Our History

• 1860 (March 29) – Richmond Railway organized.
• 1860 (August) – Richmond Railway operations began.
• 1863 – Service forced to cease operations because of Civil War.
• 1866 ( January) – Joseph Jackson, Jr. acquired control of the company and resumed full operations that following March.
• 1881 (March 15) – Sold to Richmond City Railway Company.
• 1887 (March 23) – City Council adopted an ordinance granting a franchise to the Richmond Union Passenger Railway Company to operate a street railway system in Richmond.
• 1887 (May 5) – Ground broken for laying rail.
• 1888 (January 9) – Company opened its first electric line with six cars.
• 1888 (May 8) – Continuous operation began; remained in effect until buses replaced trolleys.
• 1925 – Bus system purchased by Virginia Railway and Power Company; then purchased by Virginia Electric and Power Company.
• 1944 – Securities & Exchange Commission directed Virginia Electric and Power Company to confine activities to electric business.
• 1944 (December 29) – Virginia Transit Company purchased the transit system in Richmond and Norfolk and took over operations.
• 1945 (July 1) – Virginia Transit Company becomes part of the United Transit Company.
• 1947 (May) – Main Street and Westhampton Streetcar lines are motorized. Virginia Transit Company began conversion to motor business.
• 1949 (November 25) – Buses replace electric trolleys; ten streetcars make last run.
• 1962 – American Transportation Enterprises Incorporated acquires controlling interest in United Transit Company. Continues to hold controlling interest today.
• 1967 – Most of fleet is air-conditioned.
• 1973 – GRTC Incorporated.
• 1975 – Service to Henrico County began.
• 1985 – Trackless Trolleys’ introduced in the downtown area.
• 1995 – New color scheme of the purple and black swoop is chosen.
• 1996 – Electric buses begin operating.
• 1997 – RideFinders and GRTC begin an association; CARE (Community Assisted Ride Enterprises) begins service.
• 1998 – C-VAN implemented for welfare to work participants.
• 2001 – Low-Floor Buses increase accessibility for senior and disabled commuters; vans added to service; LINK service into Chesterfield County begins.
• 2002 – Commuter Center is moved from 6^th St. Marketplace to City Hall.
• 2003 – Express service to Petersburg is launched; Service in Henrico is extended to include VA Center Commons Mall and J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College; GRTC introduces easy-to-use Local & Express Ride Guides.
• 2004 – Established a Reduced Fare Program for Senior passengers.
• 2004 (December 6) – Lunch Time Express service begins in downtown Richmond.
• 2005 – GRTC launched the new Trip Planner in August; Express service returned to Chesterfield; GRTC fleet was equipped with Video Surveillance System.
• 2007 (May 21) – GRTC launches City-to-City service between Richmond and Fredericksburg.
• 2007 (August 28) – GRTC breaks ground on their new Corporate Office/Bus Maintenance Facility on Belt Boulevard.
• 2008 – GRTC voted "Best Transit System in North America for 2008" by The American Public Transportation Association.
• 2010 – GRTC moves all operations into their new Corporate Office/Bus Maintenance Facility on Belt Boulevard.