ComfortDelGro Australia

Former ComfortDelGro Cabcharge logo

A joint venture, known as ComfortDelGro Cabcharge (CDC), was established between ComfortDelGro (51%) and Cabcharge Australia (49%) in October 2005 to purchase loss-making Westbus Group, which included Westbus (both Australia & UK), Hillsbus and Blue Ribbon from National Express and the Bosnjak family.[4] Blue Ribbon was rebranded Hunter Valley Buses at the same time. After the purchase, Westbus UK continued independently from the Westbus in Australia, despite bearing the latter's name, old logo and livery to this day. It became part of CityFleet Networks, initially also a joint venture between ComfortDelGro and Cabcharge, and now a wholly owned subsidiary of ComfortDelGro in the United Kingdom.[5] Cabcharge sold both of its stakes in CDC and CityFleet to ComfortDelGro in February and June 2017 respectively.[6][7][8]

In August 2006, the routes of Baxter's Bus Lines were purchased by and absorbed into Westbus Region 3 operations.[9][10] In August 2007, Morisset Bus Service, Sugar Valley Coachlines and Toronto Bus Service were purchased and absorbed into Hunter Valley Buses.[11] In June 2008 a bus charter division was established under the Charterplus name.

In November 2008, it was announced that Kefford Corporation in Victoria would be acquired.[12] The acquisition was finalised on 23 February 2009.[13] The group was renamed CDC Victoria, but the names of the bus companies within the group were retained until replaced by the CDC brand in 2014.

In September 2012, Deane's Transit Group comprising Deane's Buslines (renamed as Qcity Transit) and Transborder Express in southern New South Wales were purchased.[14][15] In August 2014, CDC purchased Blue Mountains Bus Company, which was subsequently renamed Blue Mountains Transit in December 2014.[16]

In December 2016, ComfortDelgro announced it had agreed to purchase Cabcharge's 49% stake.[6][17][18] The sale was completed on 16 February 2017 after Foreign Investment Review Board approval was granted.[19] The former joint venture was then renamed ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia, still keeping the abbreviation CDC.

In April 2018, ComfortDelgro acquired Tullamarine Bus Lines in Melbourne and integrated it into CDC Melbourne in August 2018.[20][21] At the same time, it acquired National Patient Transport, one of the largest private providers of non-emergency patient transport services in Australia.[22] In August 2018, ComfortDelgro acquired Coastal Liner on the Central Coast, and in September 2018, Forest Coach Lines with operations in Sydney, the Mid North Coast and North West Slopes.[23][24][25]

In November 2018, the Buslink business was acquired with 401 buses operating in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.[26][27] In the same month, Charterplus was renamed CDC Travel.

In April 2019, ComfortDelGro acquired Blanch's Bus Company and Brunswick Valley Coaches with a fleet of 48 buses and coaches in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.[28][29] In the same month, ComfortDelGro announced it would formally establish a ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia office. Nicholas Yap, who was the incumbent CEO of CDC Victoria, was appointed as the inaugural CEO of ComfortDelGro Australia, effective 1 July 2019.[2][30][31]

In mid-2019, two of Buslink's operations, Buslink Sunraysia and Buslink Broken Hill, moved to the control of CDC Victoria.[32] In March 2020, these operations were rebranded to CDC Mildura and CDC Broken Hill respectively.[33] In October 2020, the Buslink Queensland operations were rebranded to CDC Queensland, with Buslink Sunshine Coast and Buslink Gladstone rebranded to CDC Sunshine Coast and CDC Gladstone respectively.[34][35]

In July 2021, ComfortDelGro announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Young's Bus Service which operates services in Rockhampton, Queensland.[36] In August 2021, ComfortDelGro announced its intention to list ComfortDelGro Australia on the Australian Securities Exchange.[37][38][39]

In October 2021, CDC acquired a school bus contract and five buses from KA & VK Stubbs Pty Ltd in Narrabri, New South Wales. The school bus operation was merged into CDC's existing Forest Coach Lines business in Narrabri and Wee Waa.[40]

