Buslink

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Buslink Logo.png
Darwinbus.jpg
Darwinbus liveried Volgren bodied Mercedes-Benz OC500LE in February 2008
ParentComfortDelGro Australia
FoundedMay 1988
HeadquartersBerrimah
Service areaAlice Springs
Darwin
Humpty Doo
Jabiru
Service typeBus services
Depots10
Fleet183 (October 2020)
Chief executiveMick Hannon
Websitewww.buslink.com.au

Buslink is a bus operator providing services in Alice Springs, Darwin, Jabiru and Humpty Doo. It is the largest operator in the Northern Territory. It is a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro Australia (CDC).

Buslink also operated in other Australian states and territories until these operations were rebranded to CDC in 2020.[1][2][3]

History[]

Buslink was formed in May 1988 when Darwin operator Ace Bus Service purchased the business of Matilda Tours from Ansett Trailways and merged both operations under the Buslink brand with a fleet of 25 buses.[4]

In 1990 Buslink began operating services from Casuarina to Darwin and Palmerston previously provided by Darwin Bus Service.[5] In July 1992 Buslink took over the Alice Springs services previously provided by Alice Bus Company.[6][7]

In 1994 the Katherine school services of Travel North were purchased with six buses.[8] In July 2007 Shuker Bus Service was purchased.

In 1999, with the purchase of Gladstone Bus & Coach, Buslink began operating bus services in Queensland under the Buslink Queensland brand.[9] In 2013, it held a 50% shareholding in Buslink Vivo.[10][11][12]

In February 2017 Buslink took over Murton's City Bus of Broken Hill.[13][14] In November 2018 Buslink was purchased by ComfortDelGro Australia.[15][16]

On 1 March 2020, Buslink Sunraysia and Buslink Broken Hill were rebranded CDC Mildura and CDC Broken Hill respectively.[1] On 1 October 2020, Buslink Queensland was rebranded CDC Queensland, with Sunshine Coast operations rebranded CDC Sunshine Coast and Gladstone operations rebranded CDC Gladstone.[2][3]

Operations[]

As of October 2020, Buslink operates in the Northern Territory only:[17]

Buslink also used to operate:

  • Buslink Vivo - ceased in July 2019
  • Buslink Sunraysia - now part of CDC Victoria and rebranded CDC Mildura in March 2020
  • Buslink Broken Hill - now part of CDC Victoria and rebranded CDC Broken Hill in March 2020
  • Buslink Queensland - rebranded CDC Queensland in October 2020

Northern Territory[]

Buslink operates in Northern Territory as Buslink Northern Territory or Buslink Vivo. Buslink Northern Territory operates half of Darwin's services under the Darwinbus brand[18] as well as services in Alice Springs under the ASBus banner.[19] It also operates buses in Jabiru.

Buslink also operated employee bus services in Darwin as a joint venture with Transdev called Buslink Vivo. The bus service ceased in July 2019.[20][21]

Queensland[]

Main article: CDC Queensland

Buslink operated in Gladstone and Sunshine Coast as Buslink Queensland. It was rebranded as CDC Queensland in October 2020.[2][3]

New South Wales[]

Buslink operated in Broken Hill as Buslink Broken Hill, taking over Murton's City Bus in February 2017. It was rebranded as CDC Broken Hill in March 2020.[1][22]

NSW/Victoria border[]

Buslink operated in Mildura and Wentworth as Buslink Sunraysia. It operated as a partnership with Transit South West, an operator in Victoria.[23] The operation was previously known as Sunraysia Bus Lines. It was rebranded as CDC Mildura in March 2020.[1]

Fleet[]

As at October 2020, the fleet consisted of 183 buses.[24][25] Fleet livery is white with blue signwriting.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Buslink Sunraysia & Broken Hill Officially Renamed CDC Mildura & CDC Broken Hill". CDC Victoria. 1 March 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Sunshine Coast school bus network changes for Term 4 effective Tuesday 6 October 2020". Buslink. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "CDC Queensland". CDC Queensland. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Buslink" Australian Bus Panorama issue 4/4 January 1989 page 10
  5. ^ "Northern Territory - Darwin Bus Service" Australian Bus Panorama issue 6/2 September 1990 page 30
  6. ^ "Buslink, Darwin & Alice Springs" Australian Bus Panorama issue 8/3 November 1992 page 54
  7. ^ "Northern Territory - Darwin Bus Service" Australian Bus Panorama issue 8/4 December 1992 page 21
  8. ^ "Buslink Group" Australian Bus Panorama issue 10/1 July 1994 page 39
  9. ^ "History". CDC Queensland. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  10. ^ Veolia Transdev and Buslink jv 'Buslink Vivo' wins Ichthys employee transport contract Archived 26 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine UBI France 20 November 2012
  11. ^ Top end tender awarded Australasian Bus & Coach 22 November 2012
  12. ^ Veolia Transdev awarded 140 million euro contract in Australia Transdev 7 December 2012
  13. ^ "Buslink Acquisition in Broken Hill". Buslink. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  14. ^ Bus operator in outback New South Wales sells to national bus company ABC News 1 December 2016
  15. ^ "ComfortDelgro Strengthens Foothold in Australia with Largest Acquisition to Date". ComfortDelGro. 5 November 2018. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  16. ^ CDC to Buy Buslink for AUD$190M - Its Largest Australian Purchase to Date Australasian Bus & Coach 6 November 2018
  17. ^ "Our Bus Operations". Buslink. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  18. ^ DarwinBus Network Archived 2013-12-27 at the Wayback Machine Buslink
  19. ^ Buslink Alice Springs Archived 2013-12-27 at the Wayback Machine Buslink
  20. ^ "Thank You for visiting Buslink Vivo". Buslink Vivo. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019.
  21. ^ "Buslink VIVO gets more than 15 million to work in Darwin". Transdev Australasia. 5 August 2019. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  22. ^ Buslink Broken Hill Officially Renamed CDC Broken Hill CDC Broken Hill 1 March 2020.
  23. ^ Buslink Sunraysia, Buslink, Retrieved 22 January 2018
  24. ^ "Our Bus Operations". Buslink. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  25. ^ Buslink Berrimah Australian Bus Fleet Lists

External links[]

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