Victoria’s private bus operators have long understood the need to work together to improve industry conditions and the level of service provided to their passengers.
The Bus Association Victoria Inc. began as part of a combined goods and passenger organisation formed in 1944 as a result of a merger of the Master Carriers’ Association of Victoria and the Commercial Motor Users’ Association.
The new organisation called the Victorian Road Transport Association comprised three passenger operator divisions: the Road Passenger Service Operators (long distance and country operators), Omnibus Operators (metropolitan and suburban) and Motor Coach Services (charter and tours)
Within three years however, the RPSO division believed that the needs of passenger operators were “so entirely different from those of the vast majority of the members of the VRTA…that separate action became necessary”. Separate action meant the creation of a new association and an umbrella body, which ultimately led, in 1953, to the Road Passenger Service Operators Association becoming the sole representative body for bus owners throughout Victoria.
By 1960 there were 443 members of the association operating 1842 vehicles; in 1965, there were 582 members with 2182 buses and coaches; by 2000 the figures had reached 740 members and 4600 buses.
In 1969, the name of the association was changed to the Bus Proprietors’ Association (Vic) and changed again in 1996 to Bus Association Victoria inc.
Changing government attitudes, the push for improved industrial conditions, new community expectations and the ups and downs of the economic environment have all required BusVic to act in the best interest of its members.
BusVic is committed to serving the interests of the community and its members. It will provide opportunities for members to:
- Maximise profitability and long term security.
- Maintain positive public perceptions of safety, reliability efficiency and ethical conduct.
- Retain community service values in the delivery of road passenger operations.
- And by maximising its membership will consequently enhance the public image of the industry through its activities.
As a not for profit industry representative body BusVic needs non-membership income in order to meet the growing challenges associated with ensuring a resilient operating environment and industry reinvestment.
History sourced from the Bus Association Victoria Inc. website.