Acquisitions Investment in buses by the private bus companies in
Perth fell during and after
World War II, leading the buses to become run-down. Car ownership became more common as well, and these factors caused bus patronage to fall following 1950. The private bus companies were in a perilous financial state and people believed that Perth would benefit from a single integrated public transport system. The MTT commenced operations on 31 August 1958. The first two private operators the MTT acquired were Metro Buses and Beam Transport. Later in 1958, Carlisle Bus Service, Kalamunda Bus Service and United Buses were acquired. In early 1959, Emu Buses was acquired. No further acquisitions were in the 1959–60
financial year, but negotiations commenced for the acquisition of the
WA Government Tramways and Ferries, the Fremantle Municipal Transport Board, the Riverton Bus Service, and the Coogee-Spearwood Bus Company. Concession fares for pensioners and ex-service people were introduced. The following financial year, the MTT acquired the aforementioned agencies and companies. By this point, the MTT owned 26 different engine models which resulted in high maintenance and repair costs, so the MTT adopted a fleet standardisation policy. In 1972–73, the first bus stations opened in Perth. A bus station in
Morley opened in August 1972 and
Wellington Street bus station opened in March 1973. These bus stations were part of a plan to build a ring of bus stations in suburban locations around Perth near shopping centres, operate feeder buses to the bus stations, where passengers could then transfer to mainline buses to the
Perth central business district (CBD). Express buses would also operate between suburban bus stations and the Perth CBD during peak periods. More of these bus stations would open over the following years, including
Karrinyup in September 1974,
Rockingham in November 1974,
Kwinana in 1975–76,
Booragoon in September 1976,
Innaloo in January 1977, and
Mirrabooka in September 1979. In August 1974, a common fare system was introduced to make bus-train transfers easier. The new fare system meant many patrons got cheaper travel, in particular those who travelled long distances, and it reduced operating costs and helped to speed up services. Free return journeys within two hours were also facilitated by the new system. The common fare system was the first in Australia.
Smoking was
banned on all MTT buses in May 1975, making the MTT Australia's first public transport operator to do so. The management of the suburban train services was transferred back to Westrail in December 1994. In February 1995, the operation of the ferries was transferred to
Captain Cook Cruises. The bus system was divided into 15 contract areas and nine were put to tender in 1995 and 1996. MetroBus and the Department of Transport signed a five-year contract for those areas in November 1995. MetroBus bid for the Midland contract area in 1995, but it was announced that it was unsuccessful in doing so in September 1995, and so from January 1996, the Midland contract area was operated by
Swan Transit. It was announced in May 1996 that MetroBus was successful in bidding for the operation of the new Perth CAT services though. CAT operations by MetroBus commenced in August 1996, replacing the City Clipper services. MetroBus was not successful in any of its other bids during the first stage of privatisation, and so the Rockingham, Southern River, Canning, Marmion, and Wanneroo contract areas were taken over by various private operators in September 1996. The remaining contract areas–Morley, Claremont/Belmont, Fremantle, Cockburn, and the CAT system–were awarded to private operators in April 1998, who took over from MetroBus on 4 July 1998, thus marking the end of MetroBus as a Transperth bus operator. MetroBus continued past 4 July 1998 with the purpose of disposal of assets and ensuring that any remaining staff was given training and experience to allow them to find employment elsewhere. ==Board==