Whit Transit

Whitsunday Transit has been a proud member of the local Whitsunday and Proserpine Community for the past 25 years. With the help of our dedicated staff and the support of our local families, we have reached this important milestone.

As a company, we are committed to providing our community with safe, reliable, and environmentally-friendly transportation options. We are excited to announce the recent addition of two new high-tech low-emission vehicles that are capable of running on bio-fuel, which will enable us to continue serving our community for the next 25 years and beyond.

We would like to express our gratitude to the Whitsundays for their unwavering support and look forward to continuing to serve our community for many years to come.

Hope to see you on board soon.

PROUDLY CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY FOR 25 YEARS

Whitsunday Transit 25 Years Connecting The Community

Celebrating a quarter-century milestone this week, multi-generational family business Whitsunday Transit, is an intrinsic part of the community –operating dozens of public bus runs, ferrying 2000 children to school each day and carrying 80,000 passengers to and from Whitsunday Coast Airport every year.

With a fleet of 47 buses, operated by a team of 60 dedicated staff across two busy depots, the company has progressed from humble beginnings thanks to the vision of its founder, Colin Crossley who established Whitsunday Transit in 1998.

Already a reputable name in Australia’s bus industry, Colin had been keeping an eye on The Whitsundays, scoping out potential runs on annual family holidays from Sydney to Bowen.

Eventually, the stars aligned and after selling his southern businesses he was able to purchase first Sampson’s, then Daley’s, and finally Butterworth’s bus services, encom-

passing Cannonvale, Proserpine and Kelsey Creek, and combining them all into ‘Whitsunday Transit’.

Colin started with 17 buses and, eager to hit the ground running, he quickly showed his ambition to provide a first-class service by completely overhauling the timetable.

Before long, Whitsunday Transit had the highest frequency passenger service outside a capital city, with an efficient timetable that included a late-night run to ensure patrons could get home from popular watering holes.

Within three years, Colin was joined in these endeavours by his son Darren, who relocated to The Whitsundays from Sydney in 2001.

Then, three years ago the Whitsunday Transit legacy continued onto the next generation with Darren’s son Jackson following in his forefathers' footsteps and joining the team.

A Pioneering Fleet

Marking their 25-year milestone by welcoming two new $500,000 buses to the fleet, Whitsunday Transit are proud to be delivering modern, low-emission, bio-fuel-capable buses for the comfort of the community and the welfare of the environment.

The buses are made in Queensland and their high-tech capabilities are the equivalent of city buses, a first for our regional area. Always endeavouring to lead the way in transport options, this is not the first time that Whitsunday Transit has modernised its fleet. Back in the 90s, they introduced some ultra-low-floor, wheelchair-accessible vehicles, which were the most advanced on the market at the time.

The decision saw them win ‘Bus of the Year’ at Australia’s premier bus and coach industry event in 1998, earning the company the accolade of providing the highest accessibility level of any operator in Queensland.

Whitsunday Transit attracted state-wide attention once again when the Queensland Government recognised their investments and commitment by awarding them with the only commercial contract for passen-

ger services in a population of less than 7,500 people.

The contract paved the way for the company to continue servicing the region’s flights, rail connections, school children and local commuters and was testament to Whitsunday Transit’s dedication to service in meeting every single flight to arrive at Whitsunday Coast Airport since 1998, even when it was not profitable to do so.

“When Ansett dropped out it was costing me over $100,000 a year to support the airport and it was the same with the rail service –if the train came in at 3am there was a bus there to meet it even if there was no one on it,” said Colin.

“I believe in doing things properly or not at all, and cutting costs isn’t always the way to the future.”

Whitsunday Transit continues to invest in many aspects of the community it serves, supporting events such as the New Year’s Eve Fireworks, sporting groups and local charities.

They believe in providing the best service and take their integral role within the community as an honour, privilege and responsibility.

A Proud Family Legacy

It’s a proud moment when you see your family business pass through the generations, and that is something Whitsunday Transit is now experiencing with Darren Crossley taking the helm.

Initially, when Darren asked his dad Colin for a job in the family business 22 years ago, he was told the answer was no.

Undeterred, he not only completed an apprenticeship as a heavy vehicle mechanic but went on to make a name for himself in the bus industry independently.

Eventually, Darren managed to persuade Colin to give him a job but was told that he would need to “start again from the bottom up, sweeping floors and driving buses until Dad wanted to step down”.

Proving himself, year after year, there came a day when Darren told his father: “there can’t be two bosses”.

“I hadn’t even finished the sentence before the wheels were spinning in the carpark and Dad leapt into semi-retirement,” he recalls.

Raising his own son within the comfortable folds of the family business, Darren has been pleased to see, Jackson, take an interest in working and progressing within Whitsunday Transit.

Spending many school holidays doing work experience at the depot, Jackson went on to complete his apprenticeship as a heavy vehicle mechanic at the tender age of 19.

He is now in the process of obtaining his Driver’s Authority and says he has clear aspirations to continue forging the family path, hoping one day he’ll have the same conversation his dad and grandad had.

Only this time the wheels spinning in the carpark will be Darren’s.

“Enjoy The Ride”

With a “face that everyone knows”, kind-hearted and charismatic Whitsunday Transit bus driver, Peter Kaden, says he’s the luckiest man alive and can’t believe he gets paid for driving around our beautiful region.

Part of the team since the beginning, Peter has been working for Whitsunday Transit for the past 23 years, watching both the town he services, and the thriving local bus business grow during that time.

From new buses regularly joining the fleet to the introduction of modern computer systems, a lot has changed in his time, but the one thing that has remained the same is Whitsunday Transit’s focus on community and providing a family atmosphere for all their staff.

