Ritchies Coachlines
Encyclopedia
It is a part-owner of the Intercity and Newmans
Intercity (New Zealand)
InterCity Group Ltd is a passenger transport and tourism company and operates New Zealand's largest coach network and ferries and cruises in the Bay of Islands...
coach lines
Ritchies' website says Ritchies was "formed in Temuka
Temuka
Temuka is a town on New Zealand's Canterbury Plains, 15 kilometres north of Timaru and 142 km south of Christchurch. It is located at the centre of a rich sheep and dairy farming region, for which it is a service town.-History:...
70 years ago by John Ritchie (Senior) and is still owned by the Ritchie family." and that its head office "was located in Timaru
Timaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
but at the beginning of December 2003 relocated to Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
." The company "expanded into the North Island 20 years ago and now has a large operation in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in addition to branches in Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
, Helensville, Dargaville
Dargaville
Dargaville is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the bank of the Northern Wairoa River in the Northland region. The town is located 55 kilometres southwest of Whangarei....
and Ruakaka
Ruakaka
Ruakaka is a small township in the north of New Zealand approximately 30 kilometres south of Whangarei in the Bream Bay area. Originally a small beachside community, Ruakaka has seen development due to its proximity to the expansion of the country's only oil refinery at Marsden Point during the 1980s...
."
Tourism services
Richies operates coachCoach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
services for several package tour operators.
Urban services (past and present)
- Auckland
Ritchies main urban bus operations are in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
operating out of depots in Swanson and Albany servicing West Auckland including Helensville and the North Shore. Ritchies also operates high-speed
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
services on the Northern Busway
Northern Busway, Auckland
thumb|Passengers boarding a [[MAXX Regional Transport]] Northern Express service operated by [[Ritchies Coachlines]].The Northern Busway is a physically separated busway with dedicated park & ride facilities along State Highway 1 in the north of Auckland, New Zealand, linking the North Shore with...
on Auckland's North Shore
North Shore, New Zealand
North Shore City was the name of a city that existed in the Auckland region of New Zealand from 1989 until 2010. The city had a population of making it the fourth most populous city in New Zealand prior to November 2010...
.
- Blenheim
Ritchies operate the local bus service in Blenheim
Blenheim, New Zealand
Blenheim is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough, in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the regional council. It has a population of The area which surrounds the town is well known as a centre of New Zealand's wine industry...
under contract to the Marlborough District Council
Marlborough, New Zealand
Marlborough is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a region and a district, and its council is located at Blenheim. Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and sauvignon blanc...
. There are two loops that service the town.
- Timaru and Temuka
Ritchies was founded in this small South Canterbury city. They have operated four Timaru
Timaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
urban bus routes contracted to Metro
Public transport in Christchurch
Public transport in Christchurch, New Zealand consists of bus services operated by three bus companies supported by a ferry, all jointly marketed as Metro.-Overview:...
since 28 June 2010, previously operated by Christchurch Bus Services Ltd. They also run the Timaru-Temuka bus route.
- Christchurch
With deregulation of bus services Ritchies entered the Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
urban market with a number of routes using various buses purchased from other companies, including the ARA, Invercargill City Transport
Passenger Transport (New Zealand)
Invercargill Passenger Transport Ltd is a bus company which operates public transport routes and school transport services in Dunedin and Invercargill and leisure and tourism transport services throughout New Zealand.-Public transport services:Passenger Transport operates almost all public...
, Timaru City Transport and New Plymouth City Buses. In January 1997 Ritchies sold its Christchurch urban contracts to Christchurch Transport Ltd but retained ownership of the buses.
- Dunedin
Ritchies amalgamated Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
bus lines Turnbull Motors, Peninsular Motor Services and Southern Services in 1975. Since then, Ritchies has operated urban services in Dunedin from time to time. From 1 July 2011, it has operated the Opoho-Shiel Hill and Pine Hill-Lookout Point routes.