The Tranzit Group is a New Zealand, family-owned transport and tourism company that operates buses nationally. It was founded by Albert Snelgrove in Wairarapa as Grey Bus Service. It became Blue Bus Service (with a livery change) in the early 1950s and then Tranzit Group in 1984 to reflect expansion into transport and tourism. Today, Tranzit Group is behind brands including Tranzit Coachlines, Tranzit InterCity, Tranzit Tours, Pacific Tourways (Auckland), Royale Coachlines, Tranzurban, Cross Country Rentals, Maugers, Right Price Rentals and Bus Travel NZ Ltd. It has a 50% shareholding in Entrada Travel Group incorporating GreatSights, Gray Line, AwesomeNZ, Greyhound Australia, InterCity, Tusa Dive and Divers Den in Australia.InterCity.InterCity Holdings Limited New Zealand Companies Office
Urban services Tranzit operates urban bus services in Auckland, New Plymouth, Waikato, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Wellington and Hutt Valley. In 2018 under the brand name Tranzurban, it began operating 60 percent of the Metlink bus network under contract to Greater Wellington Regional Council. This includes delivering urban services in Wairarapa, Hutt Valley and Wellington city. At that time, Tranzurban purchased 225 Euro 6 diesel buses, which meet the highest global emission standards, and 10 double deck electric (EVDD) buses, the first in the Southern Hemisphere. This fleet has been running successfully since, with innovations made to the EVDDs. This fleet has incrementally grown to include 42 electric buses to help Wellington achieve its target of carbon neutrality by 2030. Between 2021 and 2024, Tranzit Group's workshop and fleet team successfully converted two diesel buses to electric. The first was a Southern Hemisphere innovation in that a double decker diesel was converted to electric in Masterton, followed by a single deck conversion. Both buses contniue to transport passengers on public transport networks in Auckland and Wellington. Brand new buses headed for Wellington Metlink 4 May 2017Infratil loses big chunk of Wellington council bus contract The New Zealand Herald 6 May 2017NZ Bus contract reshuffle Australasian Bus & Coach 29 May 2017
As part of a reorganisation of Auckland's northern bus network on the North Shore, "Tranzurban Auckland" became the contracted operator of the newly designated NX2 services (formerly the 881 route) on the Northern Busway from 30 September 2018. Tranzurban also is contracted to deliver WX1 services for AT. Compare:
Fleet As of 2026, Tranzit Group operates more than 3000 vehicles nationwide, including a growing fleet of electric buses. These vehicles represent some of New Zealand's most well known travel and transport brands owned by Tranzit Group including: Cross Country Rentals, Tranzit Coachlines, Tranzit Tours, Pacific Tourways Limited, Tranzurban Wellington, Hutt Valley & Auckland, Rite Price Rentals and Maugers Rentals. Tranzit Group is also part owner of Intercity. For the Wellington contract, 114 Optare MetroCitys will be purchased.Optare announce 114 bus deal Australasian Bus & Coach 21 September 2017Optare gets £21m bus order for New Zealand BBC News 21 September 2017Optare wins £21m order to supply 114 buses to New Zealand operator Yorkshire Evening Post 21 September 2017
In Wellington, the company operates 43 electric double decker buses on urban routes. They have also introduced 100% electric bus fleet into Palmerston North in early 2024 in partnership with Horizons Regional Council An additional 31 double deck electric buses are expected to be in service by 2022.
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