Invicta Bus Services Explained

Invicta Bus Services
Parent:Grenda Corporation
Routes:16
Commenced:24 May 1936
Ceased:January 2012
Headquarters:Lilydale
Service Area:Eastern Melbourne
Service Type:Bus operator
Hubs:Chirnside Park Shopping Centre
Stud Park Shopping Centre
Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre
Westfield Knox
Fleet:97 (April 2014)
Website:www.invictabus.com.au

Invicta Bus Services was a bus and coach operator in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was a Melbourne bus company that operated 16 bus routes under contract to Public Transport Victoria. It was purchased by Grenda Corporation in March 2009. which in turn was acquired by Ventura Bus Lines in January 2012.

History

Croydon Bus Service owned by Bill Wilson commenced in May 1936 between Croydon and North Croydon. In December 1947 Clem Usher purchased the business. The business expanded with the purchase of Ringwood Bus Service in May 1952, A Turner in 1968, Adams Bus Service in January 1979.[1] In February 1972 the business merged with US Bus Lines to form Invicta United Bus Lines, but this arrangement was dissolved in September 1973.[2] [3] [4]

In July 1987 Invicta purchased Morse's Bus Service in Devonport, Tasmania. This was sold in 1990.[5] [6]

Invicta was acquired by the Grenda Corporation in March 2009.[7] [8] The brand was retained, but after Grenda Corporation was purchased by Ventura Bus Lines in January 2012, it was retired.[9] [10] [11]

Fleet

As at April 2014 the fleet consisted of 97 buses.[12] Fleet livery was fawn and orange that was later superseded by a white, yellow and red livery with a prancing horse reminiscent of that on the Invicta flag.

It later adopted the standard white with red and yellow flashes of Grenda Corporation.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Operators and Fleet Listings. 1991. Bus & Coach Society of Victoria. Melbourne. 13.
  2. Major bus lines merge Truck & Bus Transportation January 1972 page 100
  3. Victorian Buses in the Seventies Fleetline issue 53 December 1979 page 11
  4. Victorian Buses in the Seventies Fleetline issue 54 January 1980 page 6
  5. Victorian Buses in the Eighties Australian Bus Panorama issue 6/8 May 1991 page 14
  6. http://www.tassielink.com.au/tassielink-history.htm Tassielink History
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20091013221051/http://www.grendacorp.com.au/news.php?news_id=32 Grenda acquires Invicta Bus Lines
  8. Invicta Sells to Grenda Australian Bus Panorama issue 24/5 March 2009 pages12-14
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20200305070918/https://www.busnews.com.au/industry-news/1111/ventura-buys-grenda-transit-volgren-to-sell-separately Ventura buys Grenda Transit - Volgren to send separately
  10. Ventura buys Grenda Australian Bus issue 49 January 2012 page 5
  11. Ventura takes over Grenda's bus operations Australian Bus Panorama issue 27/4 January 2012 page 7
  12. http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/gre.php?search=GRE&depotreq=IN Ventura Group - Invicta