation in July 2011.

Also it has added more commercial and tendered services to its operations, most notably the Y36 which provides a direct on the road competitor to Nottingham City Transport's service 36. The Y36 was started as a limited daytime only service, but was expanded in May 2010 with the addition of a Sunday service. The Y36 continues to thrive and in October 2010 an Optare Tempo demonstrator was borrowed to evaluate its suitability on the route.

In September 2010 a number of school contracts (which came with the newly won 228/229 service) were started by the company. These are tendered by Nottinghamshire County Council.

Its Managing Director is Scott Dunn, part of the Dunn family who previously managed Dunn-Line prior to the sale to Veolia, who currently run various aspects of Rotala and Yourbus. Day to day Operations are overseen and Headed by Stephen Bryce who previously worked at Dunn-Line and Diamond Bus under Scott Dunn. Scott Dunn's father, Bob Dunn is also involved in the operations. Scott Dunn is now based at the Heanor premises full-time after leaving his Managing Director's post with Diamond Bus Company in July 2011.

The company, like other Dunn family operated companies, houses pages on Facebook and Twitter and has found these to be a successful marketing tool, especially advantageous in extreme weather and other difficult conditions, such as December 2010 when heavy snow caused chaos in and around the Matlock area of Derbyshire and Hucknall area of Nottinghamshire.

In June 2011 the very first brand new service buses entered service on the Y36 route, these being Mercedes Benz Citaro single deckers and are the first in the fleet to carry the new logos which are to become standard.

Routes [link]

Durham [link]

• 40 / 40A - Durham Cathedral - Durham Railway Station - Freemans Place

Derbyshire [link]

• 138 - Langley - Heanor - Loscoe - Denby - Kilburn - Belper
• 140 - Matlock - Cromford - Crich - Alfreton
• 141 - Matlock - Cromford - Heage - Ripley
• 142 - Heage - Belper - Crich - Alfreton
• 144 - Ambergate - Whatstandwell - Crich

Some journeys or part of journeys are supported by Derbyshire County Council

Nottingham City [link]

• Y36 Nottingham Victoria Centre - QMC - Beeston - Chilwell
• 228 Beeston Bus Station - QMC - Bulwell - Bestwood - Hucknall (Tendered by Nottinghamshire County Council)
• 229 Eastwood - Kimberley - QMC (Tendered by Nottinghamshire County Council)

Y36, 228 and 229 operate beyond city boundary, but are treated by Yourbus as city services.

^[3]

Nottinghamshire [link]

• 1 - Retford - Carr Hill School (Sch Only)
• 8 - Worksop Town Service
• 9 - Worksop - Mansfield via Warsop & Mansfield Woodhouse
• 24,26 - Retford Local Service
• 34 - Tuxford - Worksop
• 36 - Retford - Ollerton
• 38 - Retford - Tuxford
• 44 - Retford - Worksop
• 83 - Misterton - Worksop via Ranskill & Blyth
• 89 - Retford - East Drayton
• 90 - Retford - Tuxford
• 95 - Retford - Gainsborough
• 441 - Hucknall - Christ the King School (School days Only)

The above services are tendered by Nottinghamshire County Council

Fleet [link]

The company have a varied fleet, from ex-Probus Management and Diamond Bus Dennis Darts to ex-Arriva Derby Volvo Olympians.

• 13 Dennis Dart SLF, Plaxton Pointer 2 ex Diamond Bus Company (1001–1013)
• 3 Dennis Dart SPD, Plaxton Pointer 2 ex Lothian Buses (1101–1103)
• 5 Dennis Dart SPD, Plaxton Pointer 2 ex Thamesdown Transport (1104–1108)
• 5 Dennis Dart MPD, Plaxton Pointer 2 ex McKindless Transport, new to London United (1501–1505)
• 3 Optare Solo Electric, ex Veolia Transport June 2011 (1601–1603)
• 1 Optare Solo M750, ex Optare Demonstrator August 2011 (1604)
• 9 Mercedes Citaro, new in June 2011. Specially branded from Y36 service (3001-3008)
• 2 Volvo Olympian, Northern Counties Palatine 1 ex Arriva Midlands (2001–2002)
• 7 Dennis Trident 2, Plaxton President ex London General (2501–2507)
• 43 Volvo B9R, Ceatano Levante II new in Jan 2011 (4001-4016) June 2011 (4017 - 4028) and Jan 2012 (4029 - 4043)
• 10 Volvo B12B, Ceatano Levante, ex Veolia Transport June 2011 (4101-4110)
• 2 Scania K240, Ceatano Levante, ex Veolia Transport June 2011 (4201,4202)

Previous fleet [link]

The company in its short time has built up a smart fleet standardlising mainly on Dennis Darts. however the arrival of the new Mercedes Benz Citaro's in June 2011 allowed older members of the fleet to be withdrawn including the ex Thamesdown Darts 1104-1108 and Volvo Olymapians 2001-2002.

The fleet also, until July 2010, consisted of Wright-bodied Scanias which spent a loan period at Diamond Bus prior to arriving at Yourbus. These were originally branded for the 36 (Nottingham City) but was soon quickly debranded. In July, these buses were sold to Ensignbus of Purfleet for sale.^[4]

5 Volvo B10B Wright Endurances were operated by the company, but these have now all been withdrawn or moved on to Ensign bus.

As previously mentioned, an Optare Tempo was used as a demonstrator in October 2010.

Vehicle loans from Diamond Bus [link]

The company is notable for using various types of Dennis Darts with various liveries of West Midlands-based company Diamond Bus, these quite commonly being Red Diamond-liveried Wright Crusader-bodied Darts displaced from their Droitwich Spa depot. Also, Royale Black Diamond liveried 828, a Plaxton Centro, has made an appearance with Yourbus.

3 Plaxton Pointer 2 bodied Dennis Darts (former Diamond 456-8) spent a loan period in Red Diamond livery prior to their ultimate transfer to Yourbus.

References [link]

External links [link]

• Yourbus website
• Yourbus facebook
• yourbus Twitter

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