thecoachcompany.co.nz Supply Partner Service (bus and coach operators)
Standards and Code of Conduct

The following service standards define what we and our customers expect. By accepting jobs from thecoachcompany.co.nz you are agreeing to 100% comply with our service standards.
It takes a lot of work to win customers, but with poor service, they can be lost in a second. This requires constant attention to the customers' needs.

We expect that thecoachcompany.co.nz customers will have the best experience possible. This ensures that we remain the first choice of bus and coach travel above all others. 

Suppliers must advise thecoachcompany.co.nz of any issues or changes as soon as reasonably possible and within 24 hours by phone or email:  

Email: operations@thecoachcompany.co.nz 
Phone 0280734611
Out of hours (emergency) 0283784234

Service Standards

1.  Being on time: The most basic expectation of our clients is that you are on time. This creates a great and lasting first impression. thecoachcompany.co.nz expects that Supply Partners have robust operational procedures in place to ensure drivers are on time and fully ready for every departure

2.  Being late. If you are aware that you will be late for a pickup you must inform us immediately with the expected time of arrival so that we may inform the customer. Any arrival later than 15 minutes after the pickup time may be deemed as a no-show and therefore not chargeable/partially chargeable by the supplier - this would be subject to the customer's circumstances and the nature of the trip. The final decision will be at Coachhire's discretion.

3.  Departure time / Booking Time: This is the time the customer expects to depart. thecoachcompany.co.nz expects Supply Partners to be parked and ready to load customers at least 10-15 minutes prior to departure. Unforeseen departures The important thing is to advise the client and thecoachcompany.co.nz that a delay has occurred

4.  Driver Presentation: Drivers must wear clean-collared shirts and clean trousers. Covered footwear is a legal requirement in the workplace. Drivers must be well-rested and well-briefed on the journey ahead

5.  Driver information sheet: Drivers must have been fully briefed on the journey ahead and be carrying in print or electronically the details of the journey

6.  Driver Contact Details: The Supply Partner must supply a contact number for the driver

7.  thecoachcompany.co.nz Logo: This must be displayed in the front window of the vehicle: https://thecoachcompany.co.nz/download.php?id=6760

8.  Vehicle Standards: Vehicles must be roadworthy, fully compliant with local regulations, air-conditioned and seatbelted. The exterior and interior of the vehicle and its windows must be clean. The vehicle must also be smoke-free.

9.  Extra Charges: Must be agreed to by thecoachcompany.co.nz

10.  Third-Party Service Providers: Supply Partners cannot hire or sub-contract third-party service providers without prior approval from thecoachcompany.co.nz. Third-party suppliers need to be checked by us for compliance and we need written assurance they have read and agreed to our service standards.

11.  End of Trip Procedures: Always thank the customers. Ask them to check around and under the seats for any left property. Before driving away do a full front-to-back walk-through of the vehicle. Notify us immediately of any lost property.

12.  Driver Engagement with the Customer: Drivers must have a good level of English. Don’t ever argue with the customer. Discussing issues with the goal of a positive outcome for both is ok. Drivers should always introduce themselves to the group leader and have a brief discussion about the journey ahead, and any return journey requirements. Work out estimated times of arrival or departure from the return location (if it’s a two-way journey). Drivers should comply with any reasonable requests made by the customer such as temperature inside the vehicle, requests for music or volume up/down, or toilet breaks. If the driver feels the requests are not reasonable thecoachcompany.co.nz must be contacted. In the meantime politely suggest to the customer that you depart or carry on as planned until thecoachcompany.co.nz can resolve the request.  

13.  Sexist or Racist Jokes / Comments and swearing: Any dialogue or conversations of this nature are deemed as serious misconduct

14.  No smoking in or around the vehicle near customers: Smoking is offensive to many people, and 2nd-hand smoke is very dangerous

15.  Driver Compliance: thecoachcompany.co.nz expects Supply Partners to have robust checking systems in place to ensure all drivers are legally allowed to drive. Where required Driver Authorities must be displayed. When requested Supply Partners must supply thecoachcompany.co.nz with copies of driver licenses and passenger endorsements (some of our contracts require this)

16.  Vehicle Type and Age: The Supply Partner must supply the vehicle that is specified in the thecoachcompany.co.nz booking. We accept that sometimes due to breakdowns or unforeseen circumstances vehicles have to be changed. Supply Partners cannot do this without prior notification and agreement by thecoachcompany.co.nz. We expect an average fleet age of under 10 years. 

