Driver Bus Lines
Company History
Brief Version

1920-1929
The early years at Grant Brothers

Intersection of High street and Malvern rd, Glen Iris, 1920s — High Street, Lower Glen Iris circa 1925, taken from Malvern Road looking east. Wills Street, where the Driver Brothers Camberwell-Glen Iris route terminated, is on the left just past the railway gates. The two V shaped roofs of Glen Iris Primary School can be seen just right of centre on the horizon and the High Street tramlines in the foreground. Photo courtesy of the K.P. Abbott collection remastered from a State Library VIC negative, 2015

In the early to mid-1920s, brothers Eric and Reginald Driver began working for their father, Arthur Reginald Driver, at Grant Brothers Coach and Motor Body Builders at 105 Station Street, Malvern
Their mother, Florence Mary Driver, had recently purchased Grant Brothers
In time, Eric and Reg began to manage Grant Brothers
Arthur Reginald Driver was reluctant to give his sons full decision-making authority
Eric and Reg decided to consider other business opportunities
Their sister Doris, who was a bookkeeper, suggested passenger transport could be lucrative
In 1930, Driver Brothers purchased two 1930 Pontiac 29-6 chassis with their mother helping with finance
The brothers, with their father assisting, worked evenings to build 7 passenger motor cab bodies on the Pontiacs

1930-1939
Two men with determination and a vision

Driver Brothers 1930 Pontiac 29-6 motor cab #2, with Grant Brothers body built by Eric and Reg Driver, Wills Street at Glen Iris Railway Station, Note: Station gate house on the left, Glen Iris, circa early 1930s — Driver Brothers motor cab #2, 1930 Pontiac 29-6, with Grant Brothers body built by Eric and Reg Driver, Wills Street at Glen Iris Railway Station, Note: Station gate house on the left, Glen Iris, circa early 1930s (Eric Driver photo)

Driver Brothers commenced a timetabled service with their two Pontiacs on the Camberwell-Glen Iris route on March 31st 1931, working alongside one competitor that would not operate to a timetable
By late 1932, Driver Brothers had eight competitors on the route
In a bid to survive, Driver Brothers bought one of their competitors and added an additional new motor cab, increasing their fleet size from 2 to 4
All told, there were now 11 motor cabs working on the route, which was unsustainable, so the Driver Brothers needed to be resourceful
In 1934, a Driver Brothers application was successful with the service now being gazetted a bus route. All but the original competitor, which Driver Brothers later acquired, moved off the service
From 1935, ‘engine out front’ 19 passenger Federals were the preferred bus brand
Driver Brothers built their own bus depot and Ferndale Motors service station on Glen Iris Road in 1939

1940-1969
The war years and charter expansion

3x Driver Bedford OB Buses at the Glen Iris depot. Photo taken early 1950s. — Driver Brothers Bedford OBs at Glen Iris Rd bus depot (left to right), #4 Jan 1950 CAC built body, #2 Dec 1947 GM-H built body and #3 Oct 1947 GM-H built body, circa early 1950s (Doug Cross photo)

The bus business was now strong and in 1947, Driver Brothers transitioned to modern post war General Motors Bedford OB ‘flat front’ buses and later, larger Bedford SBs
In 1960, the route service expanded to Chadstone, Melbourne’s first regional shopping centre
By 1969, the fleet had more than doubled in size, now at 9, to cater for route service and charter expansion
Eric’s two sons, Daryl and Gary, joined Driver Bus Lines in 1967 and 1970 respectively

1970-1979
The first coach arrives and ushers in a move to up market luxury

GMC Scenicruiser bus 1965 model. — Driver #12, 1966 GMC Ansair Scenicruiser with GM 6V53 diesel, ex Ansett Pioneer #419, Summerhill Park Ashburton VIC, 1976 (Gary Driver photo)

In 1970, the first charter coach was purchased, #10, a 45-seat Bedford VAM 3 Comair
Eric, Linda, Daryl and Gary Driver bought Reginald and Marjorie Driver’s shareholding in 1974 and properties in 1975
The first GM rear engined, air-conditioned coach, #12, was acquired in 1975 ex Ansett Pioneer
Driver Bus Lines began hiring coaches to Ansett Pioneer for Melbourne day tours
The route was extended to Box Hill in 1978 with the takeover of Curren’s Bus Service

1980-1989
Dealing with the State Government

GM Denning Mono Bus, 1980 model. Photo taken at Katamatite VIC in 1981 by Gary Driver — Driver #17, 1980 GM Denning DenAir Mono, Detroit Diesel 8V71, Katamatite VIC, 1981 (Gary Driver photo)

Reg Driver passed away in 1981 and Eric Driver in 1982
A 1954 Ansair Flxible Clipper was acquired in 1983 and became the start of the Driver Classics heritage collection
The fleet size in February 1986 was 19
The State Labor Government embarked on a “Go or Grow” plan to rationalize private route service operators in Melbourne
Driver Bus lines responded in September 1986 by acquiring Shave Bus Service with 35 buses, 3 routes, 28 licenses and their Mt Waverley bus depot, with government approval
Shave Bus Service was soon re-named Waverley Transit
In 1988, the State Labor Government called for tenders on all Melbourne bus routes and awarded the three Shave routes to a new, neighbouring operator that had 60 government contracted buses but no routes to operate them on
Waverley Transit, with the support of all of Melbourne’s family route service operators, took the State Government to the Supreme Court…and won. The Supreme Court found that the State Government had acted improperly and the contract with the new 60 bus operator was quashed
The State Labor Government appealed the ruling…and lost again
In May 1989, Driver Bus Lines acquired Pioneer Trailways in Melbourne (previously Ansett Pioneer) including 4 coaches and 26 Ansett Pioneer day tour licenses and began a day tour program trading as Pioneer Tours

