CUSTOMER STORY / BARKER BUS
Barker Bus: From One Minibus to a Modern Coach Operation
How a family-run operator with more than 35 years in passenger transport moved from spreadsheets to Savari TMS and is now taking the next step with WMS.
Barker Bus at Poole Stadium.
35+ years
In passenger transport
16–87 seats
Minibuses, coaches and double-deckers
TMS + WMS
Using TMS. Recently signed up to WMS.
It started with one minibus.
Barker Bus has been building its business for more than 35 years. The story began around 1988, when Peter Barker and his mother, Shirley, started the business with a single minibus operating a daily contract. As the business and fleet grew, more members of the Barker family joined the operation. In 1995, the company purchased its first new touring coach and expanded into continental work.
Today, Barker Bus is a well-established family-run operator based on the Essex and Hertfordshire border. Its minibuses, coaches and double-deckers serve school transport, private hire, tours, events and other passenger transport requirements.
As the operation developed, the team recognised an opportunity to modernise the systems supporting it.
From spreadsheets to Savari
Much of Barker's operation had been managed through spreadsheets.
As bookings, vehicles, customers and daily movements increase, keeping separate spreadsheets updated and connected becomes more demanding. Barker decided to move to a dedicated Transport Management System, choosing Savari to support its next stage of growth.
Bringing the operation into one system
Moving to Savari gave Barker a central platform for managing its transport operation.
Bookings, scheduling, customers, vehicles and operational information could be managed in one connected system, bringing together work that had previously been spread across spreadsheets and manual processes.
For a growing operator, that means a more joined-up way to manage the day-to-day business, with the information the team needs in one place.
Less administration, more time
One of the biggest changes Barker has experienced since moving to Savari has been the reduction in administration.
The team has reduced repetitive work involved in managing bookings and communicating with customers, while improving the presentation of the information customers receive.
The benefits are being felt beyond the office. Barker's customers are noticing a more professional, smoother booking experience too.
IN LUKE’S WORDS
“Since switching to Savari, we have significantly reduced the time spent on administration. Our customers have also commented on how professional our documentation looks and how smooth the booking process has become.”
Luke · Barker Bus Coaches
Caring for a varied fleet. Workshop Management is the next step.
Now taking the next step with WMS
Barker's journey with Savari is now moving into its next stage. After adopting Savari TMS, the team has recently signed up to Savari's Workshop Management System (WMS), with plans to bring the workshop side of the business into the same platform as its transport operation.
For an operator with a varied fleet, keeping on top of maintenance, defects, workshop jobs and vehicle records is a major part of running the business. Barker's fleet ranges from 16-seat minibuses to coaches and double-deckers seating up to 87 passengers.
WMS is the next step towards bringing those workshop processes into Savari alongside the team's existing transport management tools.
One journey. One platform.
Barker Bus has come a long way from the single minibus Peter and Shirley Barker started with around 1988.
More than 35 years later, the business continues to modernise and invest in its operation. Its journey with Savari reflects that progression: from spreadsheets to TMS, and now taking the next step with WMS.
It is a gradual approach to modernisation, giving the team tools to support the business today and room to develop as its needs change.
We're proud to be supporting Barker Bus as they take the next step.
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