In great news for our NSW Central Coast customers, Busways has been selected to deliver bus services for a further eight years, following a competitive open tender process.

Last week Busways was awarded the Outer Metropolitan Bus Services Contract 6 (OMBSC6) by the NSW Government, having demonstrated its capabilities delivering high-quality bus services on more than 53.7 million passenger journeys a year across Australia.

Busways is expert in operating route, school, on-demand hub-to-point services, emergency buses and special services through its contracts in NSW and SA with over 1,300 buses and a 2,800 strong workforce.

The contract starts in July 2024, rolling on from our current contract, providing seamless continuity of services, and retention of years of local experience and jobs for our Central Coast team.

Managing Director Byron Rowe welcomed the news as recognition of Busways’ proven performance as a highly qualified bus operator, with capabilities to implement the NSW Government’s Future Transport vision and continue to improve customer outcomes and bus service quality throughout the region.

He said Busways has been operating bus services in NSW for 80 years and on the Central Coast since 1990 and been highly adaptable to the changing needs of the region, seeing 44% population growth in that time. 

“It’s great to see the NSW Government backing home grown business - we are thrilled to continue our productive partnership with Transport for NSW, secured jobs for our experienced local team and our committed focus on providing an exceptional customer experience for Central Coast customers,” Mr Rowe said. 

“We have proven our advanced scheduling and operational capabilities to efficiently deliver growth services whilst maintaining high levels of reliability, customer experience, safety and service innovation,” he said. 

“On the Coast we have maintained consistently high standards in service delivery and our customers tell us we are getting it right, with 95% customer satisfaction in TfNSW’s May 2022 Customer Satisfaction Index.

“Our focus on safety and maintenance was recognised by our Central Coast fleet achieving an average 97% pass rate over the last five years of HVIS Inspections safety audits. We have also invested in sustainable depot infrastructure, now powering our Gosford bus depot completely on solar power.” 

For the next eight years, Mr Rowe said Busways will continue to focus on delivering reliable, quality bus passenger services to the growing and evolving Central Coast region.  The Central Coast is forecast to have a 23% increase in population by 2036 to over 415,000 residents, bigger than Canberra is today. 

“With the certainty provided by this new contract we look forward to partnering with TfNSW in planning and designing improvements to bus services for the Central Coast community as it grows,” he said.

Mr. Rowe goes on to say how privileged Busways has been to grow strong community ties in the region.

“Across the past seven years, Busways donated over $150,000 in-kind bus shuttle services to support Central Coast community events and groups who help the disadvantaged,” Mr Rowe said.

“Just two weeks ago we supported the 5 Lands Walk for the seventh year, with shuttle bus services to enable people of all abilities to take part in this celebration of people, place and Aboriginal culture. 

“We also provide bus safety travel training for primary school students and people with disabilities and support many other community initiatives such as Camp Quality, which provides fun and respite for siblings of sick children.”

Under the OMBSC6 contract, Busways will transport over 4.5 million passengers on nearly 400,000 bus trips a year, operating over 160 buses, with 260 employees at the Gosford and Wyong bus depots.

Busways is the largest wholly Australian-owned bus operator with 80 years’ experience in the transport industry, operating services across NSW, including Western Sydney, Central Coast and the Mid-North Coast, and in South Australia.

The company began as a single-man operation in Blacktown and has now grown into an extraordinary transportation business with over 2,600 employees and 20 depots. It operates a fleet of over 1,300 buses and over 26 million passengers travel on a Busways journey every year.

Background: Outer Metropolitan Bus Contract 6 in brief

Quick stats
•    43 bus routes
•    401 dedicated school services
•    7.26 million trip kilometres a year
•    4.5 million annual customers
•    160+ buses
•    260+ employees
•    2 depots