Who are we ?: Our History

Brief History of Public Transport in Reunion

The idea of having people travel together began in Paris in 1662 when French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and writer Blaise Pascal invented public transport on horseback. With the authorisation of Louis XIV, Blaise created the first public carriage transport company, moving passengers within Paris.

In Reunion Island, it was only 200 years later that the first horse-drawn carriages connected the then colony’s main towns. These stagecoaches were generally pulled by four horses, or six horses for the “express” coaches.

In 1912,Lucie Manès became the first woman bus driver In Reunion Island, and the first bus appeared in the form of a 36-seat Berliet PLR. It ran between Le Port and Saint-Pierre. These were followed by open-sided buses.

Rail transport in Reunion ceased in 1960, and public transport by bus continued developing until the 1980s.

Decentralisation laws passed in 1982 meant that the island’s General Council became the organising authority for interurban transport, however this public service was still being provided by private transport companies.

In 1988, the groundwork was laid for current interurban transport with the launch of the Alizé network which paved the way for today’s Car Jaune.

In January 1996, the Departmental Council created the Car Jaune network as part of the 1996–2005 Departmental Transport Plan.

In December 2014, a new ten-year Departmental Transport Plan was approved by the General Councillors based on three priorities:
—refocusing Car Jaune on its interurban vocation
—attracting new passengers with a single ticket price
—making the network accessible to people with reduced mobility (PRM).

Photograph of a bus with its windows open (source: Departmental Archives)