03/09/2026
74 years, four generations and a legacy built for the future.
This week marked a significant moment in the history of Dysons, with the official opening of our new Electric Bus Depot at Bundoora.
For the Dyson family, it was a particularly special occasion.
The depot was officially opened by Bill and Col Dyson, sons of our founder Laurie Dyson, creating a connection between where the Dysons story began in 1952 and where the business stands today.
Laurie started Dysons with a small fleet of buses, a great deal of determination and a commitment to serving the community.
At the time, Bundoora was largely farmland and the communities further north were small regional townships.
Over the next 74 years, that business grew across four generations to become one of Australia’s largest family-owned bus and coach operators.
The new Bundoora depot is perhaps the clearest demonstration of just how far that journey has come.
The facility has capacity for 89 dual electric bus chargers and approximately 11 MVA of electrical capacity, making it the largest electric bus depot in Australia.
It has been designed to support the introduction of at least 168 electric buses through Victoria’s Metropolitan Zero Emission Bus Franchise and represents a major investment in the future of public transport.
But the significance of the day went well beyond the infrastructure.
Speaking at the opening, Managing Director and CEO Andrew Jakab reflected on the contribution of the Dyson family across four generations.
“Each generation accepted the responsibility of protecting what had been built, while also preparing the business for what came next,” Andrew said.
“Vehicles have changed. Technology has changed. Contracts, communities and customer expectations have changed.
“But the values at the centre of this company have remained remarkably consistent.
“Work together. Look after your people. Keep your word. Serve the community. And when something goes wrong, take responsibility and find a way to make it right.”
Those values have been carried forward not only by the Dyson family, but by thousands of employees over the past 74 years.
Drivers, mechanics, cleaners, operations teams, schedulers, customer service employees, safety professionals, administrators and managers have represented the Dyson name in communities across Victoria every day.
Many have spent 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years with the company. Some have spent almost their entire working lives at Dysons.
“The fact that so many people have chosen to make Dysons a major part of their lives is something that the Dyson family is very proud of,” Andrew said.
The opening also recognised the enormous effort behind the delivery of the depot.
The project required years of tender preparation, design, approvals, construction, testing and operational planning, all while Bundoora continued operating as a busy public transport facility.
Special recognition was given to Dave Pirie, who played a central role from the original Metropolitan Zero Emission Bus Franchise tender through to the design, construction and operational preparation of the facility.
Our employees, contractors and project partners also achieved something everyone involved should be incredibly proud of, delivering a project of this scale and complexity without a major safety incident.
For Bill and Col, officially opening the facility was a fitting moment.
As Laurie Dyson’s sons and members of the second generation, they represent a direct connection between the earliest days of Dysons and the business it has become today.
They helped protect and grow what their father established before responsibility passed to the third generation and, ultimately, the involvement of a fourth.
As Andrew reflected during the opening:
“The facility we are opening today reflects the contribution of all four generations of the Dyson family.
“It reflects the vision and determination that established the business in 1952. It reflects the stewardship of those who protected and grew it. It reflects the leadership of those who modernised and expanded it.”
As Dysons prepares for its next chapter, the Bundoora Electric Bus Depot stands as a lasting reflection of that generational commitment.
“This depot is a lasting legacy of the Dyson family’s contribution to Victoria.
“It is fitting that one of the final major projects delivered under Dyson family ownership is not something that looks backwards.
“It is a project that prepares Victoria for the future.”
From a small fleet of buses in 1952 to Australia’s largest electric bus depot 74 years later, it is a legacy the entire Dyson family, and everyone who has been part of the journey, can be immensely proud of.
