Go Bus Transport
Go Bus MAN 18.290 in July 2023
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

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, and runs bus services in Hamilton, Hawke's Bay, Tauranga, Christchurch, Gisborne, Dunedin and Invercargill.[3]

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

Go Bus MAN 11.190 in 2008

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.[7] Craig Worth was still commercial director in 2019.[8]

Original constituent companies

Buses Ltd

Buses Ltd was one of the companies forming Go Bus. It was formed in 1927 by the amalgamation of Blue Bus Co Ltd and Branton & Hodgson Public Motors.[9] Rawlinson & Branton Bros. had run Hamilton-Frankton buses as Waikato Motor Co. from about 1914[10] and to Ngāruawāhia from 1924.[11] By 1928 Buses Ltd was described as having a virtual monopoly of Hamilton buses.[12] Buses Ltd was bought by Hamilton City Council in about 1980 and renamed Hamilton City Buses Ltd.[13]

Hodgson's Motors garage, Te Awamutu in 2021

Lewis Hodgson Motor Services

Hodgson's of Te Awamutu, was another of the companies forming Go Bus. It was incorporated on 23 Feb 1937 and dissolved on 1 Jan 2005.[14] Prior to that, in 1932 Lewis Hodgson had started a Kihikihi to Te Awamutu railway station service,[15] took over the Pirongia, Whatawhata and Hamilton route,[16] which had been running from 1926[17] and was still running in 1942[18] and ran buses to Tokanui from 1933.[19] Lewis' son, Reece Hodgson, was killed while driving a Te Awamutu-Tauranga excursion in 1950.[20] The 1937 brick and concrete,[21][22][23] art deco garage in Te Awamutu was in use until 2020, when it was advertised for sale.[24] It remained in 2021,[25] but was to be replaced by 16 houses.[26]

Simpsons

Simpsons ran Huntly buses from at least 1929.[27] Simpsons Bus Services Limited operated from 1978 to 1998[28] and from then to 2008.[29] The bus operations were sold in 2003,[30] when the company had 34 buses.[31]

Controlling shareholders

Wellington investment group Morrison and Co.[32] had become a 41% shareholder by 2005.[33]

In 2007, Direct Capital bought 87% of Go Bus. The other 13% remained with Go Bus managers and directors.[34] Go Bus then had 410 vehicles, 4 workshops, 8 depots[32] and 460 staff.[35] By 2010, it had 650 buses and over 700 staff.[36] From 2007 to 2012, Go Bus more than doubled its fleet and increased its staff to 950. Direct put Go Bus up for sale, saying it needed more capital to continue expanding.[34]

In 2012, another private equity fund, Australia's Next Capital, bought Direct's 86.8% of Go Bus[34] for $84.6m.[37]

In 2014, Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corp (⅔) and Tainui Group Holdings (⅓) bought Go Bus for a reported $170m.[38]

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.[39]

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.[40]
  • 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.[41]
  • 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),[42] with two air-conditioned 27-seat 'GizzyBuses' and a reduced timetable.[43] GoBus also tendered for large buses at $225,941 a year.[42]
  • 2015 won 8 bus Gisborne school contract from Waipawa.[44]

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.[45]

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.[46]

References

  1. ↑ "Omnibus Society". Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Iwi partnership to sell Go Bus to experienced transit company". Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  3. ↑ "Urban Routes Hamilton, Napier/Hastings, Tauranga, Cristchurch | Go Bus". www.gobus.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "SkyBus operator set to buy Go Bus from two iwi". RNZ. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Kiwi transport company Go Bus sold to major Australian operator Kinetic". Stuff. 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. ↑ "Kinetic completes NZ Go Bus acquisition". Australasian Bus & Coach. 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  7. ↑ "Omnibus Society". Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  8. ↑ "AT THE CUTTING EDGE – GLOBAL BUS VENTURES". BusNews.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 August 1927. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "ENTERPRISE. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 23 December 1921. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  11. ↑ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 23 April 1924. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  12. ↑ "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 16 February 1928 — Page 20". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  13. ↑ "Omnibus Society". Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "LEWIS HODGSON MOTOR SERVICES LIMITED – TE AWAMUTU". www.companiesnz.com. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  15. ↑ "PASSENGER SERVICES. WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 November 1932. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  16. ↑ "PASSENGER TRANSPORT. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 10 August 1932. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  17. ↑ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 November 1926. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 February 1942. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 December 1933. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  20. ↑ "BUS DRIVER KILLED AND 16 PASSENGERS SUFFER INJURIES. GISBORNE HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 September 1950. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  21. ↑ "WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 20 December 1935. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  22. ↑ "LOCAL AND GENERAL Te Awamutu Courier". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 June 1937. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  23. ↑ "THIEVES IN GARAGE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 April 1938. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  24. ↑ "140 Ohaupo Rd". Google Maps. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  25. ↑ "Waipa Libraries Heritage Month: Building histories brought to life". NZ Herald. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  26. ↑ "Building consents top $100 million". Te Awamutu News. 18 May 2021. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  27. ↑ "Miners In Buses". The Evening Post. 14 December 1943. p. 4. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  28. ↑ "SIMPSONS FARMS 2007 LIMITED | New Zealand Business Directory". www.nzwao.com. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  29. ↑ "SIMPSONS BUS SERVICES LIMITED | New Zealand Business Directory". www.nzwao.com. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  30. ↑ "ABERHART V SIMPSONS FARMS LTD JUDGMENT" (PDF). 14 September 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  31. ↑ "Simpsons Bus Services Ltd – Huntly". fleetlists.busaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  32. 1 2 "Investor buys controlling share in bus company". Stuff.co.nz. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  33. ↑ "Ift – Page 16". www.sharetrader.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  34. 1 2 3 "Stuff 2/6/2012 Aussies board GoBus". Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  35. ↑ "Direct Capital". www.directcapital.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  36. ↑ "Direct Capital". www.directcapital.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  37. ↑ "Next Capital-Investor". www.nextcapital.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 February 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  38. ↑ "NBR AUGUST 12, 2014". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  39. ↑ "kinetic warm welcome – Go Bus". gobus.co.nz. 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  40. ↑ "Go Bus gets its contract renewed". m.nzherald.co.nz. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  41. ↑ Suddaby, Graham Skellern, Reon (24 December 2008). "Hopper buses to disappear from city". Bay of Plenty Times. ISSN 1170-0777. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  42. 1 2 "Bus Tender (Contract EW12/11) Tender Evaluation Report" (PDF). Gisborne District Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 February 2016.
  43. ↑ "New GizzyBuses get the thumbs up | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 22 August 2013. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
  44. ↑ "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.
  45. ↑ "Christchurch-based Leopard Coachlines is selling its city bus routes and commuter buses to Hamilton's Go Bus..." Archived 3 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine, stuff.co.nz
  46. ↑ Cropp, Amanda (4 August 2016). "Go Bus adds Johnston's Coachlines to its fleet". stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
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