Short history of public transportation in the city of Cluj-Napoca

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That's the way the town looked during the horse power ... age

The first public transportation forms in the city came about as the number of residents and the city developed in the second half of 19th century. Public transportation was given an impetus in 1870 when Cluj railway station was connected to the railway system. The initial trend in public transportation was to link the city neighborhoods to the Cluj railway station. The first public transportation on the rail used horse power and was then replaced by steam locomotives ( 1898 ) Though the city expansion continued a shortage of capital and power sources impeded the projects for the introduction of electrically powered tramways until the end of the first world war. After the end of the first world war on the backdrop of increased economic and social activity and as the number of residents increased significantly(in 1920 there were 83,000 residents) the problem of public transportation was becoming acute.

Cluj during the first years after the first world war.

In 1922 two "SAURER" spoils of war trucks were bought from the army repaired and fitted with a bus body, one of them double-decked and open top(covered by a straw mat during the rainy days) alleviated the problem of public transportation from the gates of Someseni (today's Marasti Square) to the Dorobantilor St., down-town area and the railway station. In 1924 two public transportation companies were created, "Blaga-Margarit" and "Rotatia" the first one winding-up after just one year in business. "Rotatia" developed gradually and in 1926 it included 32 parteners that ran over 50 buses on different routes in the town, many serviced by non-partner owners.

• Between 1929-1930 there were created the Cluj Union of Passenger and Freight Union and in 1931 the Professional Truckers Union.
• Most of the owners regrouped in the "Rapid" bus owners association that subsequently was garanted the exclusive right to organize public transportation in Cluj by the City Hall.
• Lines continue linking the railway station to the down-town and the outskirts.
• On the eve of the second world war there were a total of 9 bus lines, 3 of which were seasonal.

Trolley-buses are introduced into circulation in 1959.

During the first few years after the war public transportation suffered because of a low number of vehicles and for shortage of gasoline. Because of this the buses of "Rapid" company started to use methane gas as fuel. An issue of major importance to the public transportation in the City of Cluj was the procurement of Romanian made buses and the introduction of electically powered trolley-buses produced in the country.

1987 - Since the times of horsedriven carriages a century has passed...

On January 1, 1961 it was established the Cluj City Transportation Company that was subsequently changed into the Cluj Urban Transportation Company. On January 1, 1980 it was established the County Local Transport Company. The significant increase of city residents as a consequence of the industrialization process after 1970 led to the introduction of tramway transportation in 1987. On January 1, 1991, following the general trend after the Revolution, the company is divided into several autonomous local transportation units assigned to each municipality in the county. The Public Transportation Authority was established in the City of Cluj-Napoca.