[2] Prior to the creation of Strathclyde Buses, competition came to Glasgow in the run up to deregulation of UK bus services in October 1986.

[3] In 1992, sixty buses were destroyed in a fire at Larkfield garage; these were replaced by a mixture of new and second-hand vehicles.

A low-cost operation, GCT, was set up in 1993 using former Strathclyde Buses vehicles in a new livery of green and yellow.

However, a year-long investigation by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) concluded that the group should divest the stake as it also owned Stagecoach West Scotland, who also ran in Glasgow.

Stagecoach intended to appeal the ruling, but before this could take place an offer to purchase SB Holdings was made by FirstGroup.

[10] Strathclyde Buses relied heavily on the Leyland Atlantean bus, having inherited over 300 at its creation, and the Volvo Ailsa B55, of which over 100 were operated.