Buses in Melbourne, Australia, are a major form of public transport in Melbourne, with an extensive bus network. The network of 323 bus routes (including NightRider, excluding Kew School Services) is operated by a number of privately owned bus companies. The Melbourne bus network is run by approximately 50 privately-owned bus companies under a franchise from the State Government. There are approximately 300 routes in operation with a varying range of service frequencies. A NightRider bus system operates on Friday and Saturday nights, and a Smart Bus orbital bus network is being set up, which is intended to facilitate cross city travel, while the current network is predominantly a radial network. Most of the bus network is a part of the Metlink network and a part of the Metcard ticketing system. The Skybus Super Shuttle is a non-Metcard based airport bus service. There are nine other bus companies serving Melbourne airport, with services to Ballarat, Bendigo, Dandenong, Frankston,Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Melbourne suburbs, Shepparton and the Riverina.