Also in the same month, ComfortDelGro (the Singapore parent company), through its subsidiary ComfortDelGro Transit, was shortlisted as part of the WestGo consortium to construct and operate the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport.[41] The consortium was ultimately not awarded the contract, losing out to the Parklife Metro consortium involving RATP Dev in December 2022.[42]

In July 2022, the remainder of the Buslink operations was renamed CDC Northern Territory.[43]

In November 2022, it was announced that CDC retained and was awarded the contracts for Sydney bus regions 4 (Hillsbus) and 14 (Forest Coach Lines) in Sydney, as well as winning the contract for region 12 (consolidated into region 14).[44][45] The Hillsbus and Forest Coach Lines (in Sydney) brands were replaced by the CDC NSW brand when the new contracts for region 4 and the consolidated region 14 began in April and May 2023 respectively.

In August 2023, CDC moved its national head office to the Melbourne CBD after three years in Malvern and a year in Camberwell prior to that.[46][47]

ComfortDelgro Corporation Australia operates:

• CDC NSW
  • Blanch's Bus Company
    • Brunswick Valley Coaches
  • Blue Mountains Transit
  • CDC Charter
  • Forest Coach Lines
  • Hunter Valley Buses
  • CDC Canberra
• CDC Victoria
  • CDC Ballarat
  • CDC Broken Hill
  • CDC Geelong
  • CDC Melbourne
  • CDC Mildura
• CDC Northern Territory
• CDC Queensland
  • CDC Gladstone
  • CDC Sunshine Coast
  • Young's Bus Service
• National Patient Transport

CDC's Regional Australia Division (RAD) was established in early 2021 and has responsibilities over the Northern Territory, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and regional NSW (Blanch's, CDC Canberra and Forest outside Sydney) operations.[48][49]

CDC NSW

Main article: CDC NSW

Hillsbus Volgren bodied Scania L94UB in September 2022

CDC NSW is the first of ComfortDelGro Australia's bus operations in Australia. In 2005, Westbus, Hillsbus and Blue Ribbon were the first three bus companies to be purchased by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge. Since then, ComfortDelGro Australia continued to acquire bus operations across New South Wales. The CDC NSW brand was established in 2017 to be the umbrella brand of ComfortDelGro's operations in the state.[50]

Between April and May 2023, the Hillsbus and Forest Coach Lines (Sydney only) brands were replaced by the CDC NSW brand.[44][45]

CDC Victoria

Main article: CDC Victoria

CDC Melbourne Volgren bodied Scania K230UB at Wyndham Vale station in June 2015

In February 2009, when ComfortDelGro Cabcharge entered the Victorian bus market with the acquisition of Kefford Corporation for A$149 million, with its fleet of 328 buses and six depots.[12][13] Kefford was immediately renamed CDC Victoria. The fleets retained their individual identities and liveries, with small CDC Victoria markings, until they were rebranded to their respective CDC brands in 2014.[51]

Swan Taxis

Swan Taxis Toyota Camry with Comfortdelgro livery

ComfortDelGro fully owns Swan Taxis, a taxi company operates taxis in Perth. Swan Taxis was formed by Matt Reid in 1928 and in October 2010, it was acquired by ComfortDelGro after an offer was made in July earlier that year.[53][54][55] In October 2017, Swan Taxis acquired Metro WA Taxi Management Pty Ltd (Metro Taxi), the largest taxi management company in Perth.[55] The acquisition marked Swan Taxis' entry into fleet management and ownership.[56]

Being ComfortDelGro Cabcharge joint venture became wholly owned by ComfortDelGro since acquisition, the Swan Taxis operation was never part of the joint venture, and therefore remains (as of 2023) a direct subsidiary of Singapore's ComfortDelGro rather than a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia.[3]^: 218

• Media related to ComfortDelGro Australia at Wikimedia Commons
• ComfortDelGro Australia
• Bus Australia CDC Victoria gallery