A Highland transport company that began with one minibus and a £1,000 loan is marking 30 years in business with the introduction of new electric buses to its fleet.
D&E Coaches, based in Inverness and now owned by Highland Council, has announced the arrival of four electric buses supported through the Scottish Government’s ScotZEB programme.
The investment marks the next chapter for a company that has grown into one of the largest private hire coach operators in the north of Scotland.
D&E Coaches now operates more than 60 vehicles, employs around 88 staff and plays a central role in school transport, tourism travel and contract services across the Highlands.
The company began in March 1996 when Donald and Elizabeth Mathieson launched a small family run transport business using a single minibus.
From those modest beginnings the business expanded rapidly through school transport contracts and private hire work across the region.
The company eventually moved from its original base near the family home and a rented yard on Deveron Street to a purpose built headquarters at Inverness’s Longman Industrial Estate in 2006.
The Longman site now spans several yards covering more than two acres and supports engineering, maintenance and apprenticeship training within the company.
At its peak the business has transported close to one million passengers annually while building a dominant presence in the Highland private hire coach market.
Recent years have seen significant investment in modern vehicles including a £2.3 million programme introducing low emission luxury coaches and updated double deck buses.
The company also began exploring electric capability in late 2024 when it trialled a fully electric coach on the 961 Ullapool to Inverness Citylink route, widely considered one of the most demanding rural bus routes in the United Kingdom.
The arrival of four new electric buses now signals the next step in that transition.
Gayle McEwan, Chief Operations Executive Officer and Director at D&E Coaches, said:
“Reaching 30 years is significant in any industry, but in regional transport it’s particularly meaningful.
“The Highlands is not an easy place to operate, as distances are vast, weather is unpredictable and communities are often remote.
“However, we’ve grown into what we are today because we understood what the region needed: a reliable, professional transport service that people could depend on.
“Now, that responsibility also includes how we reduce our environmental impact while maintaining those standards.”
She added:
“Rural Scotland must be part of the move towards cleaner transport, and introducing electric buses in the Highlands gives us real world insight into what sustainable transition looks like outside major cities.
“This isn’t a one off purchase, it’s part of a longer term strategy.
“And if we are going to serve the Highlands properly for the next 30 years, we have to invest early and invest responsibly.”
The company entered a new chapter in 2025 when Highland Council acquired the business as part of its strategy to strengthen school transport and community bus services across the region.
Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said:
“The introduction of electric vehicles into D&E’s fleet is a fantastic way to celebrate three decades of providing a much appreciated service to so many passengers and communities over the years.
“Representing an important step towards lower emission public transport in the Highlands, this investment, supported by ScotZEB funding, will ensure rural communities are included in Scotland’s transition to cleaner travel.
“Now under Highland Council ownership, we hope to build on the success of the company.
“I wish everyone at D&E a happy 30th anniversary and every success for the future.”
Three decades after starting with a single minibus, D&E Coaches now stands as a defining name in Highland transport while preparing for a future that will increasingly rely on cleaner and more sustainable travel.
For more information, visit www.decoaches.co.uk or follow D&E Coaches on Facebook
