(^32) ABC October 2017 busnews.com.au
STRATEGY DYSON GROUP
“It is quite a big place now, much
bigger than it used to be, so we will
be looking to see what we can do
with the network there. We have
already streamlined some of our
V/Line activity there and have had
good feedback on that. Our Moama
to Murchison service will now be
managed by Moama because that’s
where it starts and, funnily enough,
that’s how it used to be 20 odd years
ago when we used to run that depot.”
Bus services operating out of
To c u m w a l , Gr i f¾ th and Seymour
now utilise the Shepparton depot
for vehicle swaps and driver contact
amongst other tasks.
“It’s been a very smooth transition;
we started changing the livery and
branding over onto our brand for
those 44 vehicles and that will take
a bit of time for the team here in
Bundoora to complete,” Neil says.
“We are not doing the full livery
on all of the vehicles, only on the
more modern ones. Some of the older
ones we just tidy up and put the logo
on and that is easy to do.”
The services that the Dyson
Group now runs in Shepparton
include V/Line, charter, government
and private school services as
well as town services. All former
Shepparton Transit employees have
transitioned across to Dyson. It’s
been a wise move strategically as
Shepparton is in a good position for
the Dyson Group with many locally
based drivers, three workshop
staff, an operations manager, an
administrative person and a driver
that works in between school runs in
as an of¾ ce assistant.
In terms of charter work, Neil says
they will be looking for opportunities
in and around Shepparton, but he
comments that the charter market is
already pretty tight in the wider area.
JOINING THE TEAM
Dyson Group has also acquired
O’Connell’s Omeo Bus Service,
another family-owned business, after
almost 60 years of operation.
The ex-O’Connell’s operation
consists of the Omeo and
surrounding area-based school
runs and the Alps Link Bus Service
between Omeo and Bright, which
Dyson Group will continue to run.
Joint managing director Neil
Dyson says having a new base at
Omeo is working out well.
“We bought Omeo Bus Services
on May 1 this year, which is a
four-vehicle operation that we
purchased off Rod O’Connell,”
he explains. “We already ran the
Omeo to Bairnsdale service, so
taking over ownership of Omeo Bus
Services made a lot of sense for us
strategically and geographically.
“We will be looking to see what
we can do out there to provide better
services for people; it’s a very handy
place for us to have a depot.”
“This is the ¾ rst winter season
that Dyson Group has operated
snow services in our history and
it’s been a good season. We are
really grateful to the O’Connell
family for that opportunity and for
coming to us ¾ rst.”
HIVE OF ACTIVITY
The Bundoora depot and
headquarters in Melbourne is a busy
place. “We are a 24/7 operation
around here,” Neil says.
“We have two spray booths and
the guys are used converting livery
over to our brand, what with some
of the acquisitions that we’ve done
over the years.
“The guys are pretty quick at
Above: Col and
Neil Dyson
Below: The
Dysons fl eet
takes up a fair bit
of space
Opposite: The
Bundoora HQ
is very modern,
but also contains
a historical bus
museum as a
nod to its rich
history
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(singke)
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