ComfortDelGro Australia

ComfortDelGro Australia is a major Australian public transport company. Founded in October 2005 as ComfortDelGro Cabcharge, a joint venture between Singapore-based ComfortDelGro (51%) and Australian Cabcharge (49%), today it is a fully owned subsidiary of ComfortDelGro.

Hillsbus Volgren bodied Scania K280UB at Castle Hill bus interchange in July 2013
ParentComfortDelGro
Founded2005
Service areaAustralian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
Victoria
Service typeBus services
Taxi services
Patient transport
OperatorBuslink
CDC NSW
CDC Victoria
CDC Queensland
Chief executiveNicholas Yap[1]
Websitecomfortdelgro.com.au (ComfortDelGro Australia)
cdcbus.com.au (CDC NSW)
cdcvictoria.com.au (CDC Victoria)
cdcqueensland.com.au (CDC Queensland)

History
Former ComfortDelGro Cabcharge logo

A joint venture, known as ComfortDelGro Cabcharge (CDC), was established between ComfortDelGro (51%) and Cabcharge Australia (49%) in October 2005 to purchase loss-making Westbus Group, which included Westbus (both Australia & UK), Hillsbus and Blue Ribbon from National Express and the Bosnjak family.[2] Blue Ribbon was rebranded Hunter Valley Buses at the same time. After the purchase, Westbus UK continued independently from the Westbus in Australia, despite bearing the latter's name, old logo and livery to this day. It became part of CityFleet Networks, initially also a joint venture between ComfortDelGro and Cabcharge, and now a wholly owned subsidiary of ComfortDelGro in the United Kingdom.[3] Cabcharge sold both of its stakes in CDC and CityFleet to ComfortDelGro in February and June 2017 respectively.[4][5][6]

In August 2006, the routes of Baxter's Bus Lines were purchased by and absorbed into Westbus Region 3 operations.[7][8] In August 2007, Morisset Bus Service, Sugar Valley Coachlines and Toronto Bus Service were purchased and absorbed into Hunter Valley Buses.[9] In June 2008 a bus charter division was established under the Charterplus name.

Kefford Corporation in Victoria was purchased in November 2008.[10] The group was renamed CDC Victoria, but the names of the bus companies within the group were retained until replaced by the CDC brand in 2014.

In September 2012, Deane's Transit Group comprising Deane's Buslines (renamed as Qcity Transit) and Transborder Express in southern New South Wales were purchased.[11][12] In August 2014, CDC purchased Blue Mountains Bus Company, which was subsequently renamed Blue Mountains Transit in December 2014.[13]

In December 2016, ComfortDelgro announced it had agreed to purchase Cabcharge's 49% stake.[4][14][15] The sale was completed on 16 February 2017 after Foreign Investment Review Board approval was granted.[16] The former joint venture was then renamed ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia, still keeping the abbreviation CDC.

In April 2018, ComfortDelgro acquired Tullamarine Bus Lines in Melbourne and integrated it into CDC Melbourne in August 2018.[17][18] At the same time, it acquired National Patient Transport, one of the largest private providers of non-emergency patient transport services in Australia.[19] In August 2018, ComfortDelgro acquired Coastal Liner on the Central Coast, and in September 2018, Forest Coach Lines with operations in Sydney, the Mid North Coast and North West Slopes.[20][21][22]

In November 2018, the Buslink business was acquired with 401 buses operating in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.[23][24] In the same month, Charterplus was renamed CDC Travel.

In April 2019, ComfortDelGro acquired Blanch's Bus Company and Brunswick Valley Coaches with a fleet of 48 buses and coaches in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.[25][26] In the same month, ComfortDelGro announced it would formally establish a ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia office. Nicholas Yap, who was the incumbent CEO of CDC Victoria, was appointed as the inaugural CEO of ComfortDelGro Australia, effective 1 July 2019.[1][27][28]

In March 2020, two of Buslink's operations, Buslink Sunraysia and Buslink Broken Hill, were rebranded to CDC Mildura and CDC Broken Hill respectively.[29] In October 2020, the Buslink Queensland operations were rebranded to CDC Queensland, with Buslink Sunshine Coast and Buslink Gladstone rebranded to CDC Sunshine Coast and CDC Gladstone respectively.[30][31]

Operations

ComfortDelgro Corporation Australia operates:

CDC NSW

CDC NSW is the largest commuter bus operator having overtaken State Transit in 2018/2019, with the acquisition of Forest Coach Lines, Coastal Liner and Blanch's Bus Company in that period.[29]

Westbus
Westbus Volgren bodied Volvo B7RLE at Sydney Olympic Park in March 2013
Main article: Westbus

Westbus was a bus operator who operated bus services in Western Sydney. It was one of the first companies to be bought by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in 2005. Until its cessation, Westbus' services were part of Sydney Bus Regions 1 and 3.[32][33] In 2012, these regions were put out to tender by Transport for NSW. Westbus' bids to retain both regions were not successful, with the Region 1 services operating out of St Marys and Windsor passing to Busways, while the Region 3 services operated by Bonnyrigg and Girraween passing to Transit Systems Sydney, both in October 2013.[34][35][36] As a result, Westbus ceased to operate routes, with remaining bus fleet transferred to other ComfortDelGro Cabcharge subsidiaries.

