Thames Travel was founded on 14 April 1998 with a fleet of four vehicles. Since then it has expanded by winning new contracts in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, and taking over work from operators that have ceased trading such as Chiltern Queens of Woodcote. It now runs 50 (47 buses 3 Ancillary Vehicles) vehicles and 31 services. Many services were taken on in Reading after the collapse of Tillingbourne Bus Company on 19 March 2001. Thames Travel has also benefited from operators such as Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, Reading Buses and First Berkshire & The Thames Valley, giving up a lot of commercial work. However in recent years smaller competitors including RH Transport, Heyfordian, Whites Coaches and Weavaway Travel have won work that Thames Travel had operated.