Transdev Melbourne


Transdev Melbourne is a bus operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, operating a fleet of over 500 buses on 45 bus routes, as well as seven SmartBus routes. It commenced operations in August 2013, taking over all Melbourne Bus Link and National Bus Company routes. It operates approximately 30% of Melbourne's bus network. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Australasia, which in turn is a subsidiary of French-based, international Transdev.

History

Most of Transdev Melbourne's routes were operated by the Public Transport Corporation until the 1990s. In December 1993 the Doncaster and Fitzroy North depots and associated services were transferred to National Bus Company, formed by Westbus proprietors Jim Bosnjak and sister in law Carol. The remaining Public Transport Corporation services remained in public ownership until privatised in April 1998 with Dysons and Reservoir Bus Company forming Melbourne Bus Link to take over the services operating out of Footscray and Sandringham depots.
In June 2012, Public Transport Victoria called for expressions of interest for the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Franchise with 30% of the city's bus network, operated by Melbourne Bus Link and National Bus Company, as well as three SmartBus routes,. From ten expressions received, a shortlist of five bidders was selected in August 2012 with FirstGroup, Keolis Downer, National Bus Company, Transit Systems, and Transdev invited to tender. In April 2013 Transdev were awarded the franchise, with operations commencing on 4 August 2013. The franchise will run for seven years with an option to extend for a further three years. In December 2018, it was announced by the government that the three years extension option will not be taken up, but instead a six-month extension was granted, extending the contract to January 2021.
In September 2017, safety inspections by Transport Safety Victoria at two Transdev bus depots found 33 defective buses. Twelve of the buses were in such poor conditions they were removed from service for urgent repairs.

Fleet

Transdev Melbourne inherited a fleet of approximately 500 buses from Melbourne Bus Link, Ventura Bus Lines ex National Bus Company, and SmartBus operators. As at December 2019, the fleet consisted of 546 buses.
The Public Transport Victoria white and orange diamonds livery is being applied, except to SmartBus liveried buses that will remain this livery.

Routes

As of July 2020, Transdev Melbourne operates the following routes under contract to Public Transport Victoria:
Transdev Melbourne operate from five depots, with two satellite depots. The Eastern network operates out of depots in Doncaster and Fitzroy North, while the Western network operated depots in Footscray and Sandringham. The SmartBus Orbital fleet operated out of Keysborough depot, as well as two interim satellite depots at Dysons in Reservoir, and Tullamarine Bus Lines in Airport West, with a requirement to establish a more permanent storage solution by 2017.
New depots opened at Heatherton, Sunshine West and Thomastown in September 2016, October 2016 and March 2017 to replace the Sandringham, Footscray and satellite depots respectively. The Doncaster and Fitzroy North depots are also being rebuilt as part of an upgrade program. A temporary depot was set up in North Melbourne while these works occurred.