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Kinetic Group

Kinetic Group (stylised as KINETIC; formerly known as AATS Group) is an Australian-based multinational bus company that wholly owns a number of bus operations in Australia and New Zealand, including the SkyBus business, which operates bus services to a number of airports in both countries. Through its 51%-owned subsidiary Go-Ahead Group based in the United Kingdom, Kinetic also operates buses and railway services in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Germany, Ireland and Norway.

Kinetic Group
FormerlyAATS Group
IndustryBus transportation
Founded2014
FounderMichael Sewards (co-CEO)
Adam Begg (co-CEO)
Headquarters
Melbourne
,
Australia
Area served
Australia
Germany
New Zealand
Norway
Singapore
United Kingdom
ParentOPTrust (51%)
Foresight Group (49%)
SubsidiariesSee below
Go-Ahead Group (51%)
Websitewearekinetic.com

Kinetic is majority owned by Canadian pension fund OPTrust and British infrastructure manager Foresight Group (who acquired Kinetic's previous co-owner Infrastructure Capital Group in 2022).[1]

History

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AATS started in 2014 as a consortium that included Catalyst Direct Capital Management and OPTrust Private Markets Group to purchase SkyBus.[2][3] Michael Sewards and Adam Begg were the founders and became the co-CEOs of the company.[4]

AATS purchased Transit Australia Group (TAG) in April 2019, including bus companies Sunbus and Surfside Buslines.[5][6] It was rebranded the Kinetic Group in August 2019, and remains the parent company of SkyBus and TAG.[7][8] In the same month, OPTrust began to seek a co-investor in Kinetic Group, who would hold a minority share in the group.[9]

Kinetic acquired Sydney bus and coach charter company Telfords Bus & Coach in November 2019,[10][11] followed by Cairns bus operator Love's Bus Service Queensland in January 2020.[12][13]

In March 2020, it was announced that Kinetic would buy GoBus with 1,700 buses, subject to approval by the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office.[14] Approval was given in June and the acquisition was completed in August 2020.[15][16]

In December 2020, Campbell's Coaches, Townsville was acquired.[17][18] In February 2021, Kinetic announced it had agreed terms to purchase Greyhound Australia's resources business Greyhound Resources that provides mine transport for workers in the Bowen Basin, Hunter Valley, South Australia and Northern Territory with 170 vehicles.[19] The deal was expected to close in April 2021.[20][21] This has since been rebranded as Kinetic Resources.[22]

In April 2021, it was announced that Redline Coaches of Tasmania would be acquired.[23]

Following OPTrust's 2019 announcement of seeking a co-investor, Infrastructure Capital Group acquired a 49% shareholding in Kinetic in October 2021.[24][25]

On 31 January 2022, Kinetic Melbourne took over the routes operated by Transdev Melbourne, with 531 buses, under a contract which runs until June 2031.[26][27] In February 2022, Kinetic acquired Sainty's North East Bus Service, with vehicles and drivers joining Kinetic's Redline Coaches business.[28]

In March 2022, Kinetic announced its acquisition of NZ Bus, which operates in Auckland, Tauranga and Wellington and is one of New Zealand's biggest urban bus operators, with 800 buses and 14 depots.[29] In the same month, Kinetic also announced the acquisition of Mersey Bus & Coach Services (Merseylink), the largest private operator in Tasmania which operates 51 general and school bus services in Devonport and north-west Tasmania.[30] In June 2022, in partnership with Globalvia, Kinetic's offer to purchase the Go-Ahead Group was recommended for acceptance by its board[31][32][33] The sale was approved by Go-Ahead's shareholders in August 2022.[34] Kinetic has a 51% shareholding.[35]

In November 2022, Kinetic began operating a new depot at High Wycombe in Perth, Western Australia, offering school route and charter services, general charter and event services.[22][36]

In late 2022, four of Kinetic's subsidiaries, Sunbus (including Love's Bus Service Queensland), Surfside Buslines, Telfords Bus & Coach and Redline Coaches, were rebranded to Kinetic.[37][38][39][40]

Operations

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Below is Kinetic's current and former bus companies that it operates:[41]

Australia

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Kinetic has an extensive presence in Australia operating in almost every state and territory from commuter services to charter and coach services.

Northern Territory

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  • Greyhound Resources. Following the acquisition and re-brand of Greyhound Resources, Kinetic provides bus services for the mining and resources sector.[42]

Queensland

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With the rebranding of several former subsidiaries in 2022, Kinetic operates an extensive commuter transport service throughout the state in the following regions:[43]

New South Wales

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  • Tweed Coast (Commuter service)
  • Sydney (coach and charter service only)

Victoria

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  • Melbourne (commuter service under the brand name Kinetic Melbourne)
  • Skybus (airport transfers)

Tasmania

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  • Merseylink (Operates a commuter bus service in Devonport)
  • O'Driscoll Coaches (Operates a Charter/commuter bus service in Derwent Valley)
  • School and charter service throughout the state

Western Australia

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  • Kinetic Resources (Kinetic provides bus services for the mining and resources sector)
  • Coach and school service

New Zealand

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Go-Ahead

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Main article: Go-Ahead Group

Through its 51% shareholding in Go-Ahead Group, Kinetic also operates buses in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Ireland, and railway services in the United Kingdom, Norway and Germany.

