Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf
The Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam ([χəˈmɛɪntə fɛɹˈfuːɹbədɾæɪf ɑmstəɹˈdɑm])(GVB; English: Amsterdam Municipality Transportation Company) is the municipal public transport operator for Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, operating metro, tram, bus and ferry services in the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. History. The forerunner of the GVB, the "Gemeentetram Amsterdam" (GTA) (Amsterdam Municipal Tramway), was established on 1 January 1900 by the city after it acquired a number of private companies. The first electric tram ran on 14 August 1900. In 1925, the GTA introduced its first bus line. In 1943, Gemeentetram merged with Gemeenteveren Amsterdam (established in 1897), the municipal  ferry company, to form Gemeente Vervoerbedrijf Amsterdam (municipal transport company). In 1977, the first metro line was introduced. By 2002, the organization was simply called GVB. In 2007, the GVB became a private corporation under the name GVB Activa B.V., wholly owned by the City of Amsterdam; previously, the GVB was part of the City Of Amsterdam. Between 2006 and 2016, Stadsregio Amsterdam was the authority responsible for all public transport in the greater Amsterdam area; it granted a concession (contract) to the GVB to provide public transport services. In 2010, Stadsregio Amsterdam extended the concession of the GVB for  the period 2012–2017, and at the end of 2013, further extended it until 2024. On 1 January 2017, Vervoerregio Amsterdam replaced Stadsregio Amsterdam as the public transport authority for the greater Amsterdam area. Network. The GVB operates a number of public transportation networks in and around the city of Amsterdam, including: In addition, a new metro line, the North/South line was opened on 22 July 2018. Light rail. Former light rail route. Until 3 March 2019, line 51 to Amstelveen was a metro service between Central Station and Station Zuid. At Station Zuid it switched from third rail to  pantograph and catenary wires. From there to Amstelveen Centrum it shared its track with tram line 5. The light rail vehicles on this line are capable of using both 600V (overhead) and 750V DC (third rail) power supplies. Buses. , GVB bus services had 22 regular daytime routes (numbered between 15–68), 8 rush-hour routes (200-series route numbers), 10 night routes (numbered as "N" plus two digits). One route (369) runs between Schiphol Airport and Sloterdijk station (railway and metro connections). , there were 233 buses in the fleet of which 31 were electric. Ferries. Since 1 July 2013, GVB Veren  ("veren" meaning ferries) has been operating ferry services crossing both the IJ and the North Sea Canal on behalf of the City of Amsterdam. Most of these ferries offer free rides for pedestrians and cyclists. Within the City of Amsterdam, there are seven ferry routes across the IJ, two of which operate overnight. Outside of Amsterdam, the GVB operates three ferry routes across the North Sea Canal at Zaandam, Velsen and Assendelft. The GVB has 19 ferry boats servicing these routes, and is replacing diesel-powered ferries with electrically-operated vessels. The ferries have a maximum speed of . Ferry routes  crossing the IJ are: Ferry routes crossing the North Sea Canal are: Ticketing. The Amsterdam public transport network falls under the National Tariff System of the Netherlands and the GVB has a few of its own tickets, notably the 24-, 48- and 72- hour tickets. The electronic OV-chipkaart has been the only ticketing system valid in the Amsterdam metro since the summer of 2009, and in the rest of the network (tram, bus) since June 2010. Most trams carry conductors, but as they no longer stamp passengers' "strippenkaarten" their role has been deskilled; it now consists in ensuring security  along with selling the occasional "OV-chipkaart" and optionally announcing the stops.