17.  Access and inability to complete the journey: It is the supply partner's responsibility to check that there is adequate access to the pickup point. Coach Hire takes no responsibility for non-completion of any journey where an obstacle that has not been advised by the supply partner before the trip, was the cause, no payment will be made in this case. This includes but is not limited to weight-restricted bridges, unsealed roads, narrow access points, overhanging trees and wires and roads with sharp turns and/or inclines

18.  Customer Complaints: These must be responded to within 24 hours of receiving an email from us about a complaint. If Supply Partners have a complaint about our customers or are having difficulties with customers please call our office as soon as reasonably possible. The final decision as to whether clients are refunded or not is up to thecoachcompany.co.nz

19.  Summary: Supply Partners who choose not to comply with our service standards can, at our discretion, be suspended from the thecoachcompany.co.nz Portal for an indefinite period.

Supply Partner Terms and Conditions 

 Definitions

The Customer: They are defined as a person or business that has purchased a service from thecoachcompany.co.nz by way of the thecoachcompany.co.nz Portal or by direct phone or email to thecoachcompany.co.nz. The customer at all times is a client of thecoachcompany.co.nz and at no time should the Supply Partner attempt to enter into a commercial agreement with a thecoachcompany.co.nz customer. Nor should a driver or Supply Partner make any attempts to establish ongoing communication with our clients (e.g. giving business cards, website addresses etc) in order to secure future bookings directly with the client. In the event that thecoachcompany.co.nz becomes aware of the supply partner carrying out transport for the customer without prior agreement, thecoachcompany.co.nz will seek damages for loss of earnings accordingly.

 Supply Partner or Supply Partner or operator: The bus or coach or transport provider contracted by thecoachcompany.co.nz to deliver the service being quoted on or booked by thecoachcompany.co.nz

 Compliance Checks: All Supply Partners are provided with a username and password used to log in to the thecoachcompany.co.nz portal. To be eligible to view bookings we must ensure all Supply Partners are compliant with the relevant State or   Territory transport regulations. The Supply Partner must upload the following documents and ensure they are kept up to date

1.  Transport Accreditation Certificates and ABN

2.  Motor Vehicle Insurance Certificate of Currency issued no more than 7 days before uploading to the thecoachcompany.co.nz Portal

3.  Public Liability Insurance Certificate of Currency issued no more than 7 days before uploading to the thecoachcompany.co.nz Portal

 thecoachcompany.co.nz conducts bi-monthly audit reports on Supply Partner documentation validity

OPERATOR AGREEMENT

By accepting jobs, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions described herein.

We use eCoachManager as our booking and dispatch system, so all inquiries and bookings are electronically tracked.
You get the opportunity to see the full details of the work we have and a chance to submit a price or even take the job there and then.

Once we have emailed you a booking please confirm you have accepted it by clicking the accept button.

Our system will send you a final confirmation of details 4 days prior to the date of travel. 48 hours prior to the collection we will request, via an automated email, the driver’s name and number which will be provided to the customer. Should you not give out drivers’ numbers please enter your 24/7 emergency contact number.

Acceptance

Once an operator has accepted a booking, it is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that the booking is carried out in accordance with the booking details. 

Please also be advised that any 'bond' requirement must be stated in advance of any acceptance of jobs as despite our best efforts we cannot guarantee that we would be able to obtain any additional funds from the customer during or after the journey. (i.e cleaning fees)

Customer Solicitation 
Under no circumstances are supply partners or their employees/affiliates permitted to engage in conversations with a view to solicit future work without our prior written approval.

Invoices
Please note that you no longer need to send us an invoice as we will automatically generate these on your behalf, and will make payment in line with the payment terms. We operate on a 30-day account basis with our supply partners unless agreed otherwise. If you do require to send an invoice this  must be submitted by email to accounts@thecoachcompany.co.nz with a copy sent to operations@thecoachcompany.co.nz

Please ensure your bank details are shown on the invoice or updated on your supplier portal if it is the first time we will be processing payment to your company.

Damage to Your Vehicles

thecoachcompany.co.nz is not responsible for internal or external damage to your vehicle by other vehicles or passengers. Or single-vehicle accidents. This is why we insist on updated copies of your insurance. As an accredited operator, it is your responsibility to keep passengers under control. If you feel they are too intoxicated to travel and would be a risk to the other passengers or themselves then you do not have to carry them. Please exercise care though and ensure they are not left alone or stranded. 

Cancellations by thecoachcompany.co.nz

Any booking cancelled by thecoachcompany.co.nz 72 hours or more before the stated collection time is not chargeable. 

If cancelled 48-72 hours prior, 50% of the charge will be provided to the operator. 

