Amsterdam's municipal transport service was officially founded on
1 January 1900. On that date a number of private companies were taken over by the City of Amsterdam and merged to form a municipal corporation.
To accelerate electrification of the tram network and improve the working conditions of tram crews, the City also took over the Amsterdam Omnibus Company. The new corporation was named Gemeentetram ("Municipal Tram Corporation").
In 1943 the municipal tram and ferry services were merged. The combined organisation was called Gemeentevervoerbedrijf (GVB), or Municipal Transport Corporation. Since 2002 it has been officially known by its initials GVB.
GVB milestones in over a century
- 1897 - First municipal ferry services run on 1 January.
- 1900 - Gemeentetram corporation is founded on 1 January. The first electric tram runs on 14 August.
- 1908 - Bus services begin.
- 1916 - Electrification of the Amsterdam tram network is completed.
- 1941 - On 25 February tram workers strike in protest at the round-ups of Jews by German occupation forces.
- 1943 - The municipal tram and ferry services are merged to form the municipal transport corporation Gemeentevervoerbedrijf (GVB).
- 1950 - GVB takes delivery of its 1000th tram.
- 1966 - Introduction of the standard city bus.
- 1969 - GVB launches a night-bus network with eight routes.
- 1970 - The current GVB logo appears for the first time. Conductors are withdrawn from trams and replaced with stamping machines.
- 1977 - The first metro trains run on the routes Weesperplein-Gaasperplas and Weesperplein-Holendrecht.
- 1980 - The "strippenkaart" national fares system of zones, strip tickets and season tickets is introduced.
- 1990 - The light-rail link to Amstelveen enters service.
- 1991 - Reintroduction of tram conductors begins.
- 1994 - Stadsmobiel, the transport service for the elderly and the disabled, is launched.
- 1997 - On June 1st the Ring Line 50 metro link opens between Isolatorweg and Gein.
- 2000 - GVB celebrates its centenary.
- 2001 - December, the first one of 155 new Combino-trams arrives.
- 2002 - October, GVB wins de management award for working in teams.
- 2003 - A completely new network of night lines starts in Amsterdam.
- 2003 - On December 13th the trial with the first of three Citaro fuel cell buses starts.
- 2004 - Lijn 51 is extended to Westwijk.
- 2004 - GVB headquarters moves from the Scheepvaarthuis to Arlandaweg.
- 2004 - A new traffic control centre is opened on Arlandaweg.
- 2005 - IJtram (lijn 26) starts.
- 2005 - Fuel cell buses will run for another year.
- 2006 - The OV-chipcard becomes valid in the metrosystem.
- 2006 - GVB wins the Ergonomy award for the Comfortizer. This machine allows the driver to improve the quality of the fare (less bumpy).