Trondheim Trafikkselskap
Encyclopedia
Trondheim Trafikkselskap or TT was the city public transport
company
for Trondheim
, Norway
between 1974 and 2001. It operated both the city buses, and the Trondheim Tramway
until 1988. The company was owned by the city council.
TT was founded in 1972 as a merged between the municipal owned tramway companies Trondheim Sporvei
and Graakalbanen
, and the bus company Bynesruten
. In 1974, the company was reorganized as a municipal agency, and also took over the private bus operator Trondheim Bilruter
, along with the city bus lines of Klæburuten
and NSB Bilruter
. In 2001, the company merged with Hemne og Orkladal Billag
to create Team Trafikk
, that was later sold to Nettbuss
.
, former director of Trondheim Sporvei, was appointed CEO. During the fall of 1972, TT had had to ask the city council for a total of in loans to cover operational expenses. The time when public transport in Trondheim could operate with a profit was over. The company lost NOK 3.5 million in its first operative year.
On 30 November 1972, the city council voted to buy Trondheim Bilruter (TBR) as well as the Trondheim division of NSB Biltrafikk, a subsidiary of the Norwegian State Railways. Also the routes operated by Klæburuten
within the city limits were to be taken over. There had been no effictivizations due to the limited company model, and instead the new TT would be organized as a municipal agency
. In 1973, the last year Trondheim Bilruter operated on itself, it lost NOK 880,000. The city had also granted that company a loan. Both it and TT transported about nine million passengers that year. The city paid NOK 9.5 million for TRB, and received 59 Scania CR 76, CR 110 and CR 111 buses bought after 1966, in addition to 25 older models. TRB had eleven routes.
From both NSB and Klæburuten the city had agreed to take over eleven buses. However, the city forgot to specify which buses were to be taken over, and they received the oldest buses from each of the companies. None of the buses from NSB, that were handed over on 25 July 1974, were in usable condition. The part of Klæburuten was taken over for NOK 1.1. million. Until 1979, 33 new Scania CR111 and 31 MAN SL200 buses were bought. This required the depot at Sorgenfri to be expanded.
Arne Watle
, since 1951 CEO of Trondheim Bilruter, was appointed CEO of the new company. Hovdenak became CFO. The two administrations were merged, but not reduces, creating 52 administrative positions. In the beginning there was also problems with two very different corporate cultures. TT established itself at Sorgenfri
, after the administration of the former companies had been scattered around town. The former buses used by Trondheim Sporvei were moved to Sorgenfri, and the disabled transport took over their location at Dalsenget Depot.
Ticket prices increased from NOK 1.40 to 1.50, and a new logo, that combined the wings of TBR and the city's coat of arms
used by the tramway. From May the buses and trams were repainted in a new color scheme. The former two-color trams (with blue tops and yellow bottoms) and red buses were instead painted two-color with yellow tops and blue bottoms. In 1975, pensioners and welfare recipients received half price, after having fought for this since 1957. From 1 October, month passes were also introduced. The zones were extended, so the entire Gråkall Line was within a single fare. In 1976, public transport ridership increased by 12%, including a 8.9% increase for the trams; TT transport 20.3 million passengers that year, of which 6 million was by tram. The municipality subsidies with NOK 24.6 million, and the county with NOK 3.5 million. However, county subsidies were not available for the tram routes, who also had to cover the cost of infrastructure.
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
for Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
between 1974 and 2001. It operated both the city buses, and the Trondheim Tramway
Trondheim Tramway
Trondheim Tramway located in Trondheim, Norway consists presently of one 8.8 km tramway line, Gråkallbanen, from St. Olav's Gate in the city centre through Byåsen to Lian Station in Bymarka...
until 1988. The company was owned by the city council.
TT was founded in 1972 as a merged between the municipal owned tramway companies Trondheim Sporvei
Trondheim Sporvei
Trondheim Sporvei was a municipally owned tram operator in Trondheim, Norway that existed between 1936 and 1974. The company operated the municipal parts of the Trondheim Tramway until it was merged with A/S Graakalbanen and Trondheim Bilruter to create Trondheim Trafikkselskap...
and Graakalbanen
A/S Graakalbanen
A/S Graakalbanen was a private company that built and operated the Gråkallen Line of the Trondheim Tramway between 1924 and 1972. Established in 1916, it bought large land areas in Byåsen, and built a tramway through these to reach the recreational areas in Bymarka. The line first reached Munkvoll...
, and the bus company Bynesruten
Bynesruten
A/S Bynesruten was a bus company that operated in Trondheim, Norway. From 1924 to 1972, it operated a 30-kilometer bus route from Trondheim to Byneset and Spongdal....
. In 1974, the company was reorganized as a municipal agency, and also took over the private bus operator Trondheim Bilruter
Trondheim Bilruter
Trondheim Bilruter or TBR was a municapally owned bus company in Trondheim, Norway between 1951 and 1974. It was merged with the tram operators Trondheim Sporvei and A/S Graakalbanen in 1974 to form Trondheim Trafikkselskap...
, along with the city bus lines of Klæburuten
Klæburuten
Klæburuten is a Norwegian bus company located in Trondheim. It operates the regional buses in Klæbu and to Trondheim in addition to the Airport Bus from Trondheim to Trondheim Airport, Værnes....
and NSB Bilruter
Nettbuss
Nettbuss AS is the largest bus company in Norway owned by the Norwegian State Railways . It was until 2000 known as NSB Biltrafikk. The company has 14 operating subsidiaries throughout Norway and in Denmark and Sweden....
