The New Generation of Kiwi Coaches

We’re building New Zealand’s safest, most dependable bus and coach company—one journey at a time.
In September 2024, Kiwi Coaches entered a new era under Managing Director Dayton Howie. Since then, we’ve modernised our systems, refreshed our standards, and in October 2025 we passed an NZTA inspection of our operations with flying colours. Today, schools, tour partners and event organisers choose Kiwi Coaches for one reason: safety you can see—and measure.

Who We Are

Kiwi Coaches is a New Zealand coach and school transport operator based in Auckland, serving schools, tour groups, events and private charters across the North and South Islands. The “new Kiwi Coaches” blends fresh leadership with deep industry experience, a workshop culture that fixes causes (not symptoms), and technology that turns good intentions into data-backed assurance.

Our Leadership

• Dayton Howie — Managing Director
  Leads the company’s safety-first strategy and investment. Dayton’s mandate: resource the right people, set clear standards, and keep the focus on evidence, not slogans.

• John Connel — Workshop Lead
  Decades running mechanical depots for Ritchies and NZ Bus now power our on-site workshop. John’s preventative maintenance discipline means fewer defects, faster turnaround and auditable records.

• Jason Farquhar — Head of Operations
  Former Operations Manager at Guthries Coaches, with leadership roles at Pavlovich and Ritchies. Jason connects drivers, schedules and maintenance so safety isn’t siloed—it’s orchestrated.

• Benjamin Dale — Health, Safety & Compliance
  Owns H&S frameworks, compliance, industry standards and relationships. Benjamin’s focus areas include school safety, tourism and events, ensuring our systems are inspection-ready, every day.

What We Stand For

• Safety above all — A system of people, process and proof.

• Reliability — Realistic schedules, smart contingencies, and transparent comms.

• Professionalism — Courteous drivers, clean comfortable vehicles, tidy operations.

• Partnership — We design with you: schools, agents, event producers, venues.

• Accountability — NZTA-aligned documentation, telematics, traceability.

Safety, Engineered

Safety isn’t a statement—it’s a system. Ours includes:

• Daily pre-trip & post-trip checks recorded digitally.

• Planned preventative maintenance led by our on-site workshop.

• Driver training & refreshers: fatigue risk, route risk, incident avoidance, emergency procedures.

• Route & event risk assessments: pickup zones, access, turning circles, stewarding.

• Incident & near-miss reporting with root-cause analysis and corrective actions.

• NZTA alignment by default—documentation is live, not retro-fitted.

Result: In October 2025, NZTA inspected our operation; we passed with excellent outcomes.

Technology That Raises the Bar

We’ve implemented GPS tracking and driver telematics across the fleet to lift standards and give customers confidence.

• Live GPS for accurate ETAs, route adherence and post-event reporting.

• Behaviour analytics (speed discipline, braking, cornering, idling) for coaching and continuous improvement.

• Custom alerts so the ops team can intervene early.

• Data-led training using real examples from local roads and conditions.

Bottom line: We turn “we think we’re safe” into “here’s the data.”

School Transport, Done Right

For schools, assurance matters as much as service. Our school runs feature:

• Driver vetting & school-specific training (stops, loading/unloading, near-school speed discipline).

• Enhanced safety measures for school operations, including clear stop protocols and interior checks.

• Telematics oversight with live thresholds and coaching.

• Proactive communications for route updates, weather and roadworks.

• Post-run spot checks of timing and behaviour data.

We can show who drove, when, where and how—with vehicles maintained to standard and records to prove it.

The Workshop Advantage

Under John Connel, our on-site workshop operates to depot standards:

• OEM-aligned servicing: torque specs, service intervals, parts compliance.

• Preventative schedules based on time and usage—not just faults.

• Rapid defect response using digital defect reporting from drivers.

• Auditable maintenance records tied to each vehicle.

Fewer roadside issues. Less downtime. Lower risk.

Operations You Can Depend On

Led by Jason Farquhar, our ops engine balances safety, punctuality and capacity in the real world:

• Schedules with safety margins and legal driver hours.

• Route risk management (pinch points, restrictions, turnaround space).

• Driver allocation suited to route demands.

• Event coordination (staging, marshals, comms, contingency routing).

• Weekly reviews of telematics and incident data to keep improving.

When ops is strong, every other promise becomes believable.

Health & Safety, Compliance and Standards

With Benjamin Dale driving H&S:

• Live policies & records: risk registers, toolbox talks, SOPs, emergency procedures.

• Inductions, refreshers & audits recorded and inspection-ready.

• Contractor and site safety for third-party venues and partners.

• Transparent updates to schools, clients and industry stakeholders.

