Forest Coach Lines Explained

Forest Coach Lines
Parent:ComfortDelGro Australia
Headquarters:Terrey Hills
Service Area:Mid North Coast
North West Slopes
Former:
Hornsby
Macquarie Park
Chatswood
Willoughby
Northern Beaches
Service Type:Bus services
Depots:4
Fleet:81 (September 2024)
Ceo:Nicolas Yap (as CEO of CDC Australia)

Forest Coach Lines is an Australian bus and coach operator. Founded in 1930 in the Northern Suburbs of Sydney, since 2016 it has expanded with purchases in the Mid North Coast and North West Slopes regions in New South Wales. It is a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro Australia.

In early 2023, the Forest Coach Lines brand was replaced by ComfortDelGro's CDC NSW branding for the Sydney operations. The Mid North Coast and North West Slopes operations continue to be branded Forest Coach Lines.

History

In March 1930, Eric and Trevor Royle trading as Royle Brothers, purchased routes 56 Chatswood station to Roseville Chase and 201 Roseville station to Roseville Chase from E Jones with three buses. In October 1941 the first service operated across the Roseville Bridge to Terrey Hills.[1] [2]

In March 1947, route 52 Chatswood to Artarmon was purchased but quickly sold in November of that year to Brooks Bros.[3] [4] From the late 1940s, the Frenchs Forest area expanded rapidly and by 1960 the Royle Brothers fleet had expanded to 12 buses.[1]

The operation was renamed Forest Coach Lines in February 1964 and relocated to a new depot in Belrose. In May 1965, route 201 ceased. An expansion into coach charter saw Forest Trailways established with a separate depot in Manly Vale. Eric and Trevor Royle retired in the mid-1960s with the Trevor's sons Bernard and Tony taking over.[1]

In 1973, services were extended to Duffys Forest and in February 1982 to Warringah Mall. In August 1979, a new depot was opened in Terrey Hills to replace those at Belrose and Manly Vale.[1]

The Passenger Transport Act 1990 allowed Forest Coach Lines to commence operating services into the Sydney central business district in July 1992.[1] [5] In August 1991, the Warringah Bus Lines operation was purchased from Shorelink[6] and in July 1998 part of St Ives Bus Service was purchased.[7] [8]

In November 2012, it was announced that Forest had been successful in retaining the contract to operate Sydney Bus Region 14.[9] [10]

In December 2014, a majority shareholding in the business was purchased by mid-market private equity firm Next Capital.[11] [12]

In September 2016, the business of Manly Coaches was acquired with no vehicles.[13] In November 2016, the Mid North Coast business of Ryan's Bus Service was purchased with depots in Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga.[14] In April 2017, Sawtell Coaches was purchased with a depot in Toormina.[15] [16] In September 2017, Wolters Bus & Coach Service was acquired on the North West Slopes with depots in Narrabri and Wee Waa.[17] [18]

In September 2018, ComfortDelGro Australia (CDC) purchased the business.[19] [20] [21] [22] In November 2022, CDC was awarded the contract to retain Region 14. The Forest Coach Lines brand in Sydney was replaced by the CDC NSW brand when the contract commenced on 21 May 2023.[23] [24] The Forest Coach Lines brand remained in the regional New South Wales operations.

Fleet

As at July 2022, the combined fleet consisted of 250 buses and coaches.[25] [26]

As of September 2024, the fleets consists of 81 buses.

Forest Coach Lines built up its fleet with Leyland buses. In 1972 it placed the first Volvo in Sydney in service. Since then most purchases have been on Volvo or Mercedes-Benz chassis. In March 2013 two Bustech CDi double deckers were introduced.

