Midland (bus operator)

Midland, previously known as Choice Travel was a bus company operating mostly in the Wolverhampton area of the West Midlands. Some services also operate in the Staffordshire area.

The company was originally started as Liyell Ltd established by ex-London Forest manager Tom Young and business partner Barrie Marsden in 1992 with two Leyland Leopard coaches and three Leyland Nationals in a lime green and yellow livery, from which the company got its name. The first bus services operated were route 171 (Walsall - Leamore - Bloxwich - Mossley,and route 700 (Perton - Codsall High School). The original intention had been to develop services in either Leicester or Telford but the directors were persuaded that the core of the new bus service network would best be the most lucrative route lifted from a major plan to develop and expand Midland Red North operations into the Black Country, route 171. "Midland Choice Travel", as the company was originally known, recruited ex-London Forest manager Steve Deveraux and Trent Buses manager Keith Shayshutt. Over the next few years the business thrived; during the 1993 West Midlands Travel bus strike a fleet of 30 buses were hired from across the country to cover services.

During the late 1990s, Choice Travel acquired the business of Metropolitan Omnibus (formed by a group of former Stevensons managers) and its network of routes throughout the Black Country on former Stevensons routes. The Metropolitan fleet of Mercedes and Dodge mini and midibuses soon sported the smart yellow of Choice, with the lime green and dark green exchanged for contrasting shades of blue. Former Stevensons MD and Metropolitan manager Julian Peddle bought a share in the company and it joined his "Status Bus & Coach Group" in 1999.