Benders Busways

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Benders low floor bus in service in Geelong

Benders Busways is a privately owned transport company in Geelong, Victoria. It operates a number of public transport routes in Geelong under the Geelong Transit System umbrella, as well as bus charter work. Since 2000 it has been part of the Kefford Corporation.

1 History
2 Livery
3 Routes
4 References
5 External links

[edit] History

Bus operated by Benders Busways

Benders Busways was started by Ernest and Aimee Bender in 1926 in Geelong. The first route ran from Geelong to Chilwell, and in 1931 a second route commenced 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 tram routes with buses. 18 new buses were purchased to run the increased number of services.

In 1991 three Mercedes-Benz compressed natural gas powered buses were trialled by Benders Busways.^[1] This fleet later expanded to 9 buses.^[2]

Benders acquired the smaller I.J. Cook & Son bus company of Geelong in the late 1990s. In June 2000, the Bender Family sold the company to the Kefford Corporation.^[3]

[edit] Livery

Benders bus in Geelong Transit System livery

When the Geelong Transit System was first introduced in 1983,^[4] buses operated by Benders on route services were painted in the blue stripe and white Geelong Transit System livery. Upon the sale of Benders to the Kefford Corporation, buses were repainted in their corporate scheme, but with green stripes on a white base.