The Tranzit Group is a New Zealand, family owned transport and tourism company that operates buses nationally. It was founded by Albert Snelgrove in Wairarapa as Grey Bus Service. It became Blue Bus Service (with a livery change) in the early 1950s and then Tranzit Coachlines in 1985.[1] It has a 46% shareholding in InterCity.[2]
 | |
_(53543888695)_(cropped).jpg) Tranzurban Wellington BCI CitiRider in February 2024 | |
| Parent | Snelgrove family |
|---|---|
| Commenced operation | 1925 |
| Headquarters | Masterton, Wairarapa |
| Service area | New Zealand |
| Depots | 7 |
| Fleet | 662 (August 2018) |
| Operator | Cross Country Rentals Hammonds Wellington Tours Hawke's Bay Peugeot, Suzuki & Citroën InterCity (46%) Pacific Tourways Auckland Tranzit Coachlines Tranzit InterCity Tranzit Tours Tranzurban Wellington Tranzurban Auckland |
| Website | www.tranzit.co.nz |
Urban services
editTranzit operates urban services in Auckland, New Plymouth, Waikato, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wellington and Hutt Valley. In 2018 under the brand name Tranzurban, it began operating 60 percent of the Metlink bus network under contract to Greater Wellington Regional Council. This includes delivering urban services in Wairarapa, Hutt Valley and Wellington city. Tranzurban purchased 225 Euro 6 diesel buses, which meet the highest global emission standards, and 10 double deck electric (EVDD) buses, the first in the Southern Hemisphere. This fleet has been running successfully since, with innovations made to the EVDDs. This fleet has incrementally grown to 42 electric buses, after Tranzurban confirmed in June 2020 it will incrementally add 31 more new EVDDs. This will help Wellington achieve its target of carbon neutrality by 2030. In 2021, Tranzit converted a diesel double decker to electric in Masterton.[3] [4][5][6]
As part of a reorganisation of Auckland's northern bus network on the North Shore, "Tranzurban Auckland" became the contracted operator of the newly designated NX2 services (formerly the 881 route) on the Northern Busway from 30 September 2018.[7]
Fleet
editAs of January 2024, Tranzit Group operates more than 2000 vehicles nationwide, including a growing fleet of electric buses. These vehicles represent some of New Zealand's most well known travel and transport brands owned by Tranzit Group including: Cross Country Rentals, Tranzit Coachlines, Tranzit Tours, Pacific Tourways Limited, Tranzurban Wellington, Hutt Valley & Auckland, Rite Price Rentals and Maugers Rentals. Tranzit Group is also part owner of Intercity.[8] For the Wellington contract, 114 Optare MetroCitys will be purchased.[9][10][11]
In Wellington, the company operates 43 electric double decker buses on urban routes. They have also introduced 100% electric bus fleet into Palmerston North in early 2024 in partnership with Horizons Regional Council [12][13] An additional 31 double deck electric buses are expected to be in service by 2022.[14] [3]
References
edit- ^ "The Tranzit Group". Tranzit Group. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ InterCity Holdings Limited New Zealand Companies Office
- ^ a b "Tranzurban To Deliver 31 New Double Deck Electric Buses To Its Wellington Fleet | Scoop News". Archived from the original on 17 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Brand new buses headed for Wellington Archived 8 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine Metlink 4 May 2017
- ^ Infratil loses big chunk of Wellington council bus contract Archived 8 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine The New Zealand Herald 6 May 2017
- ^ NZ Bus contract reshuffle Archived 8 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine Australasian Bus & Coach 29 May 2017
- ^ Compare:
"About Us | Tranzurban". Tranzurban. 2018. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
Tranzurban is the newest addition to Tranzit Group and will operate a part of the new North Shore bus network from September 2018 in collaboration with Auckland Transport.
- ^ "Tranzit Group". Australian Bus Fleet Lists. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ Optare announce 114 bus deal Archived 28 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine Australasian Bus & Coach 21 September 2017
- ^ Optare gets £21m bus order for New Zealand Archived 21 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine BBC News 21 September 2017
- ^ Optare wins £21m order to supply 114 buses to New Zealand operator Archived 24 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Yorkshire Evening Post 21 September 2017
- ^ "Palmerston North to have the first fully electric bus network in the country - Horizons Regional Council".
- ^ George, Damian (5 July 2018). "Fully-electric double-decker buses hit Wellington's streets for the first time". The Dominion Post. Fairfax NZ. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
- ^ George, Damian (1 November 2017). "Double-decker damage could cost Wellington ratepayers 'seven figures' to fix". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.