Red Bus CDC NSW

Red Bus CDC NSW

Red Bus Services Express bodied Iveco Metro at the 2013 Australian Bus & Coach Show
Parent	ComfortDelGro Australia
Commenced operation	1923
Headquarters	Bateau Bay
Service area	Central Coast
Service type	Bus services
Routes	27 (July 2024)
Hubs	Erina Fair Gosford station Westfield Tuggerah Wyong station
Depots	1
Fleet	116 (January 2024)
Website	www.redbuscdc.com.au

Red Bus CDC NSW, formerly Red Bus Services, is an Australian bus company operating route bus services on the New South Wales Central Coast.

History

Former Red Bus Services logo

In 1923 Messrs. Barham & Wells started a bus service between The Entrance and Wyong in opposition to a ferry service. In 1924 a service commenced between The Entrance and Gosford trading as The Red Bus Company - Tuggerah Lakes Motors. The business was sold in 1929 to the Sloman family and renamed The Entrance Red Bus Service. In 1946 a service between Gosford and East Springfield was purchased and renamed Gosford Bus Service. ^[1]

In 1949, services from The Entrance to Wyong, The Entrance to Ourimbah and Ourimbah to Wyong were purchased. In 1952, local services in The Entrance were purchased giving The Entrance Red Bus Service control of all services operating in the area. In the early 1950s, Red Bus also operated coach services out of Newcastle, Gosford and Cooma and was the first mainland bus company to operate a coach to Tasmania. In 1961 the Snowy Mountains tourist services were sold to Ansett Pioneer. ^[2]

The Gosford to Kariong and Lisarow services were purchased and later sold. In December 1973, the Gosford to Matcham and Holgate service was acquired. ^{[1] [3]}

In 1982, a new depot opened at Bateau Bay to replace the one at The Entrance. ^[4] In 1984, the Central Coast Coaches charter business was sold to Seargents. ^[5] In June 1988, the Central Coast Airbus between Bateau Bay and Sydney Airport service commenced, ceasing in 2000. ^{[1] [6] [7] [8]} The Gosford Bus Service and The Entrance Red Bus Service names remained in use until the late 1990s when both were rebranded as Red Bus Services and all operations consolidated at the Bateau Bay depot. ^[9]

Since 2008, Red Bus Services has operated Sydney Outer Metropolitan Bus Region 7. ^[10] In February 2023, Red Bus and ComfortDelGro Australia (via its subsidiary CDC NSW) set up a joint venture known as Red Bus CDC NSW, to bid on a renewed region 7 bus contract, which was awarded to the joint venture in July 2023. ^{[11] [12] [13]} The intention was for the joint venture to take over region 7 services from Red Bus Services at the start of the new contract. The new contract began on 6 July 2024 and will run for eight years. On the same day, the Shore family sold Red Bus and its 50% shareholding in the joint venture to CDC NSW, with Red Bus CDC NSW fully owned by CDC NSW. ^[14] The Shore family retained ownership of the Bateau Bay depot which will be used by the new entity.

Services

As of July 2024, Red Bus CDC NSW operates services on 27 routes. ^[15]

Fleet

As of January 2024, the fleet consisted of 116 buses and coaches. ^[16] The fleet livery was red and cream until the Transport for NSW white and blue livery was adopted in 2010. The Central Coast Airbus fleet was painted in a grey, white, red and yellow scheme. ^{[5] [17]}

References

1. A Brief History of the Company Red Bus Services
2. Ansett Pioneer is Snowy Truck & Bus Transportation August 1961 page 64
3. New South Wales Bus Operators and Fleet Listings. Sydney: Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. 1993. p. 16.
4. Country Changes Fleetline issue 89 December 1982 page 199
5. Red Bus Services Pty Ltd Australian Bus Panorama issue 19/4 January 2004 pages 8-23
6. Central Coast Airbus Fleetline August 1989 page 122
7. New South Wales Deregulation Australian Bus Panorama issue 5/2 September 1989 page 9
8. Airbus Service Ends Australian Bus Panorama issue 19/4 January 2003 page 28
9. Red Bus Service Australian Bus Panorama issue 14/4 February 1999 page 45
10. Outer Metropolitan Sydney Bus Contract Regions 6 and 7 Transport for NSW
11. Asset Acquisitions & Disposals ComfortDelGro 24 February 2023
12. Red Bus CDC NSW Joint Venture Red Bus Services 4 July 2023
13. CDC NSW celebrates NSW Central Coast joint venture Australasian Bus & Coach 4 August 2023
14. "Red Bus CDC NSW start services on the Central Coast". ComfortDelGro Australia. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
15. Wyong, Tuggerah, The Entrance & Gosford Bus Guide Red Bus CDC NSW
16. Red Bus Services Australian Bus Fleet Lists
17. Central Coast - Sydney Transit Australia July 1988 page 151