Go Bus Transport

Go Bus Transport Ltd is a large bus company in New Zealand owned by Australian-based transport operator Kinetic Group.[2] The company is based in Hamilton, New Zealand, but also runs bus services in Hawke's Bay, Tauranga, Christchurch, Gisborne, Dunedin and Invercargill.[3]

Go Bus Transport
GoBus MAN 11.190 in 2008
ParentKinetic Group
Founded31 December 2004[1]
HeadquartersHamilton, New Zealand
Service areaHamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown
Service typeBus service, inter-city coach service, tour buses, coach charters, student transport
FleetDesignLine Corporation, Mercedes-Benz, MAN, Zhongtong Bus
Fuel typeDiesel
Chief executiveCalum Haslop
Websitegobus.co.nz

In March 2020, it was announced the company and its 1700 buses would be sold to Kinetic Group, who is also the operator of Auckland SkyBus, subject to Overseas Investment Office approval.[4] Approval was given in June and the acquisition was completed in August 2020.[5][6]

History

Original constituent companies – Buses Ltd ran Hamilton buses from at least 1928.[7] About 1980 it was bought by Hamilton City Council and renamed Hamilton City Buses Ltd.[8] Simpsons ran Huntly buses since at least 1929.[9] Hodgsons of Te Awamutu were granted a licence in 1932.[10]

Merger – In 2004, Go Bus was formed by the merger of C.J. Worth Ltd., trading as Blue Worth Coachlines and Hamilton City Buses (privatised in the 1990s), Simpsons and Hodgsons.[11] Craig Worth was still commercial director in 2015.[12][13]

Controlling shareholders – Wellington investment group Morrison and Co.[14] had become a 41% shareholder by 2005.[15]

In 2007, Direct Capital bought 87% of GoBus. The other 13% remained with GoBus managers and directors.[16] GoBus then had 410 vehicles, 4 workshops, 8 depots[14] and 460 staff.[17] By 2010, it had 650 buses and over 700 staff.[18] From 2007 to 2012, GoBus more than doubled its fleet and increased its staff to 950. Direct put GoBus up for sale, saying it needed more capital to continue expanding.[16]

In 2012, another private equity fund, Australia's Next Capital, bought Direct's 86.8% of GoBus[16] for $84.6m.[19]

In 2014, Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corp (⅔) and Tainui Group Holdings (⅓) bought Go Bus for a reported $170m.[20]

In 2020, Ngāi Tahu Holdings and Tainui Group Holdings agreed to sell passenger transport company Go Bus to Melbourne-based industry operator Kinetic.[2] The sale was finalised in August 2020.

Expansion – some growth has been by acquisition of bus companies (see below), some by winning new contracts. Among the latter have been –

  • 2009 contract for Napier and Hastings, renewed in 2015 after a 60% growth in passengers.[21]
  • 2009 Tauranga $7.5m ($3m less than previous operator, Bayline Coaches) 5½ year contract with Environment Bay of Plenty Bay. Bayline had run 25 buses daily, but the new service used 35 buses and 42 staff, with depots in Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and Te Puke.[22]
  • 2013 won Gisborne contract by cutting the $320,000 a year Waipawa Red Bus service to $217,776 (plus $5,000 for cycle racks in the first year),[23] with two air-conditioned 27-seat 'GizzyBuses' and a reduced timetable.[24] GoBus also tendered for large buses at $225,941 a year.[23]
  • 2015 won 8 bus Gisborne school contract from Waipawa.[25]

Acquired bus companies

Christchurch Bus Services

Christchurch Bus Services Ltd operated Metro routes for Environment Canterbury in Christchurch and Timaru, as well as private charter services for groups and schools. It was purchased in December 2010 by Go Bus.

Urban Cat

In July 2013, Go Bus Transport took over the 'Urban Cat' Christchurch urban bus operations of Leopard Coachlines, gaining around 90 buses.[26]

Hawarden Garage

Based in Kaiapoi, Hawarden Garage & Transport Co Ltd was bought at the end of 2013.

Invercargill Passenger Transport

In April 2014, Go Bus took over Invercargill Passenger Transport, which at that time was trading as Passenger Transport Citibus throughout the southern South Island.

Johnston's Coachlines

In August 2016, Go Bus announced that they had acquired Johnston's Coachlines for an undisclosed sum. Johnston's is a tourism-based bus company with depots in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown. The main purpose of the acquisition was the company's experience in the high-end tour market. It was stated that the companies will operate in a parent-subsidiary manner, as Johnston's will retain its own brand and division. The purchase did not include Johnston's Gray Line tours.[27]

References
  1. Omnibus Society
  2. "Iwi partnership to sell Go Bus to experienced transit company".
  3. "Urban Routes Hamilton, Napier/Hastings, Tauranga, Cristchurch | Go Bus". www.gobus.co.nz. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  4. "SkyBus operator set to buy Go Bus from two iwi". RNZ. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  5. "Kiwi transport company Go Bus sold to major Australian operator Kinetic". Stuff. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. "Kinetic completes NZ Go Bus acquisition". Australasian Bus & Coach. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  7. "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 16 February 1928 — Page 20". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  8. Omnibus Society
  9. "Miners In Buses". The Evening Post. 14 December 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  10. "Motor Transport". New Zealand Herald. 11 November 1932. p. 12. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  11. Omnibus Society
  12. "Media". www.gobus.co.nz. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  13. Lewis, Geoff (20 January 2014). "Hamilton welcomes 'kneeling' buses". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  14. "Investor buys controlling share in bus company". Stuff.co.nz. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  15. "Ift – Page 16". www.sharetrader.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  16. Stuff 2/6/2012 Aussies board GoBus
  17. "Direct Capital". www.directcapital.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  18. "Direct Capital". www.directcapital.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  19. "Next Capital-Investor". www.nextcapital.com.au. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  20. NBR AUGUST 12, 2014
  21. "Go Bus gets its contract renewed". m.nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  22. Suddaby, Graham Skellern, Reon (24 December 2008). "Hopper buses to disappear from city". Bay of Plenty Times. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  23. "Bus Tender (Contract EW12/11) Tender Evaluation Report" (PDF). Gisborne District Council.
  24. "New GizzyBuses get the thumbs up | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  25. "New buses for city schools run". www.test.helm1.gisborneherald.co.nz. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  26. "Christchurch-based Leopard Coachlines is selling its city bus routes and commuter buses to Hamilton's Go Bus...", stuff.co.nz
  27. Cropp, Amanda (4 August 2016). "Go Bus adds Johnston's Coachlines to its fleet". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
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