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You know what the sign of a gifted public speaker is? Truth be told the answer involves more than a few, but one can’t help admiring an erudite spokesperson who can rationalise all sides and angles of a range of topics to convince even those traditionally opposed to something that: “You know what? They’ve got a point.” It doesn’t matter what it is, if you can give some thought to something and justify why you believe in something, or explain away how you’ve evolved to interpret something a certain way then … you know … I’m all ears. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean people must then jump and down for you and drop their own interpretations on certain topics, mind you, but through – and as they refer to in…
TOURISM AND TRANSPORT company SeaLink Travel Group has purchased Transit Systems Group, Australia’s largest private operator of metropolitan public bus services that also has bus operations in London and Singapore, it’s reported recently. In a move set to make SeaLink a world-class juggernaut in multi-modal passenger transport solutions, the purchase price incorporates an enterprise value of $635 million plus an earn-out component of up to $63 million. The acquisition will create Australia’s leading integrated land and marine passenger transport business with enhanced scale and capabilities to competitively deliver services under government contracts, the company states. SeaLink is an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed company with a market capitalisation of approximately $375 million. This is expected to grow following SeaLink’s equity raising announced on the Australian Securities Exchange and the completion…
OPERATING AS SWAN TRANSIT, the Transit Systems Group (TSG) has continued to expand its services in Perth. The Group has retained the Marmion and Claremont Metropolitan Bus services contracts for another 10 years, and has been awarded an additional contract to provide services for Joondalup, it confirms. Commencing on January 19, 2020, more than 6.5 million customers per year in Joondalup will start boarding with TSG on Swan Transit services, joining 25 million current passengers (per year) in the state, according to TSG projections. The Joondalup contract – believed to be previously operated by Transdev Perth – will see the business transition more than 300 employees, three depots and 170 buses into the Swan Transit network, which already includes 626 buses and 13 depots locally. The announcement to switch operators…
THE COMPLEX SALE of major bus entity the Donric Group – which split the assets for two buyers in a minimum $100 million deal across multiple states – successfully concluded the second-biggest bus mergers and acquisitions of the year, according to Pitcher Partners, the commercial advisor leading the transaction. The 40-year-old Donric Group comprised six long-established regional brands: Sunbury Coaches and Sunbury Bus Service, Coach Tours of Australia, and Organ’s Coaches Kyneton in Victoria plus Trans North Bus & Coach and Bowen Transit in Queensland. The business had grown from a small fleet of eight school buses to more than 400 buses, 210 contracts and 16 depots in the two states, it’s reported. Pitcher Partners partner Michael Sonego says the sale was complex given a break-up of the business was…
VOLGREN AND VOLVO have supplied New South Wales bus operator Busways with the first 12 of an order of 24 new low-floor, seatbelt-compliant school buses. The order was made late 2018 and will see the Volgrenbodied, Volvo B8 Euro 5-chassis buses used for Busways route and school services operating across Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Yamba on the NSW north coast. Busways asset manager Chris Wolf says the new buses reinforce the company’s commitment to passenger safety and innovation across their fleet. “The vehicles being delivered are replacing our older buses and, although they’re still operating and in good condition, the modern advancement and the new safety systems Volvo offer – including ABS, EBS and on-board warning systems – helps improve the overall standard of buses,” he said. John Allen,…
MASS JOB LOSSES and protests from ex-workers given the perception that millions in company funds were misdirected to a Wright Family-established ‘church’ have hallmarked the recent news that UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus has gone into administration. In what is being touted as another Brexit blow for Northern Ireland, on September 25 appointed-administrator Deloitte confirmed that 1,200 employees at Wrightbus had been made redundant; a massive low for the company and the local Ballymena, Northern Ireland, economy. Michael Magnay and Peter Allen of the professional services firm Deloitte were recently appointed as joint administrators to Wrights Group Ltd, Wrightbus Ltd, Wright En-Drive Ltd, Wright Composites Ltd and Metallix Ltd. More recently known for producing the ‘Boris (Johnson) Bus’ – the 2013 modern interpretation of a London Routemaster (New Routemaster) – and…