Peter is a carer for his wife who has Multiple Sclerosis, and during the day he looks after her needs before heading out to do the night shift.

“They have always been very supportive of me and my wife,” said Peter.

“They are the sort of business that cares for their staff –and I always like to be treated the way I treat others – so we are both the same in that way.”

Growing up in the outback, Peter lived on stations with his family. His dad put up a lot of boundary lines on big properties so they would often move, throughout areas spanning South Australia, West Australia and the Northern Territory.

“I remember a town of 400 people would seem like a city to us back then!” he laughs.

Pursuing a variety of careers, Peter has been everything from a shipwright to a boiler maker, but says his true love is people.

“I love the people! I love interacting with people!” he said.

“And this is a great place to live and work, it’s just magical – it’s hard to believe I get paid for what I do!”

Renowned for his eclectic music collection, Peter takes any request and plays almost any song on his bus . . . as long as it’s Country!

“One day a young girl came up to me and asked if I could play Johnny Cash – I couldn’t even believe she knew who he was!” he said.

A good Samaritan at heart, Peter has also come to the rescue of his passengers several times over the years.

From ensuring girls get home safely after dark to the one time when he and his wife provided a stranded backpacker with a place to stay for the night.

“I dropped her off at Whitsunday Plaza when it was pouring with rain,” he recalls.

“When I came back on the next run round, she was still there, and she was crying.”

Peter asked if she was ok, and the young girl explained she had received a message saying her accommodation had been cancelled and she couldn’t find anywhere elsewhere to stay.

Thinking on his feet, Peter called four Irish backpackers that he knew, hoping that they might have a place for her to sleep the night.

When they were unable to look after her, he volunteered the spare room at his house for the night.

Every passenger is important to Peter and each bus trip is more than just a job - it is a service to the community.

You can catch Peter running the bus route from Whitsunday Plaza to Shute Harbour on a weekend afternoon, and from Whitsunday Plaza to Airlie Beach town centre most evenings.

SCANIA CONGRATULATES WHITSUNDAY TRANSIT ON 25 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

RELIABLE, LONG-TERM SERVICE IS A CORE SCANIA VALUE TOO, WHICH IS WHY WE ENJOY WORKING WITH THE TEAM AT WHITSUNDAY TRANSIT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THEM OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS.

JUST LIKE WHITSUNDAY TRANSIT, SCANIA WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER CUTTING-EDGE, INNOVATIVE TECH NOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, SUCH AS THE LATEST LOW-EMISSION BIOFUEL-COMPATIBLE BUSES.

SCANIA AND WHITSUNDAY TRANSIT. BRINGING YOU GREEN AND CLEAN MOBILITY.

LOW EMISSION BIOFUEL CAPABLE BUILT-IN QUEENSLAND

Girl Under The Bonnet

At just 19 years old, Lara Hadlow, is a third-year heavy vehicle diesel mechanic apprentice at Whitsunday Transit, working on everything from engine refits to servicing and basic maintenance of the 47 buses in the fleet.

Embarking on the apprenticeship straight after school, Lara has grown up in the area and previously attended St Catherine’s Catholic College where she was the School Sports Captain in her final year.

Delivering Precious Cargo

There is nothing more precious than the safe delivery of children to our local schools, and that is a responsibility that Whitsunday Transit takes very seriously when they transport over 2000 children each day to schools across the region.

Safely navigating 26 different runs, the local roads are often full of efficiently moving, perfectly scheduled buses transporting excited children to and from school twice a day.

Nathan Ryan is one of the everyday heroes who drives children to St Catherine’s Catholic College in Proserpine.

A truck driver by trade, Nathan decided to become a bus driver when he moved back to the area last year.

A born and bred local, Nathan moved to Brisbane when he was 30 and has just returned with his wife and three of his four children. His oldest child opted to stay in Brisbane for work.

With three children at local schools, Nathan understands the importance of ensuring every child gets home safely and has a pleasurable experience on the bus. Part crowd control, part disciplinarian

and full-time driver, Nathan says his role is lively, entertaining and much more interesting than driving trucks.

The staff at St Catherine’s Catholic College appreciate all the bus drivers and value the service immensely.

St Catherine’s Catholic College Principal, Luke Thomson, said that without Whitsunday Transit, the world would be a very different place for thousands of school children and families around The Whitsundays.

“In a region like ours the team at Whitsunday Transit not only removes the tyranny of distance and makes education more accessible, but they do it with care,” Mr Thomson said.

“They understand what it is to be a local because they are locals themselves –they’re entrenched in the community and as a result, they support many community organisations including ours.

“They also work flexibly where and when they have to – whenever there’s a traffic or weather event their staff go above and beyond to get our children home, bending over backwards to minimise the effects on the community.”

Considering a degree in Engineering, Lara decided instead that she wanted to pursue a career that she loved and, growing up on a farm, she was often underneath the bonnet of a tractor fixing an engine with her dad.

“I’ve always loved working with vehicles and machinery,” she said.

Lara is the only female in the team of eight heavy vehicle mechanics, but she says that doesn’t worry her.

“It’s not too bad being the only girl,” she said.

“They are all really good blokes and very supportive.”

Lara’s passion for vehicles is not restricted to working on engines, it also extends to driving, racing and competing with go-karts and cars.

She is a member of the Whitsunday Motor Sports Club and has won a North Queensland Championship as well as some local Club Championships.

“You don’t get to see many girls doing what I do, but I think it would be good to see more get involved – it is really fun!” she said.

19 year old Lara Hadlow is a third year apprentice heavy vehicle diesel mechanic at Whitsunday Transit