CMAC completes full acquisition of Coach Hire Comparison

Transport and accommodation services group CMAC has fully acquired coach and minibus booking specialist Coach Hire Comparison (CHC), having previously taken a 51 per cent stake three years ago.

It comes after the business grew to £4.15m revenues in 2025, up from £3.3m in 2024, almost doubled the number of passengers served during the past year and increased staff from two employees in 2023 to 10. 

The acquisition brings CHC fully into CMAC Group. CHC already plays an important role in CMAC’s large vehicle offering and together the two businesses connect customers with more than 800 coach and minibus operators across the UK.

Pete Slater, chief executive of CMAC Group, said: “Fully acquiring Coach Hire Comparison is the natural next step in a partnership that has gone from strength to strength since 2023.

"We would like to thank James and Laura Stokes for the exceptional business they have built over the past 16 years and for the significant contribution they have made since joining forces with CMAC.

"We have seen first hand the power of the Coach Hire Comparison platform, the value it delivers to customers and the opportunities created by bringing our expertise and capabilities closer together.

"Our operator network and our teams remain central to that success and I am excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to build on our shared ambitions for growth.”

James Stokes, joint managing director of Coach Hire Comparison, said: “I am incredibly proud of the growth Coach Hire Comparison has achieved in recent years, and of the talented team and operator network that have made that success possible.

"CMAC’s support has played an important role throughout that journey, helping us strengthen our proposition and scale the business. With the Group’s continued backing and investment, Coach Hire Comparison is well positioned to build on its success, further develop its bespoke booking platform and deliver even greater value for customers and operators.”

James and Laura will remain with Coach Hire Comparison in supportive and transitional roles until the end of 2026 to ensure a smooth transition for customers, operators and employees.