D&E Coaches has also spent £200,000 on extending its base at Henderson Drive in Inverness to meet growing demand.
The new additions gives the firm a total fleet of 84 coaches – up from 50 just three years ago.
“We have taken delivery of 13 new coaches in the past four months, each seating from 37 to 45 people,” managing director Donald Mathieson said.
“This is a significant investment for us and comes in response to a busy forward workload while also taking account of the latest trends.
“Low-floor coaches have been introduced to meet disability discrimination legislation while we have also acquired our first four low-emission vehicles to reduce our carbon footprint.
“We see low emission coaches as the way forward to address the public’s concern and become as environmentally friendly as possible.”
Mr Mathieson founded D&E in 1996, working from home with a minibus bought for £1000. It now has an annual turnover of £5 million and employs 115 staff.
The company’s recent growth has been fuelled by new contracts with Highland Council alongside increasing private hire work.
New routes D&E have taken on in recent weeks include the Ness Castle and Lochardil area in Inverness.
“Our coaches cover an area from Lairg and Ullapool in the west to Foyers and Whitebridge on Loch Ness-side. We try to place the emphasis firmly on a quality service,” Mr Mathieson said.
The extension at the company’s Inverness base will include the construction of two additional bays in the workshop to help cope with increased demands on the maintenance team from the larger fleet.
D&E operate a wide range of modern vehicles, from 8-seats to 86-seats, executive Mercedes people carriers to minicoaches, midicoaches, and full size executive coaches.
The large coaches are equipped to executive standard with toilets, fridge, hot water, tinted glass, courier seat and most have air conditioning.
