Buses are a major part of public transport in the city of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Services are operated by both a large government operator, the State Transit Authority of New South Wales (STA), and numerous smaller private operators. The STA generally operates services in Sydney's east, north, inner west and inner southern suburbs, a legacy of the former tram network, most of which was replaced by the current bus network in the late 1950s. The western suburbs and most of the southern suburbs are served by smaller private operators in contract areas. There were previously 87 small contract areas where private bus companies operated, however the recent Unsworth Bus Reform has seen this consolidate into 10 areas, which will be further consolidated into just 8 areas in 2012. This will also include 43 'strategic' bus corridors, offering enhanced and more frequent services. The first of these have come into operation (Hurstville to Miranda, and Liverpool to Bankstown).

List of current bus operators in Sydney

• Busabout

Operates bus services out of a depot in Hoxton Park in the Liverpool area, many of which act as feeder services to Cityrail trains.

• BusLink

Operates bus services in and around Miranda, Cronulla and Kurnell.

• Busways

Operates buses in the Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Rouse Hill, and Campbelltown areas.

Operate from depots at Blacktown, Campbelltown and Camden.

Operates services on the North-west T-way.

• Caringbah Bus Service
  

Operates bus services in Sydney's south.

• ComfortDelGro Cabcharge

Operates Hillsbus from depots at Dural, Northmead and Seven Hills and runs services in the Baulkham Hills areas.

Operates services on the North-west T-way.

Operates Westbus, a large company that operates buses in the Liverpool, Fairfield, Parramatta, Windsor, Penrith and Mount Druitt areas.

• Forest Coach Lines

Operate bus services in Sydney's northern suburbs.

• Hopkinsons

Operates services in the Parramatta and Merrylands area

• Interline Bus and Coach Services

Operates buses out of a depot in Macquarie Fields in the Campbelltown area.

• Metrolink Bus Lines (Oliveri's)

Operates feeder buses in Sydney's south west to Liverpool Station

• Punchbowl Bus Company

Operate buses in the south and inner south western suburbs, from a depot at Riverwood.

• Shorelink

Operates services on Sydney's North Shore.

• State Transit Authority-Sydney Buses

Government operator

Operates services in inner Sydney and on the T-Way

• Veolia Transport NSW

Formerly known as Connex NSW, and before that, Southtrans, then previously Deane's. Operates services in Sydney's southern suburbs.

List of defunct bus operators in Sydney

In the past, many of Sydney's bus services were operated by small companies, particularly in the middle and outer suburbs. Some of these companies only operated one or two routes. Most operated before the current revised route numbers and contract areas were introduced.

• Allways

Closed in 1992

• Bankstown Strathfield Bus Service

Operated routes 484-5-6 until taken over by Transit First in 2003

• Barklimore Bros

Operated routes in Merrylands until taken over by Baxters in 1981. Routes taken over by Transit First in 2005.

• Barnes Coaches
• Bass Hill Bus Service
• '''Baxter's Bus Lines

Trading name of Holroyd Bus Lines Pty Ltd; operated bus services in the western suburbs. Sold to Westbus in 2006. Baxter's remains a tour and charter company only.

• Brighton Bus Lines

Operated route 196 in the Brighton and Kyeemagh areas until 1993 when the route was bought by State Transit, becoming the 479 . The company carried an orange livery with a blue stripe.

• Bustrans

Operated Routes 817 and 818 in the Fairfield area. It was taken over by Baxters Holroyd Bus Lines in 2004.

• Canterbury Bus Lines

Operated routes 450 and 451 until routes taken over by Punchbowl Bus Company in 1998

• Carss Park Charter Tours and Buslines

Routes taken over by Southtrans

• Deanes

Became Southtrans, until taken over by Connex in the late 1990s. Now operates as Veolia Transport

• Foley's Bus Service
• GP Bus Company

Later became Punchbowl Bus Company

• Harbour City Coaches

Operated lower North Shore services from 1987 until sold to North and Western in 1989

• Harris Park Bus Company
• Hawkesbury Valley Coaches
• Higlett's Coaches

Acquired by Busways in 1986

• Holsworthy Bus Company

Operated between Holsworthy and Liverpool until 1982.