. In 2001, the company merged with Hemne og Orkladal Billag
Hemne og Orkladal Billag
Hemne og Orkladal Billag or HOB was a Norwegian transport company based in Kyrksæterøra, Sør-Trøndelag. HOB was founded in 1937 and merged with Trondheim Trafikkselskap in 2001 to form Team Trafikk.-History:...
to create Team Trafikk
Team Trafikk
Team Trafikk is the bus company in Trondheim, Norway and is owned by Nettbuss. The company has 225 buses, 600 employees, a revenue of NOK 270 million and a daily ridership of ca 70,000 passengers. The company receives subsidies from the City of Trondheim for their operations...
, that was later sold to Nettbuss
Nettbuss
Nettbuss AS is the largest bus company in Norway owned by the Norwegian State Railways . It was until 2000 known as NSB Biltrafikk. The company has 14 operating subsidiaries throughout Norway and in Denmark and Sweden....
.
Establishment
Since 1966, the City of Trondheim owned two tramway companies, Trondheim Sporvei and Graakalbanen. In addition, it also owned the majority of the bus company Bynesruten. In 1969, the city council decided to merge the three companies into Trondheim Trafikkselskap, and to organize it as a limited company to limit bureaucratization, and realize effecivization through simpler decision making. The company was formally founded on 28 July 1971, and took over the three other companies on 1 January 1972. Odd HovdenakOdd Hovdenak
Odd A. Hovdenak is a Norwegian civil servant, and between 1959 and 1974 director of the Trondheim Tramway.Educated in business administration, Hovdenak worked in the city administration in Trondheim from 1938. In 1953, he worked under the chief administrative officer of finance, and was acting in...
, former director of Trondheim Sporvei, was appointed CEO. During the fall of 1972, TT had had to ask the city council for a total of in loans to cover operational expenses. The time when public transport in Trondheim could operate with a profit was over. The company lost NOK 3.5 million in its first operative year.
On 30 November 1972, the city council voted to buy Trondheim Bilruter (TBR) as well as the Trondheim division of NSB Biltrafikk, a subsidiary of the Norwegian State Railways. Also the routes operated by Klæburuten
Klæburuten
Klæburuten is a Norwegian bus company located in Trondheim. It operates the regional buses in Klæbu and to Trondheim in addition to the Airport Bus from Trondheim to Trondheim Airport, Værnes....
within the city limits were to be taken over. There had been no effictivizations due to the limited company model, and instead the new TT would be organized as a municipal agency
Etat
Etat is a Norwegian state-, county- or municipal agency. An Etat is a subdivision of the administration, which has been given responsibility for a special area. An agency does not have a board of directors, but it does have a director, appointed by the subordinate organization. Normally decisions...
. In 1973, the last year Trondheim Bilruter operated on itself, it lost NOK 880,000. The city had also granted that company a loan. Both it and TT transported about nine million passengers that year. The city paid NOK 9.5 million for TRB, and received 59 Scania CR 76, CR 110 and CR 111 buses bought after 1966, in addition to 25 older models. TRB had eleven routes.
From both NSB and Klæburuten the city had agreed to take over eleven buses. However, the city forgot to specify which buses were to be taken over, and they received the oldest buses from each of the companies. None of the buses from NSB, that were handed over on 25 July 1974, were in usable condition. The part of Klæburuten was taken over for NOK 1.1. million. Until 1979, 33 new Scania CR111 and 31 MAN SL200 buses were bought. This required the depot at Sorgenfri to be expanded.
Arne Watle
Arne Watle
Arne Watle was a Norwegian businessperson. He was hired as CEO of the bus company Trondheim Bilruter in 1951, and also became CEO of Trondheim Trafikkselskap after the merger. He was replaced by Jan Reinås in 1983.-References:...
, since 1951 CEO of Trondheim Bilruter, was appointed CEO of the new company. Hovdenak became CFO. The two administrations were merged, but not reduces, creating 52 administrative positions. In the beginning there was also problems with two very different corporate cultures. TT established itself at Sorgenfri
Sorgenfri
Sorgenfri is a neighbourhood in Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality in Greater Copenhagen lying just north of Kongens Lyngby. It is the site of Sorgenfri Palace....
, after the administration of the former companies had been scattered around town. The former buses used by Trondheim Sporvei were moved to Sorgenfri, and the disabled transport took over their location at Dalsenget Depot.
Ticket prices increased from NOK 1.40 to 1.50, and a new logo, that combined the wings of TBR and the city's coat of arms
Coat of arms of Trondheim
The coat of arms of Trondheim is based on the medieval seal of the city. The seal is probably from the 13th century, but its earliest preserved form is on a document from 1344. The coat of arms was assumed by the city council in 1897...
used by the tramway. From May the buses and trams were repainted in a new color scheme. The former two-color trams (with blue tops and yellow bottoms) and red buses were instead painted two-color with yellow tops and blue bottoms. In 1975, pensioners and welfare recipients received half price, after having fought for this since 1957. From 1 October, month passes were also introduced. The zones were extended, so the entire Gråkall Line was within a single fare. In 1976, public transport ridership increased by 12%, including a 8.9% increase for the trams; TT transport 20.3 million passengers that year, of which 6 million was by tram. The municipality subsidies with NOK 24.6 million, and the county with NOK 3.5 million. However, county subsidies were not available for the tram routes, who also had to cover the cost of infrastructure.