Hoys Roadlines
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Headquarters | Wangaratta , Australia |
| Products | Bus services, rail services |
Number of employees | 11 (1994) |
Hoys Roadlines was a bus company operating out of Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. Between 1993 and 2004, it held a government contract to run train services on the Shepparton railway line on behalf of the Victorian State Government.
Bus services
Established in 1930, Hoys provided bus routes connecting Wangaratta with Shepparton, Bright, and the Mount Buffalo Chalet. The firm later diversified into school transportation, charter coach operations, and government-subsidized routes, including a daily service between Albury and Adelaide. Following the loss of its rail service contract, Hoys began scaling back its operations: the Adelaide–Albury route was transferred to Dysons in August 2004, and the remainder of its services were handed over to V/Line by July 2005.
History
In August 1993, the Kennett State Government invited tenders for nine regional passenger rail services, permitting operators to utilize trains, buses, or a combination thereof. Hoys secured a seven-year agreement commencing 1 July 1994 to operate the Melbourne to Cobram line. Train services ran as far as Shepparton, with bus links covering destinations beyond. Although Hoys staffed stations, conductors, and buffet attendants, the trains themselves were leased from and maintained by V/Line, contrasting with competitor West Coast Railway, which owned and serviced its own rolling stock.
Contracts
Hoys entered into two principal agreements: one with the Department of Transport to deliver public transport services across Melbourne - Seymour, Seymour - Shepparton, and Shepparton - Seymour segments, receiving payment based on passenger numbers. The other contract was with V/Line, under which V/Line supplied locomotives, crews, carriages, maintenance support, safeworking instruction, and catering. Additional passenger carriages or luggage vans could be added at an extra charge. Passenger loading statistics were submitted to V/Line every 28 days.
Operations
Beginning 1 July 1994, under the Department of Transport contract, Hoys operated 26 weekly services: four trains and two buses (two trains and one bus each way) between Melbourne and Shepparton from Monday through Saturday, plus one train each direction on Sundays. Bus connections extended service coverage to Cobram and some routes reached Tocumwal. A six-month pilot introduced bus links to Finley and Berrigan, eventually adding a route to Griffith.
The workforce comprised 11 employees—approximately half were former V/Line staff—including a station master at Shepparton, two additional station personnel, and five conductors trained in safeworking procedures by V/Line. One conductor was responsible for train operations while another managed buffet services onboard. Ticket sales were limited to Hoys-operated segments; passengers transferring to V/Line services needed to purchase tickets at either Spencer Street station or from Shepparton's ticket agent.
Hoys oversaw unstaffed stations at Nagambie, Murchison East, and Mooroopna, alongside staffed operations at Shepparton. Trains underwent cleaning during layovers at Shepparton and received comprehensive cleaning overnight. Rolling stock—locomotives and carriages—remained V/Line property and bore no distinctive Hoys branding.
Typical train formations included a three-carriage N set providing 206 seats across first class and economy sections. Passenger loads ranged from 80 to 100 at Shepparton stations up to between 160 and 200 closer to Melbourne. By 1995 patronage had increased by 5.5%, averaging 188 passengers per service with approximately 5,500 sector tickets sold weekly. Local radio advertising campaigns were employed to promote the service following public confusion that it had ceased operations in 1993.
Conclusion of contract
The original agreement, which was due to conclude in June 2001, received a three-year extension. Throughout this timeframe, V/Line underwent privatisation, with operations managed under contract by National Express. Nevertheless, in December 2002, National Express exited Victoria, leading to V/Line reverting to complete State Government administration.
Negotiations for a contract renewal with Hoys commenced in August 2002, aiming to extend the arrangement until 2006; however, these discussions did not result in a deal. As a result, upon the franchise's termination on 30 June 2004, V/Line took over direct management once again.