Australia's largest bus network Kinetic — which now owns Christchurch-based Go Bus — is in exclusive talks to buy Next Capital's urban bus line business NZ Bus, at a sale price is understood to be just north of $400m, the Australian Financial Review said.
The paper said the deal would entrench its position as the largest Australasian operator.
The 30-year-old NZ Bus is one of New Zealand's biggest bus operators with more than 700 buses across 13 depots. The company serves Auckland, Wellington and Tauranga, mostly operating on behalf of local governments.
Go Bus,which was sold by Ngai Tahu Holdings to Australia's Kinetic, currently has 29 depots throughout New Zealand, according to its website.
A deal on the sale of NZ Bus to Go Bus, would see the return of Go Bus to the ownerdhip of the Tauranga City Bus contract, which runs the Bay Hopper buses.
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