About the company - history

Publication "History of Public Transport in Hradec Králové 1928 – 2013",

The detailed history and present of our company can be found in the publication "History of Public Transport in Hradec Králové 1928 – 2013",

Author: Helena Rezková

Co-authors of the book: Daniel Ditrych, Martin Prouza, Ladislav Podivín, Jaroslav Hrůza, Jiří Hladký, Jitka Janušová, Zdeněk Doubek

Number of pages: 272 (200 black, 72 colour)

Image attachments: 890

The publication, which was ceremonially launched on the Open Day on 5 October 2013,  celebrated the 85th anniversary of its existence.

In June 2020, under the title "History of Public Transport in Hradec Králové 1928 – 2020", the publication was supplemented with newly acquired information and photographs – both current and from new sources, about the history and present of public transport in Hradec Králové.

It can be purchased in the network of Hradec Králové bookstores or directly at the company's headquarters.

25 years of Dopravní podnik města Hradce Králové, a.s.

or How the history of public transport in Hradec Králové was written

Public transport in Hradec Králové has been operating for 94 years. What were the beginnings like? What vehicles drove through the streets one by one? Where was the city carrier based in the past? In cooperation with the editorial board of the information bulletin of the city of Hradec Králové Town Hall, today we will look into the history of public transport in Hradec Králové. This year, the Transport Company of Hradec Králové, a.s. celebrates another smaller anniversary. The joint-stock company was established on the basis of a memorandum of association signed on 17 March 1997, i.e. 25 years ago. By a decision of the Regional Court in Hradec Králové, it was registered in the Commercial Register on 1 April 1997.

 

Administrative development

The commencement of bus transport is associated with the establishment of the Autodráhy města Hradce Králové on 24 October 1928. This laid the foundation for a comprehensive urban public transport. On 1 January 1949, the Autodráhy, already under the name Transport Municipal Enterprise of the City of Hradec Králové (established on 26 April 1948), was incorporated into the Associated Municipal Enterprises of the Unified National Committee of the City of Hradec Králové. Since 1950 the company has borne its current name, but legally and property-wise it has been a national enterprise and since 1989 a state enterprise. On 1 September 1997, the property was transferred to the joint-stock company Dopravní podnik města Hradce Králové (DPmHK), whose sole owner is the city. In addition to public passenger transport, the company operated a limited taxi service, car rental and freight transport until 1965. In the period 1974-1986 he also had his own apprenticeship centre. Since 1991, DPmHK has been developing other services in the field of tourism, advertising, street furniture, vehicle repairs and driver training.

The main activity of the transport company is currently mainly the operation of public transport in the city and to municipalities connected to transport (Běleč nad Orlicí, Divec, Charbuzice, Lochenice, Předměřice nad Labem, Stěžery, Stěžírky and Vysoká nad Labem). Public transport is provided by trolleybuses, buses and electric buses owned by DPmHK. Secondary activities are driving school, repairs and washing of vehicles (including spraying of chassis and cavities with anti-corrosion material), advertising and promotional activities, sale of diesel fuel to contractual customers and tour transport.

Buses

The first means of transport that the inhabitants of Hradečany encountered in the streets were a six-wheeled "omnibus" Tatra for 42 seated and 50 standing persons and a smaller Škoda for 19 seated and 25 standing persons. The first regular bus line Kukleny – Nádraží – Slezské Předměstí was put into operation on 1.12.1928. On that day, the ride was free, but even the drivers were not entitled to a reward. The fleet was expanded to 15 buses in a short time and was gradually supplemented and renewed with more modern types. In the last sixty years, the now legendary historical cars have gradually been driven on the streets, such as the Škoda 706 RTO (1960-1979), Robur LO (1969-1979), Karosa ŠM11 (1967-1993), articulated Ikarus 280.08 (1977-1997), Karosa B731 (1982-2005), articulated Karosa B741 (1992-2008) or low-floor Karosa Renault City Bus (1996-present). It is worth mentioning the fact that from the end of the 30s of the last century until December 1949, city gas was used to drive buses, and even wood gas for two cars.

 

The largest number of buses operated on the routes in 1983, namely 121. In order to reduce the harmful effects of bus transport, since 1993 all buses have been gradually equipped with catalytic converters and buses purchased in recent years (Iveco Urbanway) meet the Euro VI emission standard. All these vehicles are low-floor and equipped with height raising or lowering for easier and safer entry and exit. There are currently 68 buses on twenty routes, of which 23 are articulated.

IVECO URBANWAY bus

In recent years, the transport company has also purchased electric buses. For example, in 2018, with the help of a subsidy, there were twenty low-floor SOR electric buses, so now the largest fleet of electric buses in the Czech Republic (22) operates in Hradec Králové. The first electric bus appeared in Hradec public transport in April 2014.

At the beginning of April 2021, the transport company, as a leader in the field of e-mobility in urban public transport in the Czech Republic, reached the magic limit of three million kilometers traveled on public transport lines with electric buses.

