Oslo Sporveier
 |
|
| Municipally owned | |
| Industry | Public transport |
| Fate | Demerger |
| Predecessors |
Kristiania Sporveisselskab Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei |
| Successors |
Oslo Public Transport Administration Sporveien |
| Founded | 1 May 1924 |
| Defunct | 1 July 2006 |
| Headquarters | Oslo, Norway |
| Parent | City of Oslo |
| Subsidiaries |
Bærumsbanen Ekebergbanen Holmenkolbanen Oslo Sporvognsdrift Oslo T-banedrift Sporveisbussene |
AS Oslo Sporveier is a defunct municipal owned company responsible for public transport in Oslo, Norway. It was created in 1924 to take over the city's two private tram companies. In 1927 its started with bus transport, including from 1940 to 1968 trolleybuses. Since 1966 rapid transit and from 1985 water buses have also been operated by the company. It was split into two separate companies in 2006; Kollektivtransportproduksjon took over the operation while Oslo Public Transport Administration (who retained the Oslo Sporveier brand) was responsible for buying the services, fare regulation and marketing. The latter merged into Ruter in 2008, when the Oslo Sporveier brand was discontinued.
In 1875, Kristiania Sporveisselskab (KSS) started the first horsecar services in Oslo—at the time called Kristiania. It was followed by Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei (KES) who established electric tram services in 1894; by 1900 KSS had also converted its routes to electric traction. In 1899 the city council decided to also venture into the tram industry, and established Kristiania Kommunale Sporveie (KKS, translates Kristiania Municipal Tramway). This company was forced to rent some tracks in the city center from the other companies, and was also relegated to build less profitable lines; lack of profits made the city council sell KKS to KSS in 1905.
The city had granted a concession to the two private street companies until 1924, after which the city could expropriate the companies. Both companies where well run and highly profitable, and on 1 May 1924 KSS and KES were merged and taken over by the city council, giving the new company the name A/S Kristiania Sporveier. On 1 January 1925 the city changed its name to Oslo, with the company's name also changing. The suburban tramways operated by Holmenkolbanen and Ekebergbanen were not taken over, as was the Lilleaker Line operated by KES; the city council did not want to take over tram lines in the neighboring municipality of Aker.
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