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]
Urban services
Tranzit 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
As 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]
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"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.