ABC #403

along with Hauser and his wife,
Sharon, set up Matnik Investments
Pty Ltd in 2015 and, in July of the
same year, bought the Tinonee Bus
Company, along with its six buses
and two Transport for NSW (TfNSW)
contracts.
The original business was
established in July 1987 when
Ardel and Edna Rooney purchased
five buses and a contract from the
Bennett family, who had been
operating for quite some time
before that.
“Today, Nik and I are co-owners
and co-managers of Tinonee
Bus Company and Watsons Bus
Company, with the support of our
wonderful wives,” said Maidens
with pride.
SOLID EXPANSION
In November last year, Maidens
and Hauser purchased another
local business – J Watson and
Our main focus is the contract school bus and
route bus services. We also do school charter and
local charter for sports and excursions.
Sons Pty Ltd. Operating as Matnik
Investments Pty Ltd, and now
trading as Watsons Bus Company
the new business has its linkages
dating over seven decades.
The old J Watson and Sons
business had been operating
the service for over 72 years.
In fact, in what is quite a beautifully
fitting story in itself, members of
the Watson family used to travel
on those buses as children before
growing up to operate them as
owner-operators.
When Maidens and Hauser
purchased the business they also
took over five of its buses and one
TfNSW contract.
CURRENT OPERATIONS
Matnik Investments Pty Ltd
currently operates 12 buses, three
of which are Mercedes-Benz, four
Hino, three BCI, one Toyota Coaster
and a Mitsubishi Rosa Deluxe.
There is no preferred brand or
make that the two partners favour
more. It all comes down to factors
like safety, reliability, longevity and
aftersales service that defines their
preference for a model or make.
For them, with an average life of
a bus or coach being up to 11 years,
there is always room to decide
whether to stick to or move on from
a brand.
Matnik Investments now
busnews.com.au March 2021 ABC
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