Gråkallbanen (company)

Infobox Company
company_name = Gråkallbanen AS
company_
company_type = Private
foundation = 1990
location = Trondheim, Norway
key_people = Erlend Solem (CEO)
area_served = Trondheim
industry = Public Transport
products = Tram operation
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent = Veolia Transport Norway
subsid =
homepage = http://www.graakallbanen.no
footnotes =

Gråkallbanen AS is a Norwegian company that operates the tram line in Trondheim, Gråkallbanen. The company is part of the Veolia Corporation.

History

In 1988 the city council in Trondheim decided to close the Trondheim Tramway and replace it with diesel buses to save money. This was despite that the council just four years earlier had spent more than NOK 100 million on a new depot and 11 new tram cars. In 1990 a group of tram enthusiasts founded Gråkallbanen AS to reopen and operate the tram line. The company was allowed to use the line, depot and cars owned by the city free of charge. [cite web|url=http://www.graakallbanen.no/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=0| title=Graakalbanen – 80 år siden åpningen |author=Gråkallbanen AS |language= Norwegian]

In 2004 the 67% of the company was taken over by Veolia Transport Norway who paid NOK 1.8 million for the stock and promised to invest another NOK 10.5 million.

Future plans

Gråkallbanen has plans expanding the present line from St. Olav's Gate to either Prinsen's Gate (one block away) or to Trondheim Central Station and onwards to Trondheim Pier. This expansion would cost about NOK 80 million and would be paid by the city.

The company also has said that they want to operate the city bus system in Trondheim presently operated by Team Trafikk and the announced light rail in Bergen, Bybanen.

References

External links

* [http://www.graakallbanen.no Gråkallbanen web site]
* [http://www.veolia.com Veolia web site]
* [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/T_Trondheim.html Private web site on Trondheim Tramway]