Hillsbus was an Australian bus company that operated services in the Hills District of Sydney. Founded in 2004 when National Express merged its Glenorie Bus Company and Westbus (Hills District operations only) subsidiaries, it was later part of ComfortDelGro Australia. In early 2023, the Hillsbus brand was replaced by ComfortDelGro's CDC NSW brand.
History First use of the Hillsbus name In 1996, Westbus established a separate Hillsbus brand to run express services from the Hills District to the Sydney CBD and North Sydney, initially via the Anzac Bridge and from 1997 via the M2 Hills Motorway."Second City Private Service Starts" Australian Bus Panorama issue 11/9 June 1996 page 25 However, the Hillsbus brand seemed to have disappeared by the 2000s as these services were classified as Westbus rather than Hillsbus in early versions of the Westbus website.Westbus Weekdays Timetables April 2001, Retrieved 10 July 2014 These Westbus services, however, were still referred to by Westbus as "Hills City Express".Westbus Website - History September 2002, Retrieved 4 August 2015
2002–2023
On 11 February 2002, Hillsbus was revived as a joint venture between Westbus and National Express' newly acquired Glenorie Bus Company, and introduced a new bus route 642 under the Hillsbus brand.M2 City Express Service, Glenorie Bus Company, Published 2002, Retrieved 10 July 2014 This service linked Dural and the City via the M2 and was therefore known as a "M2 City" express service. The joint venture also brought in five new articulated buses for the service in May that year. On 8 July 2002, Hillsbus introduced three more M2 City routes 650, 652 and 654.Hillsbus Home Page August 2002, Retrieved 10 July 2014M2 Services Doubled With Introduction of West Pennant Hills Valley Services, Hillsbus, Published 2002, Retrieved 10 July 2014 According to the Hillsbus timetables, these Hillsbus services were operated by Glenorie,M2 Bus Map July 2004, Glenorie Bus Company, Retrieved 10 July 2014 even though neither Westbus nor Glenorie buses were used.National Express Annual Report 2001 Page 7 , Retrieved 10 July 2014
In December 2004, all Westbus routes operating out of Northmead and Seven Hills depots, as well as the rest of Glenorie Bus Company, were rebranded Hillsbus.Hillsbus Home Page September 2007 Hillsbus At the same time, Hillsbus took over the operation of Harris Park Transport routes 620 - 630, following the latter ceasing operation. The services were transferred from Hillsbus to Sydney Buses on 28 January 2005.Cessation of some Hillsbus services, Published January 2005, Retrieved 10 July 2014 On 25 September 2005, after the purchase of Hillsbus by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge, routes 620, 625, 626, 627 and 630 were transferred back to Hillsbus.Harris Park Transport Australian Bus Fleet Lists
Despite the rebranding to Hillsbus, the new Hillsbus website was only launched in January 2006, about a year after the rebranding.Hillsbus Home Page January 2006, Retrieved 10 July 2014 The delay could be related to the debt of Westbus and was only resolved after the sale of Westbus and Hillsbus to CDC. After the launch of the new website, it still did not show any timetables of the former Glenorie-operated timetables until May/June 2006, and during this period, customers were asked to check the Glenorie website instead.Hillsbus Timetables May 2006, Retrieved 10 July 2014
When the Parramatta to Rouse Hill section of the North-West T-way opened on 10 March 2007, routes 730 (renumbered T63) and 735 (renumbered 616, now 616X) were transferred from Busways to Hillsbus with route 718 transferred from Hillsbus to Busways.Improved bus services in the Blacktown region Busways 27 February 2007
On 30 June 2014, the Opal card was rolled out on all of Hillsbus' NightRide and Region 4 routes (including school services).Opal extends to all CDC Hillsbus routes from 30 June , Transport Info NSW, Retrieved 23 June 2014
On 28 July 2019, after the Sydney Metro Northwest opened in May, bus routes in the Hills District were reorganised, with some services rerouted to stop at various Sydney Metro stations.Bus service adjustments in Sydney’s North West Transport for NSW 3 July 2019Service adjustments from 28 July Transport for NSW
In November 2022, CDC was awarded the contract to retain Region 4. The Hillsbus branding on buses was gradually replaced by the CDC NSW brand in early 2023, in time for the commencement of the new contract in April 2023.
Routes
From 2005 until its replacement by CDC NSW in 2023, Hillsbus' services had formed Sydney Bus Region 4.Region 4 Transport NSW In August 2013, Hillsbus successfully tendered to operate the Region 4 services for another five years from August 2014.More than 60 new buses and improved customer service with new bus contracts Transport for NSW 29 August 2013Annual Report 2013 page 4 Cabcharge
At the time of cessation, Hillsbus operated the following services: 535 from Parramatta to Carlingford (rail replacement bus service) Bus routes 600 to 665 in Sydney's north-western suburbs, including 600 (formerly Metrobus M60) from Hornsby to Parramatta 610X (formerly Metrobus M61) from Castle Hill to Queen Victoria Building. 66x series along the North West T-Way (formerly T6x series) Express services along the M2 Hills Motorway and Lane Cove Tunnel to Macquarie Park, North Sydney and Queen Victoria Building Bus routes 700 to 715 in Sydney's western suburbs (Wentworthville, Seven Hills, Blacktown)
Other railway replacement bus services
Hillsbus also operated other railway replacement bus services between 2018 and 2019. Hillbus operated Station Link services (SLx series) between September 2018 and May 2019, while the Epping to Chatswood rail link was closed for upgrading and conversion to Sydney Metro Northwest. It stopped at Epping, Chatswood, Macquarie Park, Eastwood, Macquarie University, Beecroft and St Leonards stations. It was jointly operated with Transdev NSW. The service ceased when the Metro opened in May 2019.
Thereafter, until November 2019, Hillsbus operated the North West Night Bus to supplement the Metro North West Line on Sunday to Wednesday nights. Like Station Link, it was jointly operated with Transdev NSW.
Fleet Depots
As of July 2022, Hillsbus operated 601 buses across four depots:CDC Group Australian Bus Fleetlists Foundry Road (F) in Seven Hills – Head Office of Hillsbus – 204 buses Dural (D) – 177 buses Northmead (N) – 188 buses Seven Hills (V) – another depot also in Seven Hills, smaller than Foundry Road depot – 32 buses
Hillsbus also operated 62 buses at the Camellia depot designated for Station Link between September 2018 and May 2019, but they have since been moved to other Hillsbus, Hunter Valley Buses and Blue Mountains Transit depots after the cessation of Station Link.
Livery
Prior to 2010, Hillsbus adopted Westbus' new plain yellow livery. With the introduction of Metrobus routes, the Metrobus livery was applied to new buses dedicated to Metrobus operations. In 2010, the Transport for NSW white and blue livery began to be applied on new buses and repainted buses. Fleet dedicated for Station Link also carried the Transport for NSW livery but with "Station Link" labels and a pink body front. Most of the Station Link fleet have had the labels and pink front removed after the cessation of Station Link.
References
External links
Hillsbus website (January 2022) Bus Australia CDC Sydney gallery