Our mantra: Prevent. Prepare. Prove.

Tourism & Events

Whether it’s a day tour, multi-day itinerary, festival shuttle or a national roadshow, we design safe, smooth passenger journeys:

• Pre-event scoping and site mapping.

• Driver briefing packs with landmarks, risk spots and emergency plans.

• Live coordination from dispatch with GPS oversight and contingency fleet.

• Post-event debriefs to capture lessons and refine the next plan.

Environmental Responsibility

Better safety often means better sustainability:

• Eco-driving via telematics reduces fuel burn and harsh events.

• Idle reduction improves air quality, especially near schools and venues.

• Well-maintained vehicles run cleaner and more reliably.

Milestones at a Glance

• September 2024 — New ownership; Dayton Howie becomes Managing Director (succeeding Calvin West).

• 2024–2025 — Technology uplift (GPS, telematics), systems refresh, leadership hires.

• October 2025 — NZTA inspection passed with excellent outcomes.

Why Choose Kiwi Coaches Today

• Safety leadership with data-backed proof.

• On-site workshop run by a career depot leader.

• Operations excellence from one of NZ’s most experienced teams.

• School, tourism & events specialists with transparent comms.

• Friendly, professional drivers who host your journey—not just drive it.

When safety is systemic, reliability follows. That’s the Kiwi Coaches difference.

Meet the Team

Dayton Howie, Managing Director
Sets strategy and culture. Invests where safety, reliability and customer experience meet.

John Connel, Workshop Lead
Ex-Ritchies and NZ Bus mechanical depots. Runs our on-site workshop with preventative discipline and clean, auditable records.

Jason Farquhar, Head of Operations
Ex-Guthries (Ops Manager), roles with Pavlovich and Ritchies. Aligns drivers, vehicles and schedules so trips flow and standards hold.

Benjamin Dale, Health, Safety & Compliance
Builds inspection-ready systems, owns H&S training and industry standards, and leads school/tourism/events safety initiatives.

• Talk to our team → +64 (09) 636 5232

• Request a quote → info@kiwicoaches.co.nz

• School transport enquiries → schools@kiwicoaches.co.nz

Our 5–12 seat vans are ideal for small groups, airport transfers and support vehicles across New Zealand. Nimble in city streets with quick kerbside pickups, these minibuses offer comfortable seating, air-conditioning and flexible luggage options (trailers available on request) — the smart choice for family travel, crew moves and short NZ charters.

For moving large groups efficiently, our 53-seat low-floor bus delivers high capacity and rapid turnaround for stadium events, conferences and cruise days. Expect smooth boarding, clear interior layouts and accessible options on request — the best solution for urban shuttles and general passenger movements around New Zealand cities.

Our full-size touring coaches (49–53 seats) are the largest on NZ roads, offering long-range comfort, under-floor luggage bays and all the essentials for schools, sports teams and big group tours. Ideal for multi-day North and South Island itineraries, these coaches balance capacity, comfort and reliability with professional drivers and NZ-ready amenities.

The 40-seat low-floor bus is built for fast, around-town movements in Auckland and beyond. With quick loading, standing capacity and wheelchair ramp access available on request, it’s perfect for school transfers, event shuttles and city loops where reliability, accessibility and value matter more than touring features.

The premium 37-seat touring coach combines high-back seats, air-conditioning, P/A and excellent luggage space per person with a short wheelbase for easier access in towns. It’s the perfect New Zealand tour coach for small luxury groups, airport transfers with lots of bags, wine regions and multi-day itineraries where comfort and agility both count.

Sometimes the best fleet, is a mixed fleet, every job is different, contact our team to find the best combination of vehicles for you.

Our Fleet

12 – 21 Seater Minivans & Minibuses
https://www.kiwicoaches.co.nz/mini-vans
Perfect for small groups, airport transfers, weddings and short tours. Compact, comfortable and fully air-conditioned.

37 Seater Coach Hire
https://www.kiwicoaches.co.nz/37-seater-coach
Mid-size touring coaches with reclining seats, luggage storage and PA systems — ideal for schools, corporates and day trips.

40 Seater Bus Hire
https://www.kiwicoaches.co.nz/40-seater-bus
Reliable, practical buses for school runs, sports teams and community outings — safe, simple and efficient.

49 Seater Large Coaches
https://www.kiwicoaches.co.nz/49-seater-coach
Spacious long-distance coaches with full air conditioning, luggage bays and comfort for tours, conferences and large groups.

53 Seater Low-Floor Urban Buses
https://www.kiwicoaches.co.nz/53-seater-bus
Modern low-floor city buses with wheelchair ramps and fast loading — ideal for events, park-and-ride and urban charters.