One of the many radical changes to the bus industry over the past 20 years has been the disappearance of most major operators' central engineering works, which used to tackle everything from routine heavy overhauls to major accident repairs and body conversions. In their place has emerged a new breed of specialist repair company, geared up to specialise in handling greater volumes of the more difficult jobs. Names like Unitec (part of Optare), Salvador Caetano UK, Ferrymill Motors and S&T (part of East Lancs) will be familiar to those who look closely at our Fleet News columns each month. Another in the same mould is Truck Align which, despite the name, has developed an expertise in repairing badly damaged buses and now has ambitions to provide a similar service to coach operators.
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