Transit Systems Victoria, formerly Sita Buslines, is a bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Transit Systems and operates 18 bus routes under contract to Public Transport Victoria.
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.jpg) Volgren bodied Volvo B7RLE in December 2014 | |
| Parent | Transit Systems |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1972 |
| Headquarters | West Footscray |
| Service area | Western Melbourne |
| Service type | Bus & coach operator |
| Routes | 19 |
| Hubs | Altona Gate Shopping Centre Brimbank Central Shopping Centre Footscray |
| Stations | Ascot Vale Footscray Melton Newport Sunshine Williamstown Yarraville |
| Fleet | 166 (December 2022)[1] |
| Website | Transit Systems Victoria |
History edit
In 1966, Frank Bono and George Sita purchased route 406 Footscray - East Keilor. In 1968, Sita sold his share to Frank Bono.[2] In January 1972, Sita purchased Grangers Bus Lines, which operated route 472 Moonee Ponds Junction - Williamstown Beach. Subsequently purchased were Murrays Coaches in 1975, Nidis in 1979, West Newport Bus Service in November 1980, Sunshine Bus Lines in April 1982 and Starline Coaches in 1985.[3][4][5]
Sita commenced coach operations in 1982, initially with second hand Denning vehicles, before building up a large Austral Tourmaster fleet after 1984.[4][6] In 1995, Sita purchased the Coachtrans coach operation on the Gold Coast and commenced operations in Sydney.[7] The latter operation has since ceased.
On 1 July 2018, Sita commenced a new ten-year performance-based contract to operate its bus services.[8] In April 2019, Sita was purchased by Transit Systems,[9] and was re-branded Transit Systems Victoria in November 2020.[10]
Fleet edit
As at December 2022, the Transit Systems fleet consisted of 166 buses and coaches.[1] Sita's bus livery was white at the top and fawn at the bottom with an orange stripe. A special orange, white and black livery was used on buses dedicated to the 401 shuttle from North Melbourne station to Melbourne University via the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Coaches wore a red, yellow and white livery, but are now painted white.
References edit
- ^ a b "Transit Systems, West Footscray". Australian Bus Fleet Lists (Bus Australia). Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- ^ "Firefly" Fleetline November 1990 page 171
- ^ Tilley, Bruce (1984). Melbourne Private Bus Fleets Vol 1. Berverley South Australia: Railmac Publications. p. 33. ISBN 0-949817-34-1.
- ^ a b "Victorian Buses in the Eighties" Australian Bus Panorama issue 6/2 September 1990 page 13
- ^ Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Operators and Fleet Listings. Melbourne: Bus & Coach Society of Victoria. 1991. p. 59.
- ^ "Victorian Buses in the Eighties" Australian Bus Panorama issue 6/4 November 1990 page 5
- ^ "Sita" Australian Bus Panorama issue 11/6 March 1996 page 39
- ^ "Metropolitan Bus Services Contract - Sita Bus Lines". Buying for Victoria. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ "Transit Systems Expands into Melbourne Bus Network". Transit Systems. 9 April 2019. Archived from the original on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- ^ Sita Buslines rebrand complete: Transit Systems Victoria Australasian Bus & Coach 9 November 2020
External links edit
Media related to Transit Systems Victoria at Wikimedia Commons