Transdev

Transdev is a major international multi-modal transport group based in Paris, France. It has operations in France, the United Kingdom, Australia, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Canada and Italy. Globally, Transdev carries more than one billion passengers a year with a turnover of €1,327 million annually.Fact|date=May 2008

History

Transdev, itself a subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations since its creation in 1990, operates primarily in urban and interurban transport, but has recently diversified into specialist markets such as tourism, airport ground transportation and transportation in ski resorts. Due to the nature of franchising in France, the actual number of companies and joint ventures in the group is constantly changing.

Transdev became the first continental European company to acquire an urban bus network in the UK with the purchase of London United, giving the company a 9% share of the London bus market. Further expansion in the UK did not come until 2001 when it was selected to be part of the Nottingham Express Transit tram network with Nottingham City Transport, a company which it subsequently purchased an 18% stake in. A further London acquisition in 2002 was Sovereign Buses, later renamed London Sovereign, from the Blazefield Group. In late 2005 Transdev purchased Yellow Buses of Bournemouth from Bournemouth Council ownership for £15 million. Not long after, on 5 January 2006, Transdev purchased the Blazefield Group for an undisclosed sum. In January 2007 it acquired Blackburn Transport which was subsequently incorporated into Lancashire United.Fact|date=May 2008

In August 1999 Transdev Australia was established following the award of a 12 year franchise to operate half of the tram network in Melbourne together with Transfield Services Ltd as Yarra Trams. In August 2001, Transdev acquired Sydney's Shorelink Bus Company. Shorelink operates 22 routes around the city's North Shore, as well as a number of peak-hour services to and from the CBD. The company has a fleet of 85 vehicles, employs around 120 staff and carries around 2 million passengers every year, including some 13,000 school pupils each day. A further joint venture with Transfield was awarded a 7-year contract to operate Brisbane ferry services CityCat and CityFerry, in November 2003. In February 2004 Yarra Trams was awarded a 5 year franchise to operate Melbourne's entire tram network.

In 2002 Transdev started operating the Porto Metro system.

In 2007, Transdev bought a 66% stake in the Dutch public transport company connexxion, with an option to purchase the whole within 5 years. This step made Transdev the 4th biggest operator in Europe.Fact|date=May 2008

Current operations

Australia

In Australia Transdev operates:
*Yarra Trams in Melbourne
*Shorelink in Sydney
*CityCat & CityFerry in Brisbane

Canada

*Transdev Limocar is a coach and transit bus operator in the province of Québec

The Netherlands

* connexxion, the largest bus operator in the Netherlands (66 % stake)

United Kingdom

Transdev's UK operations comprise:
* Transdev London (formerly London United & London Sovereign)
* Transdev Yellow Buses (formerly Yellow Buses of Bournemouth)
* Blazefield Group
** Accrington Transport
** Burnley & Pendle
** Harrogate & District
** Keighley & District
** Lancashire United
** Northern Blue
** Yorkshire Coastliner
** Transdev York
* Nottingham City Transport (18% stake)

It also operates the Nottingham Express Transit tram network jointly with NCT and is involved in the forthcoming Edinburgh tram system.

External links

* [http://www.transdev.fr/Website/site/eng_accueil.htm Transdev corporate web site]
* [http://www.transdevplc.co.uk Transdev UK web site]