Go Bus, New Zealand’s leading bus transport business, has finalised an agreement to acquire Invercargill-based McDermott
Coachlines. The transaction was completed on Friday 30th July 2021.
Go Bus is the country’s largest and most diverse bus operator, with dedicated bus and coach services across 38 depots
from Auckland to Invercargill. Go Bus currently operates approximately 1,800 vehicles and employs over 2,100 people
throughout New Zealand, including 85 in Southland.
McDermott Coachlines has a fleet of 81 buses and employs 76 staff operating school and charter services throughout the
Southland region with depots in Winton and Invercargill, and smaller satellite sites around Southland.
Go Bus Transport CEO Calum Haslop says he is looking forward to welcoming the McDermott team to the Go Bus family.
“The acquisition of McDermott’s will give us the opportunity to expand our range of services significantly in the lower
South Island. “
“Our intention is to continue to operate the McDermott school services through to the end of the year on their current
contracts, and then deploy all staff and vehicles onto the new Ministry of Education contracts that Go Bus was recently
awarded in the area. These new contracts commence in January 2022 and will run for between 9 and 12 years. We will also
continue to operate the separate school contracts at Aparima and Waianiwa and McDermott’s existing charter business.
Mr. Haslop says all McDermott staff will carry on with their current roles as usual, with no changes to pay rates or
conditions.
McDermott Coachlines family shareholders decided it was a good time to exit the business and saw Go Bus as the logical
buyer.
“This is a very positive step for the business, our staff and customers. There are shared values between the two
companies, particularly around family ethos and customer service. We were also impressed with Go Bus’s broad experience
delivering bus and coach services throughout New Zealand over many years,” says Alister McDermott, manager of McDermott
Coachlines.
“It will be business as usual for our Winton and Invercargill depots with the same team delivering services in
Invercargill and Southland looking after our passengers.”
“We are excited about the opportunities to grow our business with the acquisition of McDermott Coachlines and are
looking forward to McDermott Coachlines becoming part of the Go Bus family,” concludes Mr. Haslop.