Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Westbus shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Westbus offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Westbus at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Westbus? Wrong! If the Westbus is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Westbus then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Westbus? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Westbus and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Westbus wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Westbus then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Westbus site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Westbus, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Westbus, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Public transport operators in Sydney|logo=
|name=ComfortDelGro Cabcharge|brands=Hunter Valley
Hillsbus
Westbus
Sugar Valley Coaches
Toronto Bus Service
Morisset Bus Service|transport_mode=Commuter bus
[Cabcharge|operation_area=
Western SydneyHills District (Sydney)Hunter Valleyes in [New South Wales, Australia. CDC operates services as part of the New South Wales Metropolitan Bus System under the
Westbus,
Hillsbus and
Hunter Valley brands. The company also operates the Sydney Coach Terminal at Central railway station, Sydney. The company traces its origins to 1955, with the Bosnjak family's establishment of a bus company in Western Sydney.
The company is a joint venture between Singapore-based ComfortDelGro and Cabcharge. ComfortDelGro owns a 51% stake in the business, Cabcharge 49%.
The venture was established on
October 3, 2005 to purchase loss-making bus company Westbus from National Express and the
Jim Bosnjak family. The sale price was $106.7 million.
Westbus
Westbus was established in 1955 by the Bosnjak family. The company, known as Bosnjak's Bus Service, operated a fleet of five buses on a route connecting Canley Vale, New South Wales and
Edensor Park, New South Wales. The company grew through a series of acquistions and, in 1983, was renamed Westbus after the region,
Greater Western Sydney, in which it operated.
In 1986, Westbus established a small luxury coach service in the
United Kingdom. Westbus established a separate Hillsbus brand in 1996 to run express services from the Hills District to the city, first via the new
Anzac Bridge and later via the M2 Hills Motorway.
In 1989, United Kingdom's National Express took a controlling stake in Westbus. Members of the founding Bosnjak family continued to hold stakes. The company continued to grow by acquisition.
In January 2005, with debts of $90 million and a parent unwilling to provide further funding, the company was placed into voluntary administration. Westbus's problems threatened a major disruption to Sydney's transport network: the company ranked second only to government-owned State Transit Authority of New South Wales in the commuter bus industry. The company was acquired by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in October 2005. The new owners pledged to honour the company's contractual obligations to customers and staff.
The change of ownership saw the company exchange one politically well-connected shareholder, the
Jim Bosnjak, for another, Cabcharge's Reginald Kermode.
Service disruptions
Westbus provide public transport through the
Greater Western Sydney region, including Willmot, New South Wales. Throughout 2006-2007 there have been escalating levels of violent attacks against buses travelling through this suburb especially after dark. This has reached the level of an attack by a person using what was reported by the bus driver and passengers as a "home made rocket launcher". All bus services throughout Wilmott, except school bus services, have been suspended pending discussions between Westbus management, the Transport Workers Union of Australia and New South Wales Police Force.
Drivers boycott violent suburb,
Sydney Morning Herald, 8 June2007. Accessed
8 June 2007.
Network
Westbus operates services in the following areas:
- 600 series bus routes, Sydney in Sydney's north-western suburbs
- 700 series bus routes, Sydney in Sydney's western suburbs
- 800 series bus routes, Sydney in Sydney's outer south-western suburbs
Fleet
The Westbus fleet bears a distinctive sunflower-yellow livery. The fleet includes:
- 25x MAN 12.220
- 6x Mercedes-Benz O305
- 20x Mercedes-Benz O405 MK I
- 49x Mercedes-Benz O405 MK II
- 23x Mercedes-Benz O405NH
- 25x Mercedes-Benz LO812
- 2x Mercedes-Benz OH1418
- 20x Mercedes-Benz O305
- 3x Volvo B10B
- 50x Volvo B10M MK I
- 53x Volvo B10M MK II
- 57x Volvo B10M MK III
- 23x Volvo B10BLE
- 2x Volvo B10M (14.5m)
- 5x Volvo B10M MK4 Artic
- 15x Volvo B7RLE
- 114x Scania L94UB and Scania K94 12.5m
- 20x Scania L94UB 14.5m (3-axle)
Hillsbus
Hillsbus, named for the city's
Hills District (Sydney) has existed in one form or another since the 1920s. Since that time, the rural areas to the north-west of Sydney that the company served have become part of the city's urban sprawl. It is often critisized for its poor timetable management and unrealability with commuters calling on transfering of the hills routes to Sydney Buses. Hillbus operates services from a depots in Northmead, Seven Hills and Dural. Hillsbus operates
Hunter Valley Buses
Hunter Valley Buses Pty Ltd, trading as Hunter Valley Buses, provides commuter bus, school bus, coach and charter services in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.
A core element of the company's charter operations is providing transport to the state's premier wine-growing region.
Established as Blue Ribbon Coaches Services in 1986, the company operated from depots at Wallsend, New South Wales,
Raymond Terrace, New South Wales,
Maitland, New South Wales and Singleton, New South Wales. In 1999, the Wallsend, Raymond Terrace and Maitland depots were consolidated at a new site in
Thornton, New South Wales. The following year, the company was sold to Westbus, the state's largest private bus operator. In 2005, Westbus and Blue Ribbon were purchased by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge resulting in Blue Ribbon being rebranded as Hunter Valley Buses.
Today Hunter Valley Buses operates a fleet of over 160 buses ranging from mini buses to luxury 5-star coaches and employs over 260 staff. Its commuter network carries 500,000 passengers annually along with 1 million Hunter school children every day.
