HW 831 was first bus for Route 108A, an ex MMTB (Bedford WLG, White) bus from 1936 (PROV records)

A motor cab service began in 1926, acting as a feeder route to both the Mont Albert tram and the train at Box Hill, operating along Whitehorse Rd between the two. These 7-seater cabs were run by Sydney James Smith (1893-1956).

In 1945 Smith was awarded one TRB licence to operate the motor cab route using a larger vehicle and Route 108A began as a bus route on 24/10/1945.

A partnership of Eric Norman Williamson (1904-1994) and William Joseph Steiner (1908-1989) took over in 24/9/1947 and added another licence. They began trading as Whitehorse Bus Service on 25/1/1950. Steiner sold his share to Williamson in February 1954.

Whitehorse JMK816 (Austin, Mee) new 5/1966 (Bruce Tilley photo)

An extension to Greythorn began in 2/1960, mostly over part of the old 92A Burwood Tram – Mont Albert – North Balwyn Sanctuary, which had closed in June 1954 (without replacement). 108A went further to Greythorn shops from 11/1961 and onto North Balwyn Tram terminus in 2/1965.

By the early 1970s records indicate Whitehorse BS was now a partnership between Colin & Gwenda Livingstone (nee Williamson) and James & Nancy Chandler (nee Williamson).

In 1980, Colin & Gwenda Livingstone were the sole shareholders of Whitehorse BS, who then sold to the route service to Hawthorn BS (Haoust) in August 1981 with three buses. The charter side of the business was sold to Australian Rambler Coaches, also with three buses. Hawthorn BS subsequently sold their route services to Ventura on 21/12/1987 but continue to operate charter bus services in eastern Melbourne as Crown Coaches.

A number of notable changes have occurred in the years since. Route 615 went from Ventura to Quince’s on 30/9/1991 (in exchange for the Centre Road section of Route 634 between Middle Brighton, Monash University and Lilydale).

When Quince’s withdrew from metropolitan route bus services, the run run went to the National Bus Company on 15/2/1998. National Bus Company soon revamped Route 615 to operate to Doncaster Shoppingtown (omitting North Balwyn tram terminus) effective 26/10/1998, ahead of extensive changes to their wider Doncaster network in March 1999.

On 4 May 2003 tram services along Whitehorse Rd were extended from Mont Albert to Box Hill over the top of Route 284 however there was no change to the service levels.

When Ventura acquired the NBC in September 2004, the route (now the 284) went back to them.

The Liberal National government tendered the service in 2013, and it was taken from the Victorian family company (Ventura) and given to a French multinational – Transdev. Route 284 was truncated to Doncaster Park+Ride on 27 July 2014 as part of their “Greenfields” network changes, with shoppers for Doncaster Shoppingtown required to change buses.

Most recently, Transdev lost the contract to Kinetic in January 2023, who currently run the route.