Bergen Sporvei Explained

Bergen Sporvei AS
Fate:Merger
Successor:Gaia Trafikk
Foundation:1898
Defunct:1998
Location:Bergen, Norway
Industry:Public transport
Products:Bergen Tramway
Bergen trolleybus
Yellow buses
Parent:Municipality of Bergen

Bergen Sporvei AS was a municipal owned public transport company that operated in Bergen, Norway from 1898 to 1998. The company operated both the Bergen Tramway, Bergen trolleybus and the yellow buses in Bergen.

History

The company was founded as Bergen Elektriske Sporvei in 1898 to operate the tramway that was built in Bergen. After the municipality nationalized the tramway it changed name to Bergen Sporvei. Eventually the company also started operating buses. Both the trams and buses where yellow. In 1965 the tramway was closed and replaced with trolleybuses, also operated by Bergen Sporvei. As a consequence of the municipal merger in Bergen in 1972, Laksevåg Kommunale Rutebilselskap was merged into Bergen Sporvei. After the municipal merger there were a number of bus companies in Bergen, and Bergen Sporvei only retained route permissions within the old municipal borders was well as Laksevåg. In 1998, Pan Trafikk, operating the red suburban buses was merged with Bergen Sporvei, creating the new company Gaia Trafikk.