Transdev Shorelink Buses

Parent Transdev Australasia
Commenced operation 1920s
Ceased operation 2013
Headquarters Mount Ku-ring-gai
Service area Hornsby
Ku-ring-gai
Ryde (two routes only)
Service type Bus services
Routes 21
Depots 1
Fleet 102 (June 2013)
Website www.shorelink.com.au

Transdev Shorelink was an Australian bus company operating services in the northern suburbs of Sydney. It was a division of Transdev. In 2013, Transdev Shorelink was absorbed into Transdev NSW.

History

Logo used between 2008 and 2010
Volgren bodied Scania K230UB at Central station in July 2013

In the 1920s Ku-ring-gai Bus Company was formed and commenced operations along the Pacific Highway between Chatswood and Hornsby. In 1949 a 25% share in the business was purchased by Jim Knox who in 1965 took full control.[1][2]

The company expanded with the purchase of Hornsby District Bus Service (July 1967), Pennant Hills - Hornsby Bus Co (July 1968), Warringah Bus Lines (July 1972), Griffith’s Bus Service, Berowra Coach Services and Talbot’s Transport Service (September 1978).[2][3] It was renamed Hornsby Bus Group in the early 1970s.[1]

In January 1989 Deanes Coaches was purchased doubling the size of the fleet.[4][5] with the enlarged operation rebranded as Shorelink in January 1990.[6][7] In August 1991 the Warringah Bus Lines operation was sold to Forest Coach Lines.[1][8]

In October 1992 Shorelink was sold to John A Gilbert.[1][9][10]

Since at least the early 1980s a coach operation had been operated under the Koala Tours brand. This was sold in May 1998 to Murrays.[11][12]

In September 2001 Shorelink was sold to Transdev. In 2005 Transfield Services purchased a 50% interest in Shorelink, forming a 50/50 joint venture with Transdev called TransdevTSL. Rebranding on all buses took place in 2008 when Shorelink was renamed TransdevTSL Shorelink Buses.[13] In 2010 Transfield sold their shares back to Transdev, and the bus company was renamed Transdev Shorelink.[1]

Following the merger of Transdev and Veolia Transport in 2011,[14] Transdev Shorelink was absorbed into Transdev NSW in 2013. Even so, buses did not get rebranded to the new Transdev logo until mid 2014, and the new Transdev NSW website only opened on 8 September 2014. The Transdev Shorelink website finally closed soon after.

From 2005 Shorelink's services were part of Sydney Bus Region 12.[15] In November 2012 it was announced that Shorelink had retained the contract to operate Region 12.[16]

Fleet

At the time of its absorption in 2013, the fleet consisted of 102 buses.[17] Until the early 1980s, the fleet livery was cream and blue when a white and aqua livery was introduced. After experimenting with a blue, grey and yellow scheme, a livery of white with blue, yellow and grey stripes was introduced. This was replaced by John A Gilbert's white and blue livery followed by Transdev's white, green and blue. In 2010 the Transport for New South Wales white and blue livery was adopted.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 About Veolia Transdev Transdev Shorelink Buses
  2. 1 2 "The Highway Bus" Fleetline September 1995 page 147
  3. ↑ New South Wales Bus Operators and Fleet Listings. Sydney: Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. 1993. p. 84.
  4. ↑ "Ownership Changes" Fleetline January 1989 page 11
  5. ↑ "Hornsby Bus Group" Australian Bus Panorama 4/4 January 1989 page 37
  6. ↑ "Hornsby Bus Group" Fleetline March 1990 page 47
  7. ↑ "Hornsby Bus Group" Australian Bus Panorama 5/5 March 1990 page 44
  8. ↑ "Ownership changes" Fleetline February 1992 page 35
  9. ↑ "Ownership changes" Fleetline January 1993 page 12
  10. ↑ "Shorelink" Australian Bus Panorama 8/5 February 1993 page 45
  11. ↑ "Ownership changes" Fleetline July 1998 page 133
  12. ↑ "Shorelink" Australian Bus Panorama August 1998 page 48
  13. ↑ TransdevTSL Shorelink News September 2008, Retrieved 5 August 2014
  14. ↑ Veolia Transdev rebranded and repositioned Australian Bus & Coach 3 July 2013
  15. ↑ Region 12 Transport NSW
  16. ↑ Cut costs or bus contracts will go to private sector, minister tells drivers Sydney Morning Herald 7 November 2012
  17. ↑ Transdev Shorelink Buses Australian Bus Fleet Lists

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