History
During the apartheid era, PUTCO was the main "blacks only" bus transport company and was often seen as a symbol of oppression. As a result, the company was frequently targeted in attacks and boycott actions. The biggest challenges then were the high cost of diesel fuel, maintenance and spares. PUTCO has been part of South African history. The company traded on the Johannesburg stock exchange for over six decades, survived the penny fare increase of 1954, the 1976 riots and the upheavals of 1980s.
Carleo Enterprises bought back the company from the Leyland Motors Corporation in 1971. They had initially sold their entire shareholding in 1962. Albino Carleo went on to lead PUTCO as Managing Director, later serving as chairman and CEO for more than three decades. He retired in September 2004. Franco Pisapia, a nephew of Albino Carleo, took over as Managing Director.
The company has its own bus body building facility in Brits, outside Pretoria, called the "Dubigeon Body & Coach". It can also overhaul engines and gearboxes. PUTCO assisted the department of Public Transport Roads and Works with the establishment of a contracting model with Gauteng Women in Transport (GWIT). PUTCO has subcontracted five buses to GWIT, giving it a total of 10 vehicles. This arrangement ensures that the women lease buses and routes from the company.
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