Pulitano Group expands

[E.L.Wood]

In a completely unexpected move the Pulitano group are expanding their Bus Queensland operations by acquiring both Kynoch Coaches and Sunbus Toowoomba on April 1st if all goes to plan. It has popped up on the ABC web site http://busnews.com.au/index.cfm?id=2&cp ... ory&type=h

Kynoch Coaches and Sunbus Toowoomba sold to Pulitano Group
Monday 16 March 2009

The Pulitano Group have expanded operations by purchasing Kynoch Coaches and Sunbus Toowoomba.

Kynoch Coaches express services will be re-branded to Coach Queensland and the route services of Sunbus Toowoomba and Kynoch Coaches will come under the banner of Bus Queensland Toowoomba.

The official handover is expected on April 1, 2009.

The Pulitano Group have also taken on former Translink Manager (Busways and Facilities Operations Management Group) Vernon Alcantra as the Group’s CEO.

[davemail66]

Like Heritage City Sunbus, Ipswich another Transit Australia Pty Ltd controlled bus company (Garden City Sunbus, Toowoomba) gone to Bus Queensland Pty Ltd.

[Sb617]

and I guess its goodbye to the "hand-me-down" Sunbuses if thats the case. Probably the buses I'll miss from the Bus Queensland acquisition are the Ansair bodied MAN 11.220 (ex-5601-5607 from Sunshine Coast Sunbus and ex-STA).

[davemail66]

Probably the buses I'll miss from the Bus Queensland acquisition are the Ansair bodied MAN 11.220 (ex-5601-5607 from Sunshine Coast Sunbus and ex-STA).

I'll second that Arnzy, I hope 5701 and 5702 (Volvo B7RLE) are eventually return back to Sunshine Coast Sunbus also .

[Hornibrook]

Better get up there soon, before all the buses are moved/gone!

[mjja]

Unexpected? They're cashed up from selling their Melbourne operations! What do you do with that sort of money except buy up a business and run it?

[Maladjusted]

Maybe there now is more money available up here than down south for Bus Services!

[Volvo B12BLEA]

Unexpected? They're cashed up from selling their Melbourne operations! What do you do with that sort of money except buy up a business and run it?

The fact that the Sunbus operations, including Toowoomba, were bought by Surfside recently and the Toowoomba part has now been sold to the Pulitano's is probably the unexpected part.

[Sb617]

Surfside renamed their parent's (Holding) company "Transit Australia" after the former's acquisition of Sunbus.

However I'm not really that suprised that Transit Australia decided to sell off it's Toowoomba operations, considering they were the only depot not to adopt fleet numbers. The only unexpected part, imo, is that a buyer is acquiring sooner rather than later.

[08 XDi]

Selling off Toowoomba should send their average fleet age rocketing downwards at least...

[Hornibrook]

Got sent this info this morning :-

All of the fleet has now been sold to the Pulitano Group as of 1st April except 085HJJ which is being offered for sale elsewhere.

[Sb617]

Is that both the Kynoch and Garden City Sunbus fleets?

If so, goodbye to Bustechs ex-5701 and ex-5702. Which iirc, still had Cubic Readers installed at the time of last visit.

[Hornibrook]

Is that both the Kynoch and Garden City Sunbus fleets?

If so, goodbye to Bustechs ex-5701 and ex-5702. Which iirc, still had Cubic Readers installed at the time of last visit.

No that information only applies to Kynoch Coaches. No word on Sunbus yet.

[davemail66]

5 hours to go before bus operator names Garden City Sunbus and Kynoch Coaches are no more, a new urban bus company dawns for Toowoomba city and districts tomorrow (1st April 2009) ~ Hello "Toowoomba Transit" a new business unit of Bus Queensland.

[BUZ-WAY]

before I left sunbus toowoomba last year there was strong rumours about this happening. so not really suprised just it took longer to happen that bus qld brought out toowoomba buses. only suprise was kynoch being brought as well as most staff that had left sunbus ended up at kynoch..

[T1248]

5 hours to go before bus operator names Garden City Sunbus and Kynoch Coaches are no more, a new urban bus company dawns for Toowoomba city and districts tomorrow (1st April 2009) ~ Hello "Toowoomba Transit" a new business unit of Bus Queensland.

Not be confused with Toowoomba Transit Coaches. Useless people can't pick a slightly different name.

[davemail66]

Toowoomba qconnect commuter and long distance service contracts transferred to Toowoomba Transit

All Toowoomba, Highfields and Crows Nest qconnect commuter, school and long distance bus service contracts have been transferred to Toowoomba Transit following that company's takeover of Garden City Sunbus and Kynoch Coaches.

There are no changes to Toowoomba urban, school or long distance bus services operating out of the Garden City. All existing services will continue without changes to routes, timetables, fares or zones.

Sunbus and Kynoch branding will disappear over time with Bus Queensland joining familiar qconnect branding on buses.

Also go to Queensland Transport's - qconnect section for this info

[Hornibrook]

I read somewhere, that BusQLD couldn't run under the name of Toowoomba Transit due to the fact of Toowoomba Transit Coaches, who is another operator in Toowoomba.

[Noel]

Hi

Both the former Kynoch Coaches and Sunbus Garden City depots have been rebranded into Bus Queensland Toowoomba. The Kynoch Coaches depot also is the home of “Coach Queensland”, the charter part of the business. There is no mention anywhere of the "Toowoomba Transit" name.

From my observations earlier today:
- The six MAN 10.155s from Park Ridge Transit (PRT001-PRT006) have been transferred to the Toowoomba operation. At least one Park Ridge Graduate was also in the yard.
- Two new BCI Classmasters were in the yard too – are these the two reported to be at Westside Bus Co but since moved on?
- The two Volvo B12BLE/VSTs were still there but I did not see either of the two Volvo B7RLE/Bustechs in the yard.
- The Kynoch Coaches Bustech MDi has had all the Kynoch naming removed and is now basically all yellow.

Cheers.

[davemail66]

A link to those Toowoomba bus services (Kynoch & Sunbus) have finally been added to the Bus Queensland website:- http://www.busqld.com.au/

[PRT 065]

wow the first update to the site in so long