Prospect Coaches rolls out Michelin policy

West Midlands-based Prospect Coaches has switched its fleet to a Michelin tyre policy after receiving “above and beyond” support from the Michelin technical team. Prior to adopting the new policy, the company fitted trial sets of Michelin X MultiWay 3D regional tyres; the company switched manufacturers before performance data had been recorded as a result of the tyre manufacturer’s customer service.

As the trials began, Michelin’s technical team carried out site visits to determine the correct tyre pressures for every type of vehicle in service. The business currently runs a mix of DAF, Dennis, MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo chassis, with Irizar, King Long, Marcopolo and Plaxton bodies – all of which require different pressures to ensure optimum performance and tyre life.

Nathan Hadley, general manager at Prospect Coaches, says: “The customer service and technical support we get from Michelin is second to none – it’s above and beyond that of any other manufacturer we’ve previously worked with. Michelin’s technical team spent several hours at our depot on multiple occasions, weighing each and every coach variant and suggesting bespoke tyre pressures.

“It’s reassuring to know that as well as fitting premium tyres with an excellent reputation for safety and longevity, we also have access to a team of experts dedicated to helping us get the most from our rubber.”

Prospect Coaches also protects its investment in Michelin tyres via the company’s unique accidental tyre damage guarantee. Under the scheme, customers can be refunded for accidental damage that occurs before a tyre is 50 per cent worn, provided it has been registered on the Michelin MyAccount web portal. The refund is calculated against the remaining tread depth of the tyre.

“The guarantee is hassle-free and demonstrates the faith Michelin places in its products,” adds Hadley.

Front line vehicles in Prospect Coaches’ fleet cover up to 60,000 miles each year travelling across the UK and Europe, while its local contracts coaches average almost 35,000 miles annually.

The firm plans to regroove tyres under the policy, extending tyre life by as much as 25 per cent, and taking advantage of the additional layers of rubber built into all new Michelin commercial vehicle tyres. Regrooving is carried out by Michelin-trained in-house technicians, while the local ATS Euromaster centre supplies and fits new tyres.

Prospect Coaches, as it exists today, was established in 1964, and started operations with a single Sedan coach. The company can trace its origin back to 1956, when its founders opened a general store in Stourbridge, and purchased minibuses to deliver dinners to schools in the local area.