Hillsbus
Hillsbus Volgren bodied Volvo B7RLE at Castle Hill bus interchange in July 2013
Main article: Hillsbus

Hillsbus a bus operator who operates bus services in the Hills District in Sydney. It was one of the first companies to be bought by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in 2005. Since 2005, Hillsbus' services have formed Sydney Bus Region 4.[37] In August 2013 Hillsbus successfully tendered to operate the Region 4 services for another five years from August 2014.[38][39]

Hunter Valley Buses
Main article: Hunter Valley Buses

Hunter Valley Buses is a bus operator who operates bus, coach and charter services in the Central Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales. Previously known as Blue Ribbon, it was one of the first companies to be bought by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in 2005. Since 2008, Hunter Valley Buses' services have formed Outer Sydney Metropolitan Bus Regions 2 and 4.[40] In August 2018, its service area expanded to include Outer Sydney Metropolitan Bus Region 11 after the purchase of Coastal Liner.

CDC Travel

CDC Travel is CDC's bus charter division for its Sydney and Blue Mountains operations.[41] Initially established as Charterplus in 2008 to centralise the charter operations between the Hillsbus depots, this was expanded to the Westbus depots in 2009.[42] It organises charters for the CDC group, CDC rail bus workings, as well as CDC's special event commitments. Charterplus was renamed CDC Travel in November 2018. Originally based at Bonnyrigg, all Sydney CDC Travel vehicles are now based at the St Marys depot with some vehicles based in the Blue Mountains.

As of December 2020, CDC Travel operates 56 buses transferred from both the New South Wales and Victorian operations.[7]

Blue Mountains Transit

In August 2014, CDC purchased Blue Mountains Bus Company with 101 buses.[13][43] It operated depots in Emu Plains, Leura and Valley Heights.[44] Founded in 1951 as Pearce Omnibus, it operated services in the lower Blue Mountains. In 1999, it expanded with the purchase of Katoomba-Leura Bus Service, followed in 2002 by Blue Mountains Bus Co. On 1 December 2014, CDC formally took over the operations of Blue Mountains Bus Company and rebranded it as Blue Mountains Transit.

Blue Mountains Transit now operates 76 buses as of December 2020, across the same 3 depots, which includes the recent additions of 14 ex-StationLink buses in July 2019.[45]

QCity and Transborder Express
Qcity Transit Volgren bodied Volvo B7RLE in Canberra in June 2018
Main articles: Qcity Transit and Transborder Express

In September 2012, CDC purchased Deane's Transit Group which comprised Deane's Buslines which operates local services in Queanbeyan and into Canberra, and Transborder Express which runs services between Yass, Murrumbateman, Hall and Canberra. Both brands also operate school services within their service region. On 8 July 2013, Deane's Buslines was rebranded as Qcity Transit.

As of December 2020, the combined QCity Transit and Transborder Express fleet consists of 146 buses.[46]

Forest Coach Lines
Main article: Forest Coach Lines

Forest Coach Lines is a bus and coach operator which operates in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, the Mid North Coast, and North West Slopes regions in New South Wales. Since 2005, Forest Coach Lines' services in Sydney have formed Sydney Bus Region 14. It was acquired by ComfortDelGro in August 2018.[20][21]

Blanch's Bus Company

Blanch's Bus Company, established in 1976, operates scheduled route and school bus services in the Ballina, Lennox Head, Byron Bay and Mullumbimby areas of Northern NSW out of depots in Ballina and Billinudgel. Since 2010, it also owned Brunswick Valley Coaches, while retaining the latter's brand.[47]

Blanch's Bus Company and Brunswick Valley Coaches were acquired by ComfortDelGro in April 2019.[25]

As of December 2020, the fleet consists of 50 buses.

CDC Victoria
CDC Melbourne Volgren bodied Scania K230UB at Wyndham Vale station in June 2015

In November 2008, when ComfortDelGro Cabcharge entered the Victorian bus market with the acquisition of Kefford Corporation for A$149 million,[10] with its fleet of 328 buses and six depots. Kefford was the fourth largest bus operator in Victoria, with a 16% market share. The fleets retained their individual identities and liveries, with small CDC Victoria markings. Initially, the fleet continued to operate as Eastrans and Westrans in Melbourne, Benders Busways in Geelong and Davis Bus Lines in Ballarat.

