Xplore Dundee

The company has its origins in the Dundee and District Tramways Company, which commenced horse tram operations on 30 August 1877. Steam traction was adopted in 1885. On 1 June 1899, the company was compulsorily acquired by the local municipality to become Dundee City Tramways, which was electrified between 1900 and 1902.

From 1922, motor buses began to be operated in addition to the trams. The tram system continued to be extended until 1933. But by 1956, the trams had been fully replaced by buses and the company renamed Dundee Corporation Transport.[1]

Local government reorganisation meant that the bus operation passed to Tayside Regional Council in May 1975. In spite of the change of name, the council's bus operations were confined to the Dundee area. The livery was changed from green to dark blue, light blue and white. [2] In preparation for bus deregulation in October 1986 it was restructured into a separate legal entity[3] and in 1991 sold in a management buy out. In February 1997 it was sold to National Express and rebranded Travel Dundee.[4][5] The livery changed again, this time to blue, red and white. Travel Dundee Limited formerly Tayside Bus Company Limited and in 1991 sold in a management buy out. In February 1997 it was sold to National Express and rebranded Travel Dundee. The livery changed again, this time to blue, red and white.

Travel Dundee logo, 1997–2008

Travel Greyhound was the coaching subsidiary which offered a range of coaches and buses for hire. Greyhound Luxury Coaches used to be a trading name for TD Alexander and Sons who commenced operations in 1960. The business was acquired by Tayside Public Transport on 13 August 1990, and re-branded Tayside Greyhound. The Greyhound brand is no longer in use.[6]

Travel Dundee had been a contractor to Scottish Citylink form many years. However, shortly after the formation of a joint venture between Citylink and Stagecoach in November 2005, Travel Dundee's services ceased. They were reinstated at short notice from 9 January 2006 when extra journeys were added to route M91 from Perth direct to Edinburgh. In May 2006, Travel Dundee commenced operating journeys on route M90 Perth - Kinross - Dunfermline - Edinburgh. Citylink ceased for the third time in September 2008, as part of a review of coaching activities.[7]

National Express Dundee logo, 2008–2015

In November 2007 National Express announced plans to re-brand all of their operations under a new unified National Express identity with Travel Dundee rebranded as National Express Dundee in October 2008.[8]

In June 2015, it was announced that the business would be rebranded as Xplore Dundee with a green livery resembling that of Dundee Corporation Transport introduced. The rebrand occurred on 11 September 2015.[9]

The single fares were previously calculated according to the number of fare stages that you pass through with fares split into three categories 1 stage, 2-3 stages or 4+ stages. Now short hop fares (valid for one fare stage) and max singles (two or more fare stages) are used for single journeys. There are discounts for children and young people.[10]

A range of multi-use fares are available including daysavers and their own travelcards which are available for 1-week, 4-week and 52-week periods of validity. Group and evening tickets are also available. Contactless payments were introduced in 2019, and discounts are in place for customers purchasing m-tickets on the Xplore Dundee app.[11]

The company operates a number of urban routes, their numbering system has similarities to other National Express UK Bus subsidiaries with school routes indicated with the suffix S, the use of suffix letters A, B, C, and D, as well as the use of the prefix.[12]

National Express Dundee liveried Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL in 2014

Xplore Dundee have a fleet of 123 single and double decker buses, most being from Volvo. Some vehicles have come from other National Express operators in the West Midlands and from the now sold operation in London.

From 1997 to 1999, shortly after National Express took over, Travel Dundee received 30 Wright Liberator bodied Volvo B10Ls and 25 Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLEs. In 2004, the fleet was upgraded with 18 new Wright Eclipse Gemini double-deckers.

Xplore Dundee, then National Express Dundee, bought 29 new Wright Eclipse Urban 2-bodied Volvo B7RLE in 2011 and 2012 which were used to replace older vehicles.

In 2013, the company received its first nine Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 hybrid buses, partly funded by the Scottish Government Green Bus Fund.[13]

In 2018, 14 brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC buses arrived to operate on route 22. These buses are branded Emeraldand have USB ports and free Wi-Fi onboard.[14] These were introduced on 2 December 2018, with a follow-up order of 9 announced in November 2019.[15]

In 2019, one Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC bus arrived with a Further 9 in 2020 so far to meet the target they have set to invest in no more diesel buses in the future.[16]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Express Dundee.

• Xplore Dundee website