Busabout Sydney

Bustech bodied Mercedes-Benz O500LE at Liverpool station in July 2013
Parent Joe & Tony Calabro
Commenced operation November 1947
Headquarters Smeaton Grange
Service area South West Sydney
Service type Bus services
Alliance Busabout Wagga Wagga
Hawkesbury Valley Buses
Hubs Campbelltown station
Depots 3
Fleet 112 (December 2014)
Website www.busabout.com.au

Busabout Sydney is an Australian bus company operating route bus services in South West Sydney.

History

Bustech bodied Mercedes-Benz O500LE in Prestons in May 2012

In November 1947, Sid Neville purchased route 58 Liverpool - Leppington - Rossmore - Bringelly from MB & AK Scott. In April 1955, Neville purchased route 94 Liverpool - Ingleburn from Liverpool-Ingleburn Bus Service. In the 1960s, a coach charter business was established under the Coachways brand.[1][2]

In 1994 Joe and Tony Calabro bought a 50% share of Neville's Bus Service with the operation rebranded as Busabout.[3]

The Calabro family had a long history with the south-western suburbs, having operated services in Bonnyrigg from 1951[4] until selling the operation to Westbus in June 1989 with 70 buses and coaches.[5] Joe and Tony Calabro subsequently purchased Surfside Buslines in October 1989[6][7] followed by Hawkesbury Valley in November 1990.[8]

In September 1997, the Calabros purchased Liverpool Transport Co from the Garrard family, who operated services from Liverpool to Miller, Austral, Hillview and Cartwright.[1][2][9] In October 2001 the Calabros purchased the remaining shares in Busabout and it was amalgamated with Liverpool Transport Co at the latter's West Hoxton depot under the Busabout name.

On 2 December 2008, the Calabros purchased the Fearne's Coaches business in Wagga Wagga and Harden and rebranded it as Busabout Wagga Wagga[2][10]

Since 2005 Busabout's services have been part of Sydney Bus Region 2, with some routes part of Region 3.[11] On 13 October 2013, Transit Systems Sydney took over Region 3 having won a tender to operate the new region including two routes that were operated by Busabout.[12][13]

On 1 June 2014, Busabout's Sydney Bus Region 2 services passed to Interline and Busabout took over the Sydney Bus Region 15 services from Busways.[14][15][16] A new depot in region 15 opened 20 January 2015.[17]

The Transit Australia Group consists of Queensland operations including Surfside Buslines, which the Calabro family has acquired.

Fleet

As at December 2014, the fleet consisted of 112 buses.[18] Since 2001 all purchases have been bodied at the Calabro's Bustech operation. With the introduction of the Busabout name in 1994, a white, green and yellow livery was introduced. In 2010 the Transport for New South Wales white and blue livery began to be applied.

In July 2014, the Joint Heavy Taskforce, made up of people from NSW Police and Roads & Maritime Services, inspected the fleet at Smeaton Grange depot and found that 32 out of 88 buses had major defects.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 New South Wales Bus Operators and Fleet Listings. Sydney: Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. 1993. pp. 66, 73.
  2. 1 2 3 "Contractor changes in Sydney regions 2 and 15" Australian Bus issue 64 July 2014 pages 38/39
  3. ↑ "Ownership and route changes" Fleetline October 1994 page 193
  4. ↑ Tribute to Frank Calabro Archived 12 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Hansard NSW Parliament 6 May 2011
  5. ↑ "Calabro's Sold" Fleetline November 1989 page 176
  6. ↑ "Stateliner takes over Greyhound" Australian Bus Panorama 5/5 March 1990 page 23
  7. ↑ "Surfside Bus Lines" Australian Bus Panorama 6/6 February 1991 page 45
  8. ↑ "Ownership changes" Fleetline July 1991 page 118
  9. ↑ "Liverpool Transport" Australian Bus Panorama 13/2 October 1997 page 44
  10. ↑ "Fearne's is sold to Sydney firm" The Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga) 7 December 2008
  11. ↑ Region 2 Transport NSW
  12. ↑ Cut costs or bus contracts will go to private sector, minister tells drivers Sydney Morning Herald 7 November 2012
  13. ↑ Transit Systems awarded Sydney buses contract Transit Systems 7 November 2012
  14. ↑ More than 60 new buses and improved customer service with new bus contracts Transport for NSW 29 August 2013
  15. ↑ Busabout News May 2014, Retrieved 11 May 2014
  16. ↑ Busways Campbelltown April 2014, Retrieved 18 April 2014
  17. ↑ Busabout Newsletter Busabout June 2015
  18. ↑ Busabout Campbelltown, Smeaton Grange & West Hoxton Australian Bus Fleet Lists
  19. ↑ Smeaton Grange based Busabout buses found to be defective Camden-Narellan Advertiser 1 July 2014
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