External links
- ComfortDelGro Corporation website
- Cabcharge Australia Limited website
- Westbus website
- Hillsbus website
- Hunter Valley Buses website
- Transport InfoLine - timetable and fare information
Notes and references
-->}
{{Public transport operators in Sydney|logo=
|name=ComfortDelGro Cabcharge|brands=Hunter Valley
Hillsbus
Westbus
Sugar Valley Coaches
Toronto Bus Service
Morisset Bus Service|transport_mode=Commuter bus
[Cabcharge|operation_area=Western Sydney
Hills District (Sydney)Hunter Valleyes in [New South Wales,
Australia. CDC operates services as part of the New South Wales Metropolitan Bus System under the
Westbus,
Hillsbus and
Hunter Valley brands. The company also operates the Sydney Coach Terminal at
Central railway station, Sydney. The company traces its origins to 1955, with the Bosnjak family's establishment of a bus company in Western Sydney.
The company is a joint venture between Singapore-based
ComfortDelGro and Cabcharge. ComfortDelGro owns a 51% stake in the business, Cabcharge 49%.
The venture was established on
October 3, 2005 to purchase loss-making bus company Westbus from
National Express and the Jim Bosnjak family. The sale price was $106.7 million.
Westbus
Westbus was established in 1955 by the Bosnjak family. The company, known as Bosnjak's Bus Service, operated a fleet of five buses on a route connecting
Canley Vale, New South Wales and
Edensor Park, New South Wales. The company grew through a series of acquistions and, in 1983, was renamed Westbus after the region,
Greater Western Sydney, in which it operated.
In 1986, Westbus established a small luxury coach service in the United Kingdom. Westbus established a separate Hillsbus brand in 1996 to run express services from the Hills District to the city, first via the new Anzac Bridge and later via the M2 Hills Motorway.
In 1989, United Kingdom's National Express took a controlling stake in Westbus. Members of the founding Bosnjak family continued to hold stakes. The company continued to grow by acquisition.
In January 2005, with debts of $90 million and a parent unwilling to provide further funding, the company was placed into voluntary administration. Westbus's problems threatened a major disruption to Sydney's transport network: the company ranked second only to government-owned
State Transit Authority of New South Wales in the commuter bus industry. The company was acquired by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in October 2005. The new owners pledged to honour the company's contractual obligations to customers and staff.
The change of ownership saw the company exchange one politically well-connected shareholder, the
Jim Bosnjak, for another,
Cabcharge's
Reginald Kermode.
Service disruptions
Westbus provide public transport through the
Greater Western Sydney region, including
Willmot, New South Wales. Throughout 2006-2007 there have been escalating levels of violent attacks against buses travelling through this suburb especially after dark. This has reached the level of an attack by a person using what was reported by the bus driver and passengers as a "home made rocket launcher". All bus services throughout Wilmott, except school bus services, have been suspended pending discussions between Westbus management, the Transport Workers Union of Australia and New South Wales Police Force.
Drivers boycott violent suburb, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 June2007. Accessed
8 June 2007.
Network
Westbus operates services in the following areas:
Fleet
The Westbus fleet bears a distinctive sunflower-yellow livery. The fleet includes:
- 25x MAN 12.220
- 6x Mercedes-Benz O305
- 20x Mercedes-Benz O405 MK I
- 49x Mercedes-Benz O405 MK II
- 23x Mercedes-Benz O405NH
- 25x Mercedes-Benz LO812
- 2x Mercedes-Benz OH1418
- 20x Mercedes-Benz O305
- 3x Volvo B10B
- 50x Volvo B10M MK I
- 53x Volvo B10M MK II
- 57x Volvo B10M MK III
- 23x Volvo B10BLE
- 2x Volvo B10M (14.5m)
- 5x Volvo B10M MK4 Artic
- 15x Volvo B7RLE
- 114x Scania L94UB and Scania K94 12.5m
- 20x Scania L94UB 14.5m (3-axle)
Hillsbus
Hillsbus, named for the city's Hills District (Sydney) has existed in one form or another since the 1920s. Since that time, the rural areas to the north-west of Sydney that the company served have become part of the city's urban sprawl. It is often critisized for its poor timetable management and unrealability with commuters calling on transfering of the hills routes to Sydney Buses. Hillbus operates services from a depots in Northmead, Seven Hills and Dural. Hillsbus operates
Hunter Valley Buses
Hunter Valley Buses Pty Ltd, trading as Hunter Valley Buses, provides commuter bus, school bus, coach and charter services in the
Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.
A core element of the company's charter operations is providing transport to the state's premier wine-growing region.
Established as Blue Ribbon Coaches Services in 1986, the company operated from depots at Wallsend, New South Wales,
Raymond Terrace, New South Wales,
Maitland, New South Wales and
Singleton, New South Wales. In 1999, the Wallsend, Raymond Terrace and Maitland depots were consolidated at a new site in Thornton, New South Wales. The following year, the company was sold to Westbus, the state's largest private bus operator. In 2005, Westbus and Blue Ribbon were purchased by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge resulting in Blue Ribbon being rebranded as Hunter Valley Buses.
Today Hunter Valley Buses operates a fleet of over 160 buses ranging from mini buses to luxury 5-star coaches and employs over 260 staff. Its commuter network carries 500,000 passengers annually along with 1 million Hunter school children every day.
External links
- ComfortDelGro Corporation website
- Cabcharge Australia Limited website
- Westbus website
- Hillsbus website
- Hunter Valley Buses website
- Transport InfoLine - timetable and fare information
Notes and references
-->}