State Transit – The Last Trips

At 00:01 on April 3 2022, the final contract held by the State Transit Authority of New South Wales was handed over to Transdev John Holland Buses, ending 89 years of Government run bus services in New South Wales.

The last trip operated by State Transit ahead of the handover was the 00:00 370 ex Coogee to Glebe Point, which was operated by Randwick Scania K310UB Custom Bus CB80 3026. The trip terminated at Glebe Point at 00:46, officially marking the end of State Transit operations in Sydney. Two preserved buses, ex 3037 (a Mercedes Benz 0405 PMC MkIV) and ex 3700 (a Scania L113CRL Ansair Orana) followed this last trip to mark the occasion. All three vehicles operated in a convoy together for the entire journey from Coogee to Glebe Point. The service bus was packed full of enthusiasts there to farewell State Transit with one last ride.

Although the 370 was the official last trip, after it terminated there were still drivers on the road who started their shifts as State Transit drivers, wearing State Transit uniforms and using State Transit journals. The honours of the last driver on the road in State Transit uniform went to the driver of the 28:38 (03:38 due to the end of daylight savings 350) ex Mascot Station to Bondi Junction, where it arrived at 29:18 (04:18 due to the end of daylight savings). Waverley Volvo B8RLE Volgren Optimus 2955 operated this historic last trip with a State Transit driver. Another bus, Waverley 3076, operated alongside 2955 but with one of the first Transdev John Holland drivers to sign on after the handover in a Transdev John Holland uniform with Transdev John Holland journal. The two buses operated together for the entire length of the 350, with 2955 leading and 3076 following, symbolising the handover from State Transit to Transdev John Holland.

By sunrise on April 3 2022, State Transit operations were history. The three final State Transit depots, at Port Botany, Randwick and Waverley, had all had their operations fully handed over to Transdev John Holland. Both last trips marked the end of an era for government bus operations in Sydney.