The Government set up its own coach service, New Zealand Railways Road Services, which started on the Wellington–Whanganui route in 1934. It was the biggest operator of buses in New Zealand from the mid 1930s to 1991, when the company was privatised. The new bus service depot in Foxton was officially opened by Mr Geoff Thompson, Member of Parliament 12 December 1979. It replaced the old Foxton depot in Whyte Street which had been in use since 1941.