Full Member
Members Bio
I started Drive Arrive Executive Transfers in July 2015 with one S Class and operating from my home address in Huntingdon. Within a year and due to rapid growth in business I purchased a second S Class, took on two recently retired ex police officers as freelance drivers and sought a small network of carefully chosen associates to work with. In December 2017 I reached the VAT threshold so had to go VAT registered which changed the dynamic of the company somewhat.
Un-phased by the sudden 20% hike in prices a business and corporate client base soon evolved. At this point I subscribed to the Chauffeur Drive Systems cloud booking platform as the up until now daily manual admin tasks were proving very time consuming and I needed to make the business more efficient. The automation with the PA, booker and passenger alerts really helped grow the business by gaining trust and making it so much more professional while freeing me up to concentrate on proper client liaison and further growth.
In 2018 I updated the cars to a newer S Class and an E Class estate so as to offer two levels of service and therefore 2 pricing bands. In 2019 the business was honoured to receive two awards at the Professional Driver QSI Awards, one for new chauffeur Peter who was awarded the bronze for Chauffeur Of The Year and the business in general received a bronze for Chauffeur Company Of The Year, 1-10 vehicles.
In 2020, just as Covid hit I switched from the Tri Star on the S to the 4 circles on an Audi A8L. The year of lockdown meant I could sharpen our business axe by configuring even more of our CDS system and include our growing database of over 30 carefully selected owner operator drivers. These like minded professionals offer an array of vehicles throughout the UK who are deployable at a moment’s notice.
In April 2021 I decided to take the GoPC assessment to become a full member. I felt this professional accreditation would greatly help my personal development, it would help the industry too and as we emerge from Covid it would help put the business in general on a good footing to handle the predicted surge as the world gets back to normal.
Institute of Advanced Motorists (Full Member since 1989) and ex observer with Shropshire Group.
I am extremely keen to see the GoPC grow and be taken up by more and more chauffeurs. I believe it will become a must-have qualification.