When the business was renamed Forest Coach Lines in February 1964, a new white and green livery was introduced. These remained the fleet colours until 2013 when as part of its new regional bus contract Forest was required to adopt the Transport for NSW white and blue livery.[27]

Routes formerly operated in Sydney

As at time of rebranding to CDC NSW (May 2023):

Routes operated in Coffs Harbour

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.forestcoachlines.com.au/html/about/frame.html History
  2. Book: New South Wales Bus Operators and Fleet Listings. 1993. Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. Sydney. 53.
  3. Book: Manny, Leon B. Terminus Please. 1985. Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. Sydney. 0 959601 63 5. 60.
  4. http://sydneybusroutes.com/images/PDFs/rtehist%2051-75.pdf Route Histories Routes 51 –75
  5. "Services" Fleetline September 1992 page 173
  6. "Ownership changes" Fleetline February 1992 page 35
  7. "Ownership changes" Fleetline July 1998 page 131
  8. http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?info=STI St Ives Bus Services
  9. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/cut-costs-or-bus-contracts-will-go-to-private-sector-minister-tells-drivers-20121106-28w5t.html Cut costs or bus contracts will go to private sector, minister tells drivers
  10. http://www.busnsw.com.au/Portals/15/News%20&%20Media/Publications/Metro%20Tender%20Announcement%20-%207-11-12%20%20final.pdf Mixed Result for Private Bus Operators
  11. http://www.afr.com/p/opinion/next_capital_finalises_forest_MDYj6KhAZBxR7t4vd8WBuM Next Capital finalises Forest
  12. http://transitgraphics.tumblr.com/post/104699490423/royle-famiily-sell-forest-coach-lines-anthony Royle Family Sell Forest Coach Lines
  13. http://www.manlycoach.com.au/ Home
  14. http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/family-owned-coffs-coast-bus-company-calls-it-day/3107643/ Family owned Coffs Coast bus company calls it a day
  15. Web site: Sawtell Sahdra BusLines. www.sawtellcoaches.com.au. 2017-03-31. 31 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170331210030/http://www.sawtellcoaches.com.au/. live.
  16. http://forestcoachlines.com.au/publications-and-press-releases/forest-coach-lines-expands-in-coffs-harbour-region/ Forest Coach Lines expands in Coffs Harbour region
  17. https://web.archive.org/web/20170929192026/http://www.woltersbusandcoachservice.com/ Home
  18. https://forestcoachlines.com.au/publications-and-press-releases/forest-coach-lines-expands-in-north-west-slopes-region/ Forest Coach Lines expands in North West Slopes region
  19. Web site: ComfortDelGro Deepens Footprint in Australia with Two Acquisitions Totaling A$134.45 Million. ComfortDelgro. 7 August 2018. 8 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180808022055/https://www.comfortdelgro.com/documents/38822/69007/Media+Release-CDG+Deepens+Footprint+in+Aust+with+2+Acquisitions_grp.pdf/92bcc096-63ba-533b-f790-f8c1dfc9b75b?version=1.0&t=1533634429177&previewFileIndex=all. 8 August 2018. live.
  20. https://web.archive.org/web/20180808162508/https://www.busnews.com.au/industry-news/1808/cdc-buys-sydney-s-oldest-privately-run-family-bus-company-forest-coachlines CDC buys Sydney's oldest privately run family bus company: Forest Coachlines
  21. https://forestcoachlines.com.au/publications-and-press-releases/forest-change-of-ownership/ Forest Change of Ownership
  22. End of an era for Forest Coach Lines Manly Daily 28 September 2018
  23. Web site: ComfortDelGro Australia Group Wins Bid to Expand Bus Services in Sydney. CDC NSW. 7 November 2022. 7 November 2022. 7 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221107060707/https://cdcbus.com.au/comfortdelgro-australia-group-wins-bid-to-expand-bus-services-in-sydney/. live.
  24. Web site: ComfortDelGro wins city bus contracts worth A$1.7b in Sydney. The Business Times Singapore. 7 November 2022. 7 November 2022. 7 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221107060718/https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/comfortdelgro-wins-city-bus-contracts-worth-a17b-in-sydney. live.
  25. http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?search=FCL Forest Coach Lines
  26. http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/nsw.php?flsummary=WOL Wolters Bus & Coach
  27. http://origin.manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/blue-over-green-forest-coach-lines-buses/ Blue over green Forest Coach Lines buses
  28. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/private-bus-services/362/06362 Forest Coach Lines route 362
  29. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/private-bus-services/363/06363 Forest Coach Lines route 363
  30. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/private-bus-services/364/06364 Forest Coach Lines route 364
  31. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/private-bus-services/370/06370 Forest Coach Lines route 370
  32. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/private-bus-services/371/06371 Forest Coach Lines route 371
  33. https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/private-bus-services/372/06372 Forest Coach Lines route 372

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