Less than 48 hours the operator will receive 100% of their quoted rate.

Cancellations by Operator/Service Provider

Once a job is accepted by an operator by clicking the accept link on the job assigned email the operator is responsible for the delivery of the service. Should the operator subsequently cancel the booking thecoachcompany.co.nz will make efforts to reallocate the work to another provider, the operator, in this case, is liable for any additional charges levied by the new operator to carry out the works. 

Should a replacement not be possible the operator is responsible and liable for any justifiable compensation, alternative transport costs (eg taxis), goodwill payments, or any other associated costs that may be requested by the client.

The consequence of rejecting a booking.

If you reject a booking that you have accepted, you shall be liable to us for the following:

Cost of replacement vehicles: You shall reimburse us for the cost of finding and hiring alternative transportation to complete the journey.
Compensation for losses incurred: You shall compensate us for any other losses incurred due to the booking being rejected, such as the cost of cancelling other arrangements or the cost of missed tickets.

You may also be liable to the Customer for additional compensation, depending on the circumstances of the case. For example, if the Customer misses the first half of a show they had tickets for or maybe a tour guide they had booked and paid for that day, you may be liable to compensate the Customer for the cost of the tickets or the tour guide, as well as for any other inconvenience or distress caused.

 We acknowledge that it may be difficult to quantify our or our customer's losses in some cases. However, you will agree to pay reasonable compensation to the Customer, taking into account all of the relevant circumstances.

Extras/Additions

Any variation from the booked job must be confirmed with our office prior to carrying out the work. thecoachcompany.co.nz takes no responsibility should additional work be carried out that we have not been advised of, and agreed to, prior to carrying out the work.

In the unlikely event that you are unable to contact us, then any additional work must be charged to the customer at the time. Proof will often be required, we suggest getting the customer to email us agreeing to the additional charges during the trip or getting the customer to sign an agreement confirming they are aware and agree to additional charges levied. 

Should the operator carry out additional work without thecoachcompany.co.nz confirmation we will make efforts to obtain the additional funds from the client but thecoachcompany.co.nz do not accept responsibility or liability for these charges.

In the event that the client is an account corporate customer, then the agreement must be made with the customer that there will be an extra charge and we will then charge that to them after the event, or contact thecoachcompany.co.nz immediately.

Should a bond payment, paid by a client directly to the operator or driver, be required to be retained, due to excessive mess or damage to a vehicle, photographic or video evidence must be taken and provided to thecoachcompany.co.nz. 

Service issue

Payable By

Compensation

Late Vehicle and service continues

Where you notified us before on site arrival time, and bookings continue:
0-15 minutes late
16-30 minutes late
31-45 minutes late
46-60 minutes late
61-75 minutes late
76+ minutes late
Where you failed to notify us before the on site arrival time, and bookings continue:
0-15 minutes late
16-30 minutes late
31-45 minutes late
46-60 minutes late
61-75 minutes late
76+ minutes late
Where the booking is 45+ minutes late and booking is cancelled at our discretion, it is deemed a no show:

You

0%
10% of booking
25% of booking
50% of booking
75% of booking
100% of booking


0%
10% of booking
30% of booking
55% of booking
80% of booking
100% of the booking
See ‘Vehicle no show’

Vehicle no show

You

The difference in cost for any alternative Supply Partner found to cover the booking; or
The difference in cost for alternative transport options only available at the time of cancellations; and
A goodwill payment equivalent to 25% of the quoted booking; and
An amount equivalent to any other foreseeable economic loss incurred.

Vehicle breakdown
The vehicle suffers mechanical or other failures during the course of the booking, and the journey is continued following repair or in an alternative vehicle(s)

You

$50 per hour delay.

Vehicle suffers mechanical or other failures during the course of the booking, and passengers make their own arrangements for travel

You

Vehicle standard not as booked

You

    As Above

Vehicle wrong size (passengers)

You

The vehicle has insufficient seats for the number of passengers as listed in the booking confirmation, and the client makes its own arrangements for additional passengers

You

Vehicle wrong size (luggage capacity)
The vehicle has insufficient storage space for luggage as listed in the booking confirmation and alternative or supplemental vehicle supplied, but a delay is caused to the party

You

Late vehicle charges as above

The vehicle has insufficient storage space for luggage as listed in the booking confirmation and passengers make their own arrangement for travel

You

Vehicle toilet
The vehicle does not have a working toilet or the toilet is not accessible and this was detailed in the booking confirmation

You

15% of the booking value

Air conditioning
    
The vehicle does not have working air conditioning and this was detailed in the booking confirmation

You

10% of the booking value