Busways was awarded the new Greater Sydney Bus Contract 1 by the NSW Government late last night, commencing in December 2023 for the next seven years.
It will see Busways transporting eight million passengers on 1.1 million bus trips a year, operating over 350 buses at the Penrith, Blacktown and Mulgrave bus depots as well as continued delivery of the award-winning Cooee Busways On Demand service.
Busways Managing Director Byron Rowe said the decision recognises Busways’ proven performance delivering high standards of customer experience, safety and service innovation.
“We appreciate the NSW Government backing an Australian operator and are thrilled that 80 years after we first started running passenger transport services in Blacktown in 1942, we can continue to serve customers in our Western Sydney heartland,” Mr Rowe said.
Since 2013, Busways has been operating all bus services in Region 1.
“In the last 10 years we’ve invested heavily in the Western Sydney network, with a substantial capital works program including two brand new, state-of-the-art smart depots at Penrith and Mulgrave, installation of electrical charging infrastructure to support the roll-out of zero emissions buses (ZEB), fleet improvements and 12 ZEBs into service in Penrith, among many other improvements.
“Partnering with Transport for NSW, we’ve also improved customer experience by introducing nearly 40 timetable improvements since 2013 and establishing Sydney’s most popular On Demand service in The Ponds in 2019.
“Under Busways management, overall customer satisfaction with the bus network has increased by 20% over 10 years to 94% in 2022 and patronage grew by 36%, outpacing population growth.
For the next seven years, Mr Rowe said Busways will continue to focus on delivering world-class bus passenger services to the Western Sydney community.
“We’ll continue to invest in the region and focus on getting all the little things right that add up to a better experience for customers on the integrated transport network.
“We’ll also continue to introduce efficiencies and new innovations throughout the region, and support implementation of the Transport for NSW Future Transport vision.
“It is an exciting time to be serving the Western Sydney community. Western Sydney has grown into Sydney’s second major hub, and that evolution will continue over the life of the Contract with further residential and commercial expansion and major infrastructure works, such as Western Sydney Airport and the Aerotropolis.
“We look forward to continuing our highly effective and positive working relationship with the NSW Government to deliver customer value and introduce innovations that help more people to easily, quickly and safely use public transport.
“We are a passionate and energised team backed by a solid and respected track record. We’re a unique Australian story. We started running one passenger service in 1942 driven by the belief that people need great public transport. Almost eight decades later we’re still passionate and committed to providing a valued bus service that can be relied on.” Mr Rowe added.
About Busways
Busways is the largest wholly Australian-owned bus operator with 80 years’ experience in the transport industry, operating services across NSW, including Western Sydney, Central Coast and the Mid-North Coast, and in South Australia.
The company started as a single-man operation and has now grown into an extraordinary transportation business with over 2,600 employees and 208 depots. It operates a fleet of over 1,350 buses and over 26 million passengers travel on a Busways journey every year.
Busways has been innovating in the evolving Australian public transport landscape for eight decades. With an appetite for collaborative government and industry partnerships, the company is working across five of TfNSW’s Future Transport Technology Roadmap’s six priority programs for transport technology and customer benefits. This includes projects in zero emissions technology, demand-responsive transport, automated passenger vehicle services, and real-time customer information to improve customer experience on the NSW public transport network.
Background
GSBC1 serves a high growth region, with numerous large scale infrastructure projects in development and an ever-expanding network of commercial, business, leisure and residential hubs.
- 73 bus routes.
- 580 dedicated school services.
- 17.4 million trip kilometres a year.
- 8.1 million annual customers.
- 350+ buses.
- 780+ employees.
- 3 depots.
