1895- 1952
In the year 1895, the "Acte constitutif et statuts de la société anonyme d'exploitation des tramways de Galatz et de Roumanie" ("Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Anonymous Company for the Operation of Trams in Galati and Romania") was published. The document, printed in 1895 at the "J. Schenk" printing press, consisted of 20 pages written in the French language and is currently held at the Romanian Academy.
The Articles of Incorporation were signed by the 14 shareholders on September 22, 1895.
In the year 1900, the company was granted the concession for operating trams in Galati. The company, formed with Belgian capital, installed 5 lines of electric trams with a gauge of 1000 mm, using old Phoenix rails and turnouts with counterweights. The lines totaled 26.5 km of single track on the following routes: CFR Station – Docks; Piata Mare – Barbosi Tunnel; Brailei Street; Palace of the European Commission of the Danube – Public Garden; Tecuci Street.
The first tram line was inaugurated on August 14, 1900.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Galati was equipped with the most modern means of transportation, the electric tram. The infrastructure included tracks, an overhead wire system, an electric power plant, a tram depot (830 sqm), and six tram parking lines, with each line accommodating six trams. Beneath the lines, there were inspection channels that allowed for the inspection and repair of axles, motors, and wheels. Additionally, there was an administrative pavilion, all of which covered an area of 4620 sqm, owned by the City Hall.
The rolling stock consisted of 18 motor trams and 18 trailers; each motor tram had two axles and a 30 hp motor, as well as two braking systems. The trams had 24 seats on two benches, while the trailers had six benches with two seats each; they were illuminated during the night and fitted with removable windows in winter.
The tramway rails were mounted on a bed of crushed stone, with a gauge of 1000 mm, although the initial convention stipulated a gauge of 1435 mm. The support pillars for the overhead wire system were made of metal, and the electric lines were divided into sections to facilitate repairs in case of damage. The tram routes were as follows: from the depot, through the streets of Portului, Ana Ipătescu, Dogăriei, Tecuci, N. Bălcescu, Brăilei, Mihai Bravu, and Traian. Currently, the respective land and buildings located at 8 Gării Street are under the administration of Electrica.
From January 1917 to June 1919, due to the First World War, trams did not circulate in the city of Galați.
In 1931, the Galați Communal Works took over public transportation and introduced buses on a 3.5 km route along Domnească Street (since 1925, a few private individuals had already put the first buses on the streets). Furthermore, the electric transport was equipped with 19 new trams, constructed at the Galați Shipyard.
In 1944, the city lost its electric transport. In 1948, the Galați Communal Enterprise (ICG) was established (only 7 trams recovered and repaired from those destroyed by fascists were in operation).
1952-1962
Starting from 1952, ICG (Galați Communal Enterprise) began operating public transportation with buses (ZIS-105). In 1956, the first taxicabs appeared, and the fleet included: 45 tram cars, 11 trailers, 27 buses, and 15 taxicabs.
In 1962, the Galați City Transport Enterprise (ITO) was established, equipped with: 55 tram cars, 15 taxicabs, 31 buses, and 30 trucks. The tram depot was located in I.C. Frimu Square, inside the building of the city's first aviation hangar, which remained isolated among the houses built around it, on the city's old aerodrome. The hangar still exists today, serving other purposes.
1979-1991
In November 1979, the County Enterprise for Local Transport (IJTL) was established, which continues to operate under the name of S.C. Transurb S.A. up to the present day. It was equipped with 170 tram cars, including 55 trailers, covering 32.8 km of single track at a gauge of 1,435 mm, and 402 buses, including 14 articulated buses. The enterprise had a new depot for 50 tram cars, three rectifier stations, and two vehicle maintenance stations, with a total capacity of 600 equivalent vehicles.
After 1980, the tram lines were expanded by 33.8 km of single track, with over 9 km being implemented in a modern solution, using reinforced concrete beams. The new routes were established on 13 Iunie Street, Scânteii Street, between Siderurgiştilor and Gh. Asachi, and on G. Coşbuc Boulevard, between Piersicului and Basarabiei, Suliţei Street, and Ştefan cel Mare Street. Trams had conquered the city, becoming the primary means of public transportation. Moreover, due to their cost-effectiveness, they began to be used for transporting goods. Specially adapted trams mainly transported vegetables and fruits from the ILF Depot on Calea Prutului to Piaţa Mare. Three rectifier stations were put into operation, located at the eastern gate of the steel plant, in the northern area, and at the CFR railway station. Depot No. 1 for trams was expanded by doubling its maintenance and repair capacity. A new depot for 100 trams was constructed in the northern part of the city, and 90 UDA-117 type buses were also acquired.