Former operations

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Queensland

(Love's Bus Service Queensland, Sun Bus and Surfside Buslines were dissolved and re-branded as Kinetic in late 2022)[37][38]

New South Wales

(Telfords Bus & Coach as well as Surfside Buslines were dissolved and re-branded as Kinetic in late 2022)[39]

Tasmania

(Redline Coaches was being dissolved and re-branded as Kinetic from late 2022)[40]

References

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[48]

  1. ^ "Our shareholders". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ OPTrust, Catalyst acquire Australia’s SkyBus Archived 28 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine AltAssets 8 September 2014
  3. ^ "About Skybus". SkyBus. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Our leadership team". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  5. ^ "SkyBus Operator AATS Group Acquires Transit Australia Group" (PDF). Kinetic. 2 April 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Skybus Operator to Acquire Transit Australia Group - Bustech not Included". Australasian Bus & Coach. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Leading Australian Transit Provider Relaunches as Kinetic" (PDF). Kinetic. 8 August 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Skybus parent relaunched as 'Kinetic'". Australasian Bus & Coach. 8 August 2019. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  9. ^ "OPTrust brings in bankers to find new partner for SkyBus owner Kinetic". Australian Financial Review. 18 August 2019. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Kinetic bolsters Queensland footprint with new acquisition" (PDF). Kinetic. 21 November 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  11. ^ Telford's sold to Skybus Kinetic Group Australasian Bus & Coach 21 November 2019
  12. ^ "Kinetic bolsters Queensland footprint with new acquisition" (PDF). Kinetic. 21 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Kinetic Acquires Second Cairns Company: Love's Bus Service". Australasian Bus & Coach. 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  14. ^ "SkyBus operator set to buy Go Bus from two iwi". RNZ. 16 March 2020. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Kiwi transport company Go Bus sold to major Australian operator Kinetic". Stuff. 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Kinetic completes NZ Go Bus acquisition". Australasian Bus & Coach. 4 August 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  17. ^ Kinetic welcomes Campbell’s Coaches, expands regional Queensland footprint Archived 8 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine Kinetic Group
  18. ^ About Campbells Coaches Townsville Archived 23 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine Campbell's Coaches with Kinetic name at bottom
  19. ^ About Greyhound Resources Archived 9 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine Greyhound Australia Retrieved 5 February 2021
  20. ^ Greyhound Resources sold to Skybus-Kinetic Australasian Bus & Coach 4 February 2021
  21. ^ Kinetic bolsters specialist mass transit capabilities with Greyhound Resources acquisition Kinetic Group
  22. ^ a b "Kinetic expands operations in Western Australia". Australasian Bus and Coach. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  23. ^ Abblitt, Ebony (22 April 2021). "Tasmanian Redline Coaches is being acquired by SkyBus operator Kinetic". The Examiner. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Infrastructure Capital Group acquires interest in Kinetic". Kinetic Group. 14 October 2021. Archived from the original on 14 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  25. ^ "ICG bets on public transport growth with Kinetic bus deal". Infrastructure Investor. 13 October 2021. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  26. ^ "New Bus Franchise To Jump Start Zero Emissions Pledge". Premier of Victoria. 2 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  27. ^ "Kinetic wins Victorian Government contract to run a third of Melbourne's bus network". Kinetic Group. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  28. ^ "Kinetic acquires Tassie's Sainty's Bus Service". Australian Bus & Coach. 3 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  29. ^ Cotter, Fabian (11 March 2022). "Kinetic to acquire NZ Bus Ltd". Australasian Bus & Coach. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  30. ^ "Kinetic expands commitment to Tasmania with Merseylink acquisition". 15 March 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  31. ^ Go-Ahead sale possible after offer acceptance recommended Route One 14 June 2022
  32. ^ "UPDATE: Go-Ahead chooses GBP648 million bid from Kinetic consortium". MorningstarUK. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  33. ^ "Go-Ahead accepts £650mn bid from group led by Australian bus operator". Financial Times. 14 June 2022. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  34. ^ Result of Meeting Go-Ahead Group 16 August 2022
  35. ^ We submit together with Kinetic an offer for the acquisition of Go-Ahead Globalvia 14 June 2022
  36. ^ "Kinetic in Western Australia". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  37. ^ a b "New energy for Queensland buses under Kinetic re-brand". Sunbus. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  38. ^ a b "New energy for Queensland buses under Kinetic re-brand — Surfside Buslines". Surfside. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  39. ^ a b "Telfords Bus & Coach". Telfords Bus & Coach. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  40. ^ a b "Tasmania's trusted name in bus transport". Redline Coaches. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  41. ^ "Kinetic - Our brands and network". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  42. ^ "Kinetic (Resources)". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  43. ^ "New energy for Queensland buses under Kinetic re-brand — Surfside Buslines". Surfside. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  44. ^ "NZ Bus". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  45. ^ "NZ Bus". www.nzbus.co.nz. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  46. ^ "Homepage - Go Bus - Go Bus". gobus.co.nz. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  47. ^ "Johnston's". Kinetic. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  48. ^ Kinetic boosts presence in Tasmania with O’Driscoll Coaches acquisition Intelligent Transport. from the original on September 19, 2023,
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