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Busways is an Australian bus company operating services in
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, and in the Central Coast, Mid North Coast regions of
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
and
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
. It is the largest privately owned bus operator in Australia.


History

The origins of Busways can be traced to 1942 when Dick Rowe commenced a hire car service from Rooty Hill to Plumpton. In 1946 Rowe purchased his first bus and further expansion saw a depot established in Plumpton in 1958.The History of Busways
Busways
In 1958, in partnership with Fred Bowman, Rowe purchased Parramatta-Villawood Bus Service followed by Campbelltown Transit on 13 May 1967 in partnership with Roger Graham and Jim Newport. In 1970, Rowe had taken full ownership of Campbelltown Transit and in January 1978 sold out of Parramatta-Villawood."Contractor changes in Sydney regions 2 and 15" '' Australian Bus'' issue 64 July 2014 pages 36/37 In 1984, Riverstone Bus Service was purchased and merged with Rowe's Bus Service. In June 1986 Higlett's Motor Coach Services, Camden was purchased and rebranded Macarthur Coaches. In 1988, Campbelltown Transit, Macarthur Coaches and Rowe's Bus Service were all rebranded as Busways. In February 1990 the Seargent's, Charmhaven business on the Central Coast was purchased followed in July 1994 by the neighbouring Peninsula Bus Lines business in Kincumber, Ourimbah and Umina. In June 1991, the Campbelltown to
Wollongong Wollongong ( ; Dharawal: ''Woolyungah'') is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near water' or 'sound ...
service of Farmborough Coaches was acquired. In November 1992 Busways took over operation of the routes of Leslies, Arndell Park following its collapse before purchasing them in May 1993. In September 2003, Busways purchased the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
and Mid North Coast services of King Brothers from its administrator.Bus firm buys failed King Bros business
''
ABC News ABC News most commonly refers to: * ABC News (Australia), a national news service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation * ABC News (United States), a news-gathering and broadcasting division of the American Broadcasting Company ABC News may a ...
'' 24 September 2003
In January 2008 the school services of Yarramalong Bus Lines, Wyong were purchased followed by those of Kulnura Bus Lines in July 2009. Between 2014 and 2015, Busways attempted to venture overseas by submitting a bid for the Bulim Bus Package in Singapore. It was among the 10 local and foreign bus operators who had submitted a bid for the tender. The bid was ultimately unsuccessful. In 2020, Busways was successful in expanding its bus operations outside of New South Wales, when it was awarded the contract to operate the Outer South bus network in
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
. Busways took over the operations from
SouthLink SouthLink is an Australian bus service operator in Adelaide. It operates services as part of the Adelaide Metro network under contract to the Department for Infrastructure & Transport. It is a subsidiary of Keolis Downer. History In April 20 ...
in July that year.


Current operations


Western Sydney services

Since 2005, Busways' services in the
Blacktown Blacktown is a suburb in New South Wales, Australia, west of the Sydney central business district. It is one of the most multicultural places within Sydney, Greater Sydney. History Before the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, the area of ...
area have formed part of Sydney Bus Region 1, held in partnership with Westbus and Hawkesbury Valley Buses. Operating from a depot in Glendenning, scheduled route and school services cover an area encompassed by Seven Hills and Castle Hill in the east; Rouse Hill and Riverstone in the north; Shalvey and St Marys in the west; Minchinbury and Prospect to the south. The regional centres of Blacktown and Mount Druitt are a focus for all services, with trips also serving the employment centres of Eastern Creek, Huntingwood and
Macquarie Park Macquarie Park () is a suburb in the Northern Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Macquarie Park is located 13 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the Local government in Australia, local government ...
. Bus/train connections are provided at a variety of railway stations. Busways also operates services along the
North-West T-way The North-West T-way is a continuous series of bus-only lanes and bus roadways between Parramatta, Blacktown and Rouse Hill in Western Sydney. Opened in stages between March and November 2007, the T-way was the second bus rapid transit route t ...
between Blacktown and Rouse Hill. In March 2007, the Parramatta - Rouse Hill section of the
North-West T-way The North-West T-way is a continuous series of bus-only lanes and bus roadways between Parramatta, Blacktown and Rouse Hill in Western Sydney. Opened in stages between March and November 2007, the T-way was the second bus rapid transit route t ...
opened. Bus routes 730 (renumbered T63) and 735 (renumbered 616, now 616X) were transferred from Busways to Hillsbus while bus route 718 was transferred from Hillsbus to Busways. In November 2007, the Blacktown - Parklea of the North-West T-way opened. Existing Busways bus routes were amended and renumbered to become new T-way routes (T70, T71, T74 and T75) and ran mainly along the new section. In October 2013, Busways after winning the tender for Sydney Bus Region 1, took over the operation of services in the St Marys, Penrith, Windsor and
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
areas from Hawkesbury Valley Buses and Westbus.Cut costs or bus contracts will go to private sector, minister tells drivers
''
Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in ...
'' 7 November 2012
Busways win a 300 bus contract in Western Sydney
Busways 7 November 2012
In May 2019, as part of the Sydney Metro opening, all Busways T-way services were renumbered from "T7x" to "73x", and the former Hawkesbury Valley Buses services (661–664) were renumbered to "67x" or "74x". Some services were also rerouted to stop at Tallawong station. Between 2022 and 2023, the contract for region 1 was put out to tender and was subsequently retained by Busways. The new contract commenced in December 2023 for a period of seven years.


