The Company was established in 1945 after the dramatic bus strike of 1944. It was run by visionary men like Tom Frith and Jack Barregar until it was renamed Public Utility Transport Corporation (PUTCO) in the 70s.The name has not changed since.Gaetano, Luigi and Albino Carleo started small bus operations out of Wynberg in 1948 and personally invested time and energy in growing the company until they took control of PUTCO in September 1971.

The biggest challenges then were; high diesel and maintenance costs, scarce and expensive spares. Passion, ingenuity, sacrifice and hard work kept the wheels of PUTCO turning. Albino Carleo became General Manager, Managing Director and went on to be Chairman.We are the only public passenger company previously listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange SA and have grown into the biggest commuter bus operator in the country,transporting more than 230000 commuters daily in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo and traveling over 90 million km per annum.

In 2006 PUTCO entered into a Broad Based Black Economic Empowered (BBBEE) deal affording employees meaningful participation in the transport industry. This transaction was facilitated by the founding Carleo Enterprise.Putco is mindful of the importance of Local Economic Development and as such have subcontracting partnerships with seven (7) bus companies; three (3) in Mpumalanga, operating 62 buses and four (4) in Gauteng, operating 39 buses. In addition, there are joint ventures with Lekoa, Ipelegeng and Asibemunye bus companies. Furthermore, we have contracted more than 15 SMMEs to provide ancillary services.