Four new electric buses supported by ScotZEB signal next phase in 30-year journey.
Thirty years ago, a £1,000 loan and a single minibus were enough to launch what would become the north of Scotland’s largest private hire coach operator.
Today, D&E Coaches, owned by Highland Council, operates more than 60 vehicles, employs around 88 staff and plays a central role in school, tourism and public transport across the Highlands, one of the most geographically challenging operating environments in the UK.
Now, as the Inverness-based business marks its 30th anniversary, it’s looking at how it will serve the region for generations to come, with the announcement of four new electric buses as part of its fleet, supported through the Scottish Government’s ScotZEB programme and delivered by Northern Irish manufacturing team, Wrightbus.
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.”
Founded in March 1996 by Donald and Elizabeth Mathieson, D&E began as a small family-run venture serving local contracts. Three decades later, it has transported close to one million passengers annually at its peak, commanded a dominant share of the Highland private hire market, and invested millions in fleet modernisation.
From its early base at the family home and a rented yard on Deveron Street, the company expanded rapidly through school contracts and private hire work before moving to a purpose-built headquarters on Inverness’s Longman Industrial Estate in 2006. The site now spans multiple yards totalling more than two acres, supporting engineering, maintenance and apprenticeship training in-house.
Following a £2.3 million investment in low-emission luxury coaches and modern double-deck vehicles, D&E began testing electric capability in late 2024, trialling a fully electric coach on the 961 Ullapool to Inverness Citylink route, one of the UK’s most challenging rural services.
For the business, the arrival of four new electric buses signals the next stage in that evolution.
Gayle 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.”
In 2025, D&E entered a new phase under public ownership, with The Highland Council acquiring the company as part of its wider strategy to stabilise transport costs and expand community bus services across the region.
Chair of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, 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.”
From one minibus funded by family savings in 1996 to an expanding electric fleet in 2026, D&E Coaches’ 30-year story mirrors the evolution of rural transport in Scotland, shaped by resilience, investment and a deep understanding of the communities it serves.
The acquisition of D&E Coaches by Highland Council represented a firm commitment to invest in the future of school and public transport provision in Highland. D&E Coaches is the largest private hire coach and minibus operator in the north of Scotland, providing transport solutions to the Highlands for 30 years. The award-winning transport firm specialises in contract and private hire, business hire, event transport, school bus runs and airport transfers. D&E Coaches also operates the Inverness City Sightseeing service alongside D&E Tours, which provides tourists with the opportunity to visit sights across the Highlands, including Loch Ness.
For more information, visit www.decoaches.co.uk or follow D&E Coaches on Facebook.