• Hopkinsons Coaches
• Jannali Como Bus Service

Operated route 238 sold 1977 to Southwestern buslines operated services from Jannali to Como and Oyster Bay. Limited services to Sutherland

Owned and operated Jannali Scenic Tours and Opal Field Scenic Tours

• Katen & Heath

Founded 1956, became Bustrans in 1996.

• Kingsgrove Bus and Coach Company

Now operates as a charter company only

• Kogarah-Carss Park Bus Service
• Lane Cove Bus Service

Bought bus services in the Lane Cove area from Deanes in the early 1980s until 1987.

• Liverpool Transport Company
• Longueville Bus Company

Operated services in the Lane Cove/Longueville area until the early 1950s when taken over by Deanes Coaches.

• Manly Transport Service
• Marrickville Bus Lines
• McVicar's Bus Service

Operated routes, mainly out of Bankstown, until 1978

• Metro Link
• Midshore Busways

Routes taken over by Shorelink

• Milperra Bus Service

Operated routes around Bankstown until 1987, taken over by Transit First.

• Moore's Tours

Operated route 954 from a depot in Blakehurst until 2004 when route taken over by Punchbowl Bus Company. Continues as a charter operator only.

• Narwee Bus Service

Taken over by Punchbowl Bus Company in the late 1950s

• Neville's Bus service

Now part of Busabout.

• North & Western Bus Lines

Sold to Sydney Buses in 1999.

• Oatley Bus Service
• Parramatta Ryde Bus Service

Operated services in the Parramatta area until it was sold to State Transit in 2000 .

• Peakhurst Bus and Coach Company (Saints)

Operated three routes (32, 88, 108) in southern Sydney until 1989 when its routes were taken over by the Punchbowl Bus Company. The buses carried a black and white livery.

• Pioneer Coaches, Bexley

Operated what is now route 452 between Beverley Hills and Bexley, as the 112. The company carried a red and blue livery.

• Pleasure Tours

Operated routes 446 and 447 until 2005 when routes taken over by Punchbowl Bus Company.

• Revesby Bus and Coach Service

Routes taken over by Crossley Bus Lines

• Richmond Coaches

Routes absorbed by Westbus

• Riverside

Sold to State Transit in 2000.

• Rowe's Bus Service

Relaunched as Busways in 1988

• Southtrans

Taken over by Connex in the late 1990s. Now operates as Veolia Transport .

• St Ives Bus Service

Operated until 1998 when its operations were split between Forest Coach Lines and Shorelink .

• Sydney Coachlines

Routes taken over by Pioneer and Sydney Buses

• Transit First Bus Service

Operated services in South West Sydney, operations bought by Veolia Transport.

• West Bankstown Bus Service

Operated routes 935, 936 and 937 until 2003, routes taken over by Transit First

• Western Road Bus Service

Operated in Wentworthville until 1987, taken over by Baxters

• Westway Bus and Coach Service

Relaunched as Transit First in 2003

• Windsor Towns

Notes and References

External links

• Sydney Bus and Truck Museum
• Unsworth Bus Reform Programme
• Baxters Bus Lines (Holroyd Bus Lines)
• Blue Ribbon Coaches
• Bus Link (Crowthers)
• Busways
• Caringbah Bus Service
• Dion's Bus Service
• Forest Coach Lines
• Hillsbus
• Hopkinsons
• Interline Bus and Coach Services
• Jones Bros Bus Company
• Metrolink Bus Lines (Oliveri's)
• Punchbowl Bus Co.
• Rover Coaches
• Shorelink
• Stuarts Coaches
• Transit First Bus Service
• Veolia NSW
• Westbus