1990-1999
Expansion into premium sightseeing

1988 GM Denning double beck bus, at Melbourne Arts centre VIC. Photo taken circa 1990. — Pioneer Gray Line #53, 1988 GM Denning Double Deck, Detroit Diesel 8V92TTA, Arts Centre, Melbourne VIC, circa 1991 (Gary Driver photo)

In the early 1990s, Daryl Driver’s three daughters; Kym, Shelley and Angela, began working for Pioneer Tours
In February 1991, Pioneer Tours was accepted as a member of the global Gray Line sightseeing organisation, and was relaunched as Pioneer Gray Line
In May 1992, six route buses and licenses from Nuline Bus Service were acquired
Southern Sights, later to become Great Sights South Pacific, was launched in 1992 as a budget sightseeing brand
Pioneer Gray Line became Gray Line Melbourne in 1993
A larger Mt Waverley property was acquired in 1993 with a capacity for up to 100 buses and the original Shave depot was later sold
As of August 1993, the fleet size was 60
In 1994, Great Sights South Pacific day tours in Sydney was acquired
Driver Bus Lines Pty Ltd became Driver Group Pty Ltd (DG) in July 1996 trading as Driver Bus Lines, Gray Line and Great Sights
“Tours, Information and Bookings” launched at Melbourne Central in October 1996, DG’s first retail ‘direct to public’ tourism outlet
A 31-vehicle charter/sightseeing company, Clipper Tours/Gray Line Sydney, was acquired in January 1997
Clipper Tours was sold in February 1998, but Gray Line Sydney retained

2000-2009
Taking our Gray Line premium sightseeing national

Gray Line double decker buses at Federation Square, Melbourne VIC in 2015 — Gray Line #68, 2003 Motorcoach Classic III Double Deck, Detroit Diesel Series 60 and Gray Line #65, 2012 Denning Classic III Double Deck, Cummins ISM, Russell Street Melbourne VIC, 2015 (Gary Driver photo)

In November 2000, Driver Group purchased a controlling interest in Gray Line Adelaide
Gray Line Tasmania and Gray Line Brisbane/Gold Coast were both set up in 2001
Gary Driver’s three children, Kelly, Mark and Glen, all joined Driver Group between 2001 and 2007
Melbourne City Explorer hop-on, hop-off service was acquired in 2002
Gray Line Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef was purchased in 2003
Great Sights Adelaide launched later that same year
Gray line Perth commenced in 2004 followed by Gray Line Alice Springs and Uluru
“Best of Australia” Travel Centres began in 2004, with 2 external partners, and over time, had retail outlets in Melbourne, Sydney, Alice Springs, Adelaide, Perth and Cairns
Gray line Darwin was launched in November 2005, the final link in a nation-wide Gray Line network
Gary Driver was appointed Chairman of the Board of Gray Line Worldwide in 2007, the first non-North American to chair the Gray Line Worldwide board

2010-2019
A change in direction: route buses go and school buses grow

Scania K310 bus with Irizar i6 body — Driver #72, 2016 Scania K310 with Irizar i6 body, Mount Dandenong VIC, 2017 (Ralf Boetker photo)

Four school bus operators, with 28 buses between them, were acquired on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula in October 2010 and relaunched as Driver Coastal
Driver Group’s 2010 fleet size was 120
A bus depot in Hastings was later acquired and expanded over time, to park up to 100 buses and the original Glen Iris Road bus depot was sold
Driver Group’s 5 route services and 42 contracted route buses were sold in 2013
Driver Group (DG) became Driver Group Australia (DGA)
Interstate based coaches were brought back to Melbourne to cover local commitments
Interstate sightseeing was contracted out and large additional fleet purchases made
Best of Australia Travel Centres, later Australian Visitor Centres, was progressively closed in 2018/2019
In November 2019, DGA with a minority partner, opened Discover Melbourne, a tourist retail outlet across from the Visitors Centre at the Melbourne Town Hall

2020 Onwards
Adapting to a changing market with a new focus

Scania Touring K370C bus, 2026 model, Scania Higer body. Photo taken at Mt Waverley VIC in 2026. — Driver #57, 2026 Scania Touring K370C with Scania Higer body, Mt Waverley VIC, 2026 (Gary Driver photo)

In 2020, the Covid19 pandemic hit hard with sightseeing going into hibernation while bus charter was able to remain open during lockdowns for essential work
The recently opened Discover Melbourne tourist retail outlet was permanently shut down in March 2022
In December 2022 sightseeing re-opened into a now small market while charter was strong
Sightseeing was closed permanently in November 2023 after 34 years of Driver family operation
A satellite depot for up to 20 buses in Rosebud West (Capel Sound) on the Mornington Peninsula was developed in 2024
Driver Gippsland commenced at Morwell in 2025 with a small number of buses
Driver Group Australia’s fleet size in July 2026 was 150 with an additional 19 vehicles in the Driver Classics heritage fleet

Driver Group Australia has built an enviable reputation for service and quality in all aspects of operation. Driver Group Australia plans to remain family owned and to strengthen operating areas as and when required. The second and third generations of the Driver family are continuing to build on the strong foundations, goals and principles of the founding Driver Brothers.

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