Skybus Super Shuttle
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| Parent | Catalyst Direct Capital Management OPTrust Private Markets Group |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 1978 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne Airport |
| Service area | Melbourne, Australia |
| Service type | Bus operator |
| Destinations |
Melbourne Airport Southern Cross station |
| Depots | Melbourne Airport |
| Fleet | 60 (May 2016) |
| Annual ridership | 1.6 million (June 2008) |
| Chief executive | Simon Cowen |
| Website | www.skybus.com.au |
The Skybus Shuttle operates an airport bus service between Melbourne Airport, Tullamarine and Southern Cross station in the Melbourne City Centre. Skybus carries over 2 million passengers per year and 8.3% of all Tullamarine passengers.
Skybus commenced operations on 6 June 1978, running a shuttle service between Melbourne Airport and Melbourne City Centre. On 2 August 1982, Skybus took over the airport bus services run by the now-defunct airlines Ansett and TAA.
Until November 2000, the Melbourne City Centre terminus was at a coach depot in Franklin Street. It would pick up passengers at the then Spencer Street station and various city hotels before continuing on to the airport. In November 2000, Skybus relocated to Spencer Street station with services operating express to the airport, cutting the journey time to 20 minutes and allowing more services to be introduced. Connecting minibuses were introduced to continue the hotel transfer/pickup service.
In 2002 the Government of Victoria opted to contribute $3 million to a $10 million plan to expand and improve Skybus services, after a feasibility study into a city to airport rail link found the service would not be viable. The initiative funded the purchase of new buses, and improvements to the Tullamarine Freeway, to give Skybus vehicles priority in traffic. The operation has an audited revenue share arrangement with the Victorian Government.
In August 2008 the Skybus contract was renewed for five years. In 2007 Skybus' patronage grew by 17% over the previous year, to 1.6 million passengers, with estimated revenue of $24 million.
Proposals to improve the bus service involving turning emergency lanes into bus lanes on the freeway and the Bolte Bridge and putting SkyBus on a myki fare, were challenged by CityLink operator Transurban, because it would limit its toll revenue, and by Melbourne Airport, because it would reduce its car parking profits. Both facilities were privatised in the 1990s.
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