Sydney North Shore & West services

In July 2021, Busways was announced as the new operator for Sydney Bus Region 7 in the North Shore, Northern and
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
regions of Sydney. Busways commenced operating Region 7 on 9 January 2022 as part of an eight-year contract, taking over from State Transit.


Central Coast services

The Central Coast has services provided under the Outer Metropolitan Bus System Contract Region 6. This contract with the NSW Government covers a broad area that stretches from Patonga and Wagstaffe in the south through to
Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...
and
Morisset Morisset ( ;) is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area in the Hunter Region, Hunter region in New South Wales, Australia. Morisset is a part of the Greater Newcastle area, it is located west of the l ...
in the north; and Dooralong and Mangrove Mountain in the west to Terrigal and MacMasters Beach in the east. With depots at Kincumber and Woongarrah, the key centres served by Busways routes include Gosford, Tuggerah, Wyong, Lake Haven, Erina Fair and Woy Woy. Occasional trips also serve Charlestown in the north and Spencer in the west. Between 2021 and 2023, the contract for region 6 was put out to tender and was subsequently retained by Busways. The new contract will commence on 28 July 2024 for a period of seven years.


North Coast services

In September 2003, Busways purchased the services of King Brothers on the Mid North Coast from its administrator. Busways provides services throughout Grafton, Kempsey, Wauchope, Laurieton,
Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour, locally nicknamed Coffs, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 a ...
,
Port Macquarie Port Macquarie, sometimes shortened to Port Mac and commonly locally nicknamed Port, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane, on the Tasman Sea coast at the mouth of the ...
, Yamba, Bulahdelah, Heatherbrae, Macksville and
Raleigh Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
.


Adelaide Outer South services

In July 2020, Busways took over Adelaide's Outer South network from
SouthLink SouthLink is an Australian bus service operator in Adelaide. It operates services as part of the Adelaide Metro network under contract to the Department for Infrastructure & Transport. It is a subsidiary of Keolis Downer. History In April 20 ...
, including the Lonsdale and Seaford depots.


Former operations


Macarthur services

From 2005 Busways' services in the Macarthur Region formed Sydney Bus Region 15. Operating from depots at Campbelltown and Smeaton Grange, route and school services operated as far east as Kentlyn and Wedderburn; south to Appin and
Wollongong Wollongong ( ; Dharawal: ''Woolyungah'') is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near water' or 'sound ...
; west to The Oaks and Warragamba; and north to Catherine Field and Raby. Regional and district centres such as Campbelltown, Macarthur Square, Narellan and Camden were the focus of all routes. Busways operated the free Macarthur CBD shuttle which was terminated in August 2014. In June 2014 operation of the Sydney Bus Region 15 passed to Busabout.More than 60 new buses and improved customer service with new bus contracts
Transport for NSW 29 August 2013
Busways Campbelltown May 2014
Retrieved 18 April 2014


Coach services

Rowe's Bus Service previously operated coach services with a fleet of six Dennings until the coach licences were sold to Westbus in 1986. Macarthur Coaches also operated some coaches that were sold in 1990. Until October 2011 Busways operated a service from Forster to Sydney. Busways operate coach services from
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...
to Taree under contract to
NSW TrainLink NSW TrainLink is a regional train and coach operator in Australia, providing services throughout New South Wales and into Australian Capital Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria (state), Victoria, Queensland and South Australia ...
.


Fleet

Having traditionally purchased Leyland buses, in November 1978 the first of 30 Volvo B58s were delivered. Since then, Busways have purchased buses from
MAN A man is an adult male human. Before adulthood, a male child or adolescent is referred to as a boy. Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the f ...
,
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...
,
Scania Scania ( ), also known by its native name of Skåne (), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces () of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conterminous w ...
and
Volvo The Volvo Group (; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distribution and sale of truck ...
. In the 1970s the Rowe fleet livery was white with a red stripe, with an orange stripe added in 1988. Since 2010, the blue and white
Transport for NSW Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is a Government of New South Wales, New South Wales Government transport services and roads List of New South Wales government agencies, agency established on 1 November 2011. The agency is a different entity to the NSW ...
livery has been applied to the Sydney and Central Coast fleets. As of April 2025, Busways operates 1,201 buses in NSW, including 36 electric buses,Busways
Australian Bus Fleet Lists
and 134 buses in Adelaide. Busways operates a total of 1,335 buses across Australia.


External links


Bus Australia gallery
*


References

{{Adelaide public transport Bus companies of New South Wales Bus companies of South Australia Bus transport in Sydney Mid North Coast Transport companies established in 1942 Transport in Adelaide Transport on the Central Coast (New South Wales) Australian companies established in 1942