Borders bus company has received a national accolade

Lewis Williamson of Peter Hogg, Jedburgh. (Photo: BILL McBURNIE)

Peter Hogg was named the best small coach operator at the Scottish Business Awards, staged at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Glasgow on Sunday, October 24.

The company had won the regional version of the award back in 2019 – automatically putting them through to the national awards in 2020.

That ceremony was cancelled until late last month because of the pandemic.

But sadly the company’s 12 drivers were unable to attend the ceremony to pick up the accolade because of work commitments.

Company driver and admin worker Lewis Williamson said: “We were going to head up but because it was a Sunday night we couldn’t get enough people to go without them working in the morning, so we ended up not being able to make it – which we are really gutted about now. It came as a big surprise, especially because of the amount of competition there is among small coach operators.

"I do believe we have a really good team that work with us so I thought we were in with a chance.”

The company, based on the town’s Bankend Industrial Estate, was formed by the late Peter Hogg as a taxi firm in 1993, haven taken it over from Bob Maxwell.

Peter started off with three taxis and a couple of eight-seater mini-buses.

Peter’s daughter Annie Hogg and her brother, the late Peter, bought a first bus for a school run in 1998 and the company has progressed from there.

The company now has a fleet of 12 buses and two taxis cabs.

Lewis believes the award is recognition of the company’s high quality customer service.

He added: “When the award organisers first came to our yard to tell us we were nominated they said it was not just to do with having a brand new fleet, or anything like that, it’s how your drivers treat your customers. They send out ‘mystery shoppers’ during the year and basically judge how the drivers treat the passengers. I may be a bit biased but I have to say it’s one of the best places I have ever worked because it is a small family business. Everybody is just like one of the family, basically.”