Go Bus Transport

Go Bus Transport Ltd is a large bus company in New Zealand owned by Tainui and Ngai Tahu. The company is based in Hamilton, New Zealand, but also runs bus services in Hawke's Bay, Tauranga, Christchurch, Gisborne, Dunedin and Invercargill.^[2]

History

Original constituent companies - Buses Ltd ran Hamilton buses from at least 1928.^[3] About 1980 it was bought by Hamilton City Council and renamed Hamilton City Buses Ltd^[4] Simpsons ran Huntly buses since at least 1929.^[5] Hodgsons of Te Awamutu were granted a licence in 1932.^[6]

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.^[7] Craig Worth was still commercial director in 2015.^[8][9]

Controlling shareholders - Wellington investment group Morrison and Co.^[10] had become a 41% shareholder by 2005.^[11]

In 2007 Direct Capital bought 87% of GoBus. The other 13% remained with GoBus managers and directors.^[12] GoBus then had 410 vehicles, 4 workshops, 8 depots.^[10] and 460 staff.^[13] By 2010 it had 650 buses and over 700 staff.^[14] 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.^[12]

In 2012 another private equity fund, Australia's Next Capital, bought Direct's 86.8% of GoBus^[12] for $84.6m.^[15]

In 2014 Ngai Tahu Holdings Corp (⅔) and Tainui Group Holdings (⅓) bought Go Bus for a reported $170m.^[16]

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.^[17]
• 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.^[18]
• 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),^[19] with two air-conditioned 27-seat 'GizzyBuses' and a reduced timetable.^[20] GoBus also tendered for large buses at $225,941 a year.^[19]
• 2015 won 8 bus Gisborne school contract from Waipawa.^[21]

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 Gobus Transport took over the 'Urban Cat' Christchurch urban bus operations of Leopard Coachlines, gaining around 90 buses.^[22]

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.

Hawarden Garage

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

References

External links

• Go Bus Transport Ltd website