Electric bus SOR NS12 Electric

 

Trolleybuses

Trolleybus transport was introduced in 1949. Transport was provided by four trolleybuses Vetra-ČKD (1949 – 1960). The fleet was changed through trolleybuses Škoda 7TR (1951 – 1975), 8TR (1957 – 1975), 9TR and 9TR HT (1962 – 1990, historically it was the most numerous type of vehicle in our city), 14TR (1983 – 2011), 15TR (1988 – 2011), 21 TR (1997 – 2013) to the current solo 30TR SOR and articulated 31TR SOR (both types since 2011), obtained using subsidies. In 1967, the Council of the Municipal Authority decided to gradually liquidate trolleybus transport after the expiration of the service life of the vehicles and contact lines until 1980. Fortunately, as in some other cities, there was a change in the view of trolleybus transport in the 80s, and therefore it was preserved in   Hradec Králové. The largest number of trolleybuses operated on the lines in 1989, with 52. The fleet of trolleybuses and buses has been renewed with low-floor vehicles since 1997.

Trolleybus Škoda 30 TR SOR

Trolleybuses now operate on eight lines, where 28 km of overhead contact line are in operation with 16 trolleybus junctions, where 41 trolleybuses alternate (of which 13 are articulated), of which 12 are partial.

Modern vehicles – buses, electric buses or trolleybuses – always bring passengers higher quality, safety, attractiveness, comfort, reliability and environmental friendliness of travel.

Technical background

The original seat of the Autodráhy was located in the city centre, in a relatively confined space between blocks of residential development between today's Průmyslová and Škroupova streets, i.e. behind the existing Malý růžek inn. In 1951-53 it was moved to the newly built premises in Pouchovská Street. First, in two garage buildings, at that time very advanced design with a roof reinforced concrete structure with an area of 20 x 60 m without supporting columns, later also in the operational building and associated buildings, a modern public transport base was created in Hradec Králové and its surroundings.

Between 1969 and 1983, the extensive premises were completed, and operations necessary for the further development of the company were built. The first was a petrol station and a heat exchanger station with a car wash. The construction of warehouse management, bus maintenance halls, auxiliary operations and an administrative centre continued. During these years, the surrounding land was also purchased, which enabled the construction of both these buildings and the construction of parking areas.

After the construction of new buildings, the original ones were reconstructed in 1984. Outside the company premises, social facilities for drivers were gradually being created at the terminal stations.

Since 1949, substations have also been part of the necessary technical background of trolleybus operation. The first one in the Hučák hydroelectric power plant under the name Labe served until 1965, the other six were built gradually. In 1955 the Nový Hradec Králové substation (M2) was put into operation, in 1958 Kukleny (M3) and in 1967 Buzulucká (M4). These were reconstructed over time, in 2008 the substation at the HD terminal (M1), in 2018 the substation in the depot area and in 2019 the Brickworks (M5).

One of the important milestones in the history of public transport in Hradec was the construction of a modern transport terminal (replacing the unsuitable area at Koruna) between 2006 and 2008 with dimensions of 145x150 meters, i.e. 21,750 m2, whose investor, owner and operator is the transport company. In 2009, the terminal with 22 platforms (worth CZK 360 million) won the title Building of the Year of the Hradec Králové Region in the category of transport and civil engineering structures. Thanks to its opening in July 2008, the transfer links to regular services have been significantly improved. In the same year, the area of Rieger Square was opened in front of the Main Railway Station.

 

Passenger transport

In the initial period of regular bus transport, only three lines operated in Hradec. Line number 0 provided transport between the station and the Great Square, "number one" ran between Kukleny, the railway station and Slezské Předměstí) and line 2 carried passengers between the station and Nový Hradec. Later, the transport was extended to Třebš, Plotiště, Malšovice, Svobodné Dvory and to more distant places – Černilov, Nechanice, Nový Bydžov, Dobruška and Holice. At the beginning of the thirties, the operation was provided by seventeen lines to 71 municipalities and the fleet of vehicles consisted of 33 buses.

Trolleybus transport began to write its history on May 2, 1949, when the first trolleybus departed from Ulrich Square on the regular line No. 2 between the Main Station and Nový Hradec Králové. In the same year, in October, another trolleybus line 0 connecting the Main Station with Slezské Předměstí was launched. In 1951 the line was extended in the second direction to Kukleny and in 1952 to Plačice. In 1958, trolleybus line 7 was added between the Main Station and Malšovice, and on 1 December 1993, Line 1 ran between the Main Railway Station and Nový Hradec Králové along the second ring road. On 4 September 1995, Line 6 began operation, which provides transport between the Main Railway Station and Slezské Předměstí via Gočárova and Pospíšilova Avenues. After almost a thirty-year break, trolleybus transport returned to these busy Hradec streets.

Almost four hundred and twenty stops serve the needs of passengers, 170 of which are equipped with a glass waiting room. At the stops, they can get information on the station columns, of which 19 are digital.