Managing director of Transport Made Simple, from Balderton, visits Newark and District u3a

A transport entrepreneur from Balderton who started a bus company at the age of 19 has shared his story with people from his home town.

Peter Nathanail, managing director of Transport Made Simple, and his business partner Dominic Kalantary, launched their business in 2016.

Last year, it introduced its number 90 Central Connect service which now runs seven days a week from Fernwood via London Road and Newark bus station to Bingham, West Bridgeford, and Nottingham.

Peter’s ambition to run a bus company started at the age of 11, and his company began as a software supplier originally known as Vectare, providing school bus booking systems to independent schools, and now employs 375 people operating 200 buses, coaches and minibuses across 16 counties.

And now Peter has returned to his roots to speak to Newark and District u3a members at Balderton village hall.

He shared with members that he and Dominic received the UK Bus New Horizons gold award in 2018 for their bespoke journey planning and management software for schools, which includes a mobile phone app so parents can check that their children are safely on the school bus.

“It felt really special to be back in the part of Newark I grew up in and to talk to the u3a group, many of whom use the number 90,” said Peter, “They also asked some very interesting questions that kept me on my toes.”

Newark and District u3a speaker seeker Ian McGregor said: “Peter’s talk was fascinating and he was literally mobbed with questions afterwards. Those of us who use buses take them for granted so it was very interesting to hear about what goes on behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly.”