Taking delivery of the final bus to complete the new fleet of 50 buses to service BHP’s Pilbara contract was a big moment for Go West Tours’ Managing Director Stan Haoust.
The 33rd Volvo Irizar arrived at the Bunbury depot in June to be dispatched to Go West’s depot in Newman, which along with 17 BCI buses, makes up the fleet.
Stan bought his first bus in the early 1980s when he ran a garage on Spencer Street in Bunbury. Since then, he has overseen the steady growth of Go West over the past 35 years, with son David joining Go West and becoming Director in 2002.
Stan’s first foray into the bus industry was in 1969 when he helped his cousin who ran Crown Coaches in Melbourne with one of their first bus services, using a 1948 OB Bedford, which ran between Camberwell Junction and Richmond Bridge in Melbourne.
From there, Stan returned to working in the mining industry supervising mining projects throughout WA. He eventually re-visited the bus industry, buying the garage and building up a fleet of vehicles for hire and tours over more than three decades, culminating in the BHP contract, the biggest won by Go West in its history.
Buses and drivers are being supplied to BHP mine sites Yandi, Area C, Jimblebar, Eastern Ridge and Whaleback, increasing Go West’s fleet from 300 to 350 vehicles and employing an additional 50 people in Newman, Tom Price and Karratha.
“Go West has always had a dedicated, hard working team from bus drivers who have worked tirelessly in remote conditions, with safety as our number one priority, to our admin staff and managers who keep the offices running smoothly,” Stan said.
“I would like to thank my son, David and the frontline managers who prepared the tender and were instrumental in securing the contract.”
Photo: Go West Tours Managing Director Stan Haoust and Maintenance Manager Darren Babich celebrate the last bus being dispatched for the BHP contract.
