Stonestreets Coaches
| Parent | Stonestreet family |
|---|---|
| Commenced operation | April 1993 |
| Headquarters | Toowoomba |
| Service area | Dalby Gladstone Ipswich Roma Toowoomba |
| Service type | Bus services Tour operator |
| Depots | 6 |
| Fleet | 245 |
Stonestreets Coaches is an Australian bus company operating services in the Dalby, Gladstone, Ipswich and Toowoomba regions in Queensland. Initially a route and school bus operator, it has diversified into providng transport for energy and mining projects and operating tours.
History
Stonestreets Coaches was formed when in April 1993 the Stonestreet family purchased the Centenary Heights & Middle Ridge Bus Service in Toowoomba. Expansion came through the purchase of a shareholding in Dunkley's Coaches and a further three school runs from Cambooya, Greenmount and Wyreema.[1][2][3]
In 1997 an operation was established at Roma following the purchase of a school run in Mitchell. In 1999, Stonestreets commenced operating a three-year contract for Bechtel for the transportation of construction workers to the Millmerran Power Station with 17 buses. In 2002, the remainder of Dunkley's Coaches was purchased and a portion of the Cambooya school run.[1] A further contract from Betchel resulted in over 30 buses being mobilised to transport construction workers on the Darwin LNG project.[4]
In 2006, seven school runs in Dalby were purchased from French's Coaches. Geeford Coaches was also acquired in June 2006. In the next few years a number of other companies and services were acquired including additional Dalby school runs, the Ipswich Grammar and Ipswich Girls Grammar school runs, Aries Tours, the remainder of French's Coaches and Toowoomba Transit Coaches, the latter operating a service to Brisbane.[1][5][6]
In 2011, Stonestreets commenced operating another contract for Bechtel during the construction of the Gladstone LNG plant.[7] It also commenced operations in the Bowen Basin and Gladstone areas, with contracts for the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance at Daunia and South Walker Creek and its largest contract to date to transport over 600,000 workers a year during Bechtel's construction of three LNG plants on Curtis Island.[8][9] It has since won further work in the Surat Basin including at the Kogan Creek Power Station.[1][10][11]
On 28 February 2012 the service to Brisbane ceased.[12][13]
Fleet
As at December 2015, Stonestreets operated 245 buses and coaches.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d Our History Stonestreets Coaches
- ^ Stonestreet’s Coaches founder hands in his bus licence The Toowoomba Chronicle 18 April 2015
- ^ Coach operator sees opportunities to streamline gas supply chain Gasfields Commission Queensland 8 May 2015
- ^ Darwin LNG project Stonestreets Coaches
- ^ Stonestreets to take over service The Toowoomba Chronicle 8 January 2010
- ^ Stonestreets expands on back of acquisitions Australasian Bus & Coach 3 February 2010
- ^ Gladstone LNG Project Stonestreets Coaches
- ^ BMA Daunia Mine Stonestreet Coaches
- ^ Stonestreets wins 18m mine contract The Morning Bulletin 17 November 2011
- ^ Surat Basin Projects Stonestreets Coaches
- ^ Corporate Brochure Stonestreet Coaches November 2011
- ^ Mining contract puts brakes on bus route ABC News 27 February 2012
- ^ Stonestreets ends Brisbane link The Toowoomba Chronicle 27 February 2012
- ^ Stonestreet Coaches Australian Bus Fleet Lists