One of Australia’s iconic shuttle bus operators has been bought by Gold Coast operator Con-X-ion
By David Goeldner | January 9, 2012
Gold Coast coach company Con-X-ion has expanded its operations by recently purchasing larger, rival company Coachtrans, a long-established south-east Queensland airport transfer shuttle specialist.
Con-X-ion Managing Director Stuart Stratton engineered the takeover of Coachtrans’ 18-strong fleet in November 2011.
“We’re now running one of the largest shuttle-bus companies in Australia,” Stratton says.
“We have 65 vehicles in the Con-X-ion fleet and using a franchise model that we developed this year we’re planning further expansion across Australia.”
Stratton says Con-X-ion has new operations starting at major airports, including Melbourne and Sydney, and pushing expansion into Cairns.
“We believe we can offer another 10 to 15 franchises throughout Australia at the moment, in a model that we think is unique in the franchise market.”
Con-X-ion had a strong 2011, delivering growth in a tumultuous marketplace.
“Our belief is that this new acquisition will increase opportunities with new franchises and new jobs within our organization,” Stratton says.
“We’re actively seeking new alliance partners across Australia too.”
Con-X-ion’s revenue increased in 2011, with airport revenue up by 12 percent, direct to public business online up by 30 percent, and their local outbound travel agents, fuelled by a recent summer consumer promotion, up by 100 percent.
Stratton says Con-X-ion’s acquisition of Coachtrans won’t duplicate services.