Aberdeen firm FirstGroup is revving up for a mammoth bussing operation during the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
The transport giant has won a contract to provide about 260 coaches to ferry tournament officials, the media, sponsors and VIPs.
It will also run coaches for most of the Perthshire event’s hospitality packages.
The company’s Ryder Cup buses will start work on Monday, the day before the golf gets under way.
By the time the tournament draws to a close a week on Sunday, the vehicles will have transported an estimated 10,000 passengers.
FirstGroup would not say how much its latest deal was worth, due to “commercial sensitivity”.
Giles Fearnley, managing director of its bus division, said: “We’ve got a great team working on our Ryder Cup contract and have been planning for the event at Gleneagles for almost a year.
“The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s leading and most popular sporting occasions so it is really exciting to be involved.
“We’re well prepared and very much looking forward to the event teeing off.”
Ryder Cup Europe operations director Antonia Beggs said: “We are delighted that First Bus will manage the transport of The Ryder Cup Family and our VIPs.
“First has a track record of providing transport solutions at major events.”
Another of FirstGroup’s companies, First ScotRail, is running scores of dedicated trains to transport golf fans to and from the Ryder Cup.
Up to 7,500 people each day are expected to arrive at Gleneagles by train, the largest number ever carried to a Ryder Cup event.
The station has been upgraded and made fully accessible, with a new access road and improved facilities, as part of a joint investment involving Perth & Kinross Council and Transport Scotland.
Held every two years, the Ryder Cup alternates between courses in the US and Europe.
It will be the first time in four decades that the contest between Europe and America will take place on Scottish soil.
The event is expected to attract more than 45,000 spectators each day and the Scottish Government has estimated it will generate £100million for the local economy.
First Bus is part of Aberdeen based transport operator, FirstGroup. Another of FirstGroup’s companies, First ScotRail, is running scores of dedicated trains to transport golf fans to and from the Ryder Cup. Up to 7,500 people each day are expected to arrive at Gleneagles by train, the largest number ever carried to a Ryder Cup event. The station has been upgraded and made fully accessible, with a new access road and improved facilities, as part of a collective investment involving Perth & Kinross Council and Transport Scotland.