CDC Geelong
{{Short description|Australian bus company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
|name = CDC Geelong
|logo = File:CDC Geelong Logo.svg
|image = CDC Geelong BS04QH April 2022 1.jpg
|image_caption = Volgren-bodied Scania K310UB in PTV livery, April 2022
|parent = CDC Victoria
|routes = 10
|founded =
|headquarters =
|locale =
|service_area = Geelong
|service_type = Bus operator
|hubs =
|stations =
|lounge =
|operator =
|ceo =
|website = [http://www.cdcvictoria.com.au/cdcgeelong www.cdcvictoria.com.au/cdcgeelong]}}
File:Benders Buslines 22.jpg-bodied Mercedes-Benz O405 in Benders livery, September 2010]]
CDC Geelong, formerly known as Benders Busways, is a bus company operating in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, with routes as well as charters. It is a subsidiary of CDC Victoria, in turn a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro Australia, in turn a subsidiary of Singapore-based ComfortDelGro.
History
File:Bus-high-street-geelong.jpg-bodied Volvo B10BLE in Benders livery: February 2007]]
Benders Busways was formed by Ernest and Aimee Bender in 1926, and was established for 75 years, until their son Norman Bender eventually took over the business.{{cite web|url=http://enterprisegeelong.com.au/pivot-bus-services-pty-ltd-ta-benders-busways|title=Benders Busways was established for 75 years|access-date=28 May 2023|archive-date=28 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328204746/http://enterprisegeelong.com.au/pivot-bus-services-pty-ltd-ta-benders-busways|url-status=live}}
The first route ran from Geelong to Chilwell, and the second route commenced in 1931, from the Geelong Post Office to the corner of Minerva Road and Aberdeen Street in Geelong West.
The closure of the Geelong tram system in 1956 saw Benders win the contract to serve the former tram routes with buses. Eighteen new buses were purchased to run the increased number of services.
In 1987, Benders purchased IJ Cook & Son. In June 2000 the Bender family sold Benders Busways to the Kefford Corporation.{{cite web|url=http://www.geelonginfo.com/search/webpage.asp?clientid=12943|title=Geelong Info - Benders Busways|accessdate=26 July 2007|archive-date=3 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903051651/http://geelonginfo.com/search/webpage.asp?clientid=12943|url-status=live}} In February 2009 the Kefford Corporation was sold to ComfortDelGro Cabcharge (CDC), with the sale including Benders Busways for A$149 million.{{cite web|title=Updates & News|url=http://www.kefford.com.au/main.htm|publisher=Kefford Corporation|accessdate=20 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403191614/http://www.kefford.com.au/main.htm|archivedate=3 April 2009}}{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Chris|title=Kefford Group Finds a Buyer|url=http://www.busnews.com.au/industry-news/0811/kefford-group-finds-a-buyer|accessdate=20 November 2015|work=Australasian Bus and Coach|publisher=Bauer Trader Media|date=20 December 2008|archive-date=27 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027144659/https://www.busnews.com.au/industry-news/0811/kefford-group-finds-a-buyer|url-status=live}} At the time Kefford was the fourth-largest bus operator in Victoria, with a fleet of 328 buses and six depots, and with a market share of 16%. On 14 July 2014, CDC announced that Benders Busways would be re-branded as CDC Geelong.{{cite web|title=A brand new look for CDC Victoria|url=http://cdcvictoria.com.au/news/latest-news|publisher=CDC Victoria|accessdate=20 November 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804153957/http://cdcvictoria.com.au/news/latest-news|archivedate=4 August 2014}}
On 1 July 2022, CDC Geelong's Regional Bus Services Contract to operate bus services was renewed for 10 years.{{cite web|url=https://cdcvictoria.com.au/latest-news/cdc-victoria-will-continue-to-deliver-reliable-bus-services-in-regional-victoria/|title=CDC Victoria Will Continue to Deliver Reliable Bus Services in Regional Victoria|publisher=CDC Victoria|date=12 July 2022|access-date=15 July 2022|archive-date=16 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716031054/https://cdcvictoria.com.au/latest-news/cdc-victoria-will-continue-to-deliver-reliable-bus-services-in-regional-victoria/|url-status=live}} It would also be subject to new performance measures and service standards, consistent with the bus services in Melbourne.{{cite web|url=https://transport.vic.gov.au/about/transport-news/news-archive/modern-regional-bus-agreements-to-benefit-passengers|title=Modern Regional Bus Agreements To Benefit Passengers|publisher=Department of Transport|date=30 June 2022|access-date=15 July 2022|archive-date=16 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716031052/https://transport.vic.gov.au/about/transport-news/news-archive/modern-regional-bus-agreements-to-benefit-passengers|url-status=live}}
Livery
File:Benders Buslines 127.jpg bodied Scania K230UB in October 2010]]
File:CDC Geelong.jpg in March 2016.]]
When the Geelong Transit System (GTS) was first introduced in 1983,{{cite web|url=http://www.ptua.org.au/media/2001/press35.shtml|title=PTUA press release: Bring Back the Booklet|accessdate=26 July 2007|archive-date=2 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902012509/http://www.ptua.org.au/media/2001/press35.shtml|url-status=live}} buses operated by Benders on route services were painted in the blue stripe and white GTS livery. However the contract with the state government requiring Benders to use the GTS livery on its urban route buses expired in 2000, and under the subsequent contract the company's buses all reverted to Benders' former white and green livery.
In August 2014, CDC Victoria announced that it had started to use the recently-introduced Public Transport Victoria orange and white livery on its buses, replacing the former Benders livery,{{cite web|title=CDC Geelong launches PTV livery on new buses|url=http://www.cdcvictoria.com.au/news/latest-news/352-new-look-for-geelong-buses|publisher=CDC Victoria|accessdate=28 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316143455/http://cdcvictoria.com.au/news/latest-news/352-new-look-for-geelong-buses#|archive-date=16 March 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} and CDC Geelong buses providing public transport services were progressively repainted. An orange, blue and white livery was adopted for charter buses.
Fleet
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Buses in Geelong}}
- [http://www.cdcvictoria.com.au/cdcgeelong Company website]
{{ComfortDelGro}}
{{Regional Victoria public transport}}
Category:Bus companies of Victoria (state)