Webberbus
WebberBus is a family owed business that can trace it’s routes back to 1907 when it began life as the smithy to the Bouverie estate on Exmoor. In 1926 the estate was broken up and sold, the then resident blacksmith – Fred Webber bought the business from the estate. The business then was a typical county blacksmith, repairing agricultural machinery, shoeing horses and manufacturing all types of metal implements.
As cars became more popular and common so car repairs were taken on and in the early 30’s the first underground petrol storage tanks were installed. It was at this time that passenger transport was introduced as there was an increase in the number of people from the surrounding villages that were using the trains and wanted taxiing to and from the local railway station. After the second world war free school transport was made available and given the location of the garage at Wheddon Cross, Somerset County council asked if we would provide school transport services which we did.
Time has now passed and the business is in its third generation, The Garage at Wheddon Cross is now a forecourt and Budgens store and the passenger transport operation was carved out in to a stand lone operation 10 years ago. In ten years we have seen growth to a 55 ‘O’ licence operation now based in Bridgwater with its own purpose built depot. 80% of revenue is now derived from stage carriage most of which comes from its commercial operations, the remaining 20% is coach hire and school transport.