On 1 January 1972, SELNEC PTE acquired most of National Bus Company's North Western Road Car subsidiary with buses, services and depots in Altrincham, Glossop, Oldham, Stockport and Urmston.

Further expansion saw the acquisition of Warburton's Coaches in November 1975 and Lancashire United Transport and Godfrey Abbot in January 1976.

The public branding applied to buses and signage used the shorter name Greater Manchester Transport, displayed in upper and lower case Helvetica next to a distinctive orange double 'M' logo.

To add to printed material and logos etched in glass on the side of bus shelters, GMPTE began a programme of adding their 'double M' logo to 101 railway station nameboards, train rolling stock livery, bus sides and some 'totem' pole signs outside rail stations in the area during the 1990s.

The PTE sponsored several new railway stations on existing lines in the 1970s and 1980s including Flowery Field, Godley, Hag Fold and Ryder Brow.

GMPTE and the GMPTA worked with the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities to produce a bid for monies from the Transport Innovation Fund.