In July 2013, the route operations of the Driver Group were acquired for A$22 million comprising five routes (612 and 623 - 626) and 42 buses, and integrated into the Eastrans brand.[48][49][50]

On 14 July 2014, CDC Victoria launched a new website for its four Victorian brands. Benders Busways was renamed as CDC Geelong and Davis Bus Lines to CDC Ballarat.[51] In October 2014, Westrans and Eastrans were united and rebranded as CDC Melbourne. At the time, CDC Victoria had six depots and operated 446 buses.[52]

In May 2018, CDC Victoria acquired Tullamarine Bus Lines, with its six routes (477-479, 484, 490 and 543) and 36 buses, and integrated it into CDC Melbourne in August 2018.[17][21][18] Also included in the purchase is Tullamarine's small taxi management business called Cabways, which was renamed CDC Fleet in November 2018, and operates 13CABS and Silver Top branded taxis.[53][54][55]

CDC Victoria's subsidiaries are:

Main article: Buslink

Buslink is a bus operator which operates in Alice Springs, Darwin, Jabiru and Humpty Doo in Northern Territory. Buslink previously operated as Buslink Broken Hill in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Buslink Sunraysia in Wentworth and Mildura near the NSW/Victoria border, and Buslink Queensland in Sunshine and Gladstone, Queensland.

Buslink was acquired by ComfortDelGro in November 2018.[23] Shortly after the acquisition, Buslink Broken Hill and Buslink Sunraysia moved to CDC Victoria's control.[57][28] In March 2020, Buslink Sunraysia was renamed CDC Mildura and Buslink Broken Hill was renamed CDC Broken Hill.[29] In October 2020, Buslink Queensland was renamed CDC Queensland, with Buslink Sunshine Coast renamed CDC Sunshine Coast and Buslink Gladstone renamed CDC Gladstone.[30][31] As a result, as of October 2020, the only CDC operations still carrying the Buslink brand are in Northern Territory.

CDC Queensland
Main article: CDC Queensland

CDC Queensland a bus operator in Queensland, operating in Gladstone and Sunshine Coast as CDC Gladstone and CDC Sunshine Coast respectively. It was renamed from Buslink Queensland on 1 October 2020.[30][31]

National Patient Transport

National Patient Transport is one of the largest private providers of non-emergency patient transport services in Australia. ComfortDelGro acquired National Patient Transport in April 2018.[19]

Other ComfortDelGro operations in Australia

These operations are operations of ComfortDelGro in Australia that are not part of ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia.

Swan Taxis
Swan Taxis Toyota Camry with Comfortdelgro livery

ComfortDelGro fully owns Swan Taxis, a taxi company operates taxis in Perth. Swan Taxis was formed by Matt Reid in 1928 and in October 2010, it was acquired by ComfortDelGro after an offer was made in July earlier that year.[58][59][60] In October 2017, Swan Taxis acquired Metro WA Taxi Management Pty Ltd (Metro Taxi), the largest taxi management company in Perth.[60] The acquisition marked Swan Taxis' entry into fleet management and ownership.[61]

Being wholly owned by ComfortDelGro since acquisition, the Swan Taxis operation was never part of the ComfortDelGro Cabcharge joint venture, and therefore remains a separate entity to ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia.[61]

Purple Coaches

Purple Coaches is a private charter bus operator based in Bayswater, Perth. It was acquired by ComfortDelGro in August 2018.[62] As of December 2018, Purple Coaches (legal name ComforDelGro Swan Pty Ltd) is a subsidiary of Swans Taxis, and hence it is also not a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia.[56]

References
  1. "SBST names Aussie unit boss as COO". Straits Times. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  2. "New Westbus owners guarantee jobs, services". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 August 2005.
  3. Annual Report year ended 30 June 2014 Cabcharge
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  5. "ComfortDelGro to buy remaining stake in CityFleet Networks for S$14 million". Business Times. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  6. "Cabcharge sells stake in CityFleet for $13.3m". 29 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
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  8. "Changes Galore in Sydney" Buses Worldwide November 2007 page 8
  9. Toronto Bus Service Australian Bus Fleet Lists
  10. Kefford Group finds a buyer Australian Bus & Coach 20 November 2008
  11. Deane's buses sold for $53 million ABC News 4 August 2012
  12. Deane's sold Australasian Bus & Coach 3 August 2012
  13. Cabcharge buys bus company for $26.5 million Blue Mountains Gazette 13 August 2014
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