Private company

Telemark Bilruter

Logo: telemarkbilruter.no3

Norwegian bus company

Telemark Bilruter AS is a Norwegian bus company based in Telemark with headquarters in Seljord. The company operates regional and express buses, and through subsidiaries also trucks. They operate routes in the municipalities of Vinje, Tokke, Fyresdal, Kviteseid, Nissedal, Seljord, and Midt-Telemark in Telemark, and Åmli in Agder.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 20, 2026.

Overview

Jun 8, 1972Founded1
  • Industrylogistics, public transport1
  • HeadquartersSeljord Municipality1
  • Websitetelemarkbilruter.no
  • Legal formaksjeselskap1

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Scania LK 320 EB4x2NI OmniExpress 3.40 11.4 - Telemark Bilruter
Photo: Øyvind Berg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

Telemark Bilruter AS is a Norwegian bus company based in Telemark with headquarters in Seljord. The company operates regional and express buses, and through subsidiaries also trucks. They operate routes in the municipalities of Vinje, Tokke, Fyresdal, Kviteseid, Nissedal, Seljord, and Midt-Telemark in Telemark, and Åmli in Agder. The company has 184 employees, 85 buses and 25 trucks.2

Corporate structure

Telemark Bilruter sits at the top of its group. 7 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

Telemark Bilruter is the consequence of the constant merger of bus companies in Telemark, and was created in 1998 when Vest-Telemark Bilruter and Grenland Nord trafikkselskap merged. The first operation of a bus by a precessor was in 1910 when Fyresdal Automobilselskap bought a French La Buire. In 1943 11 companies merged to form Vest-Telemark Billag, and on 1 August 1972 it merged with Fyresdal-Vrådal-Nissedal Billag and Seljord Automobillag to create Vest-Telemark Bilruter. In January 1974 also a part of Reinums Bilruter was taken over. Grenland Nord had its roots back to 1920 and was created by a merger in 1989.

The largest owners of the company are Vinje Municipality (16.8%), Sparebanken DIN (9.5%), Fyresdal Municipality (7.9%), Morgedal AS (5.6%), Vrål Fossli (4.7%), Haugerød & Nilsen AS (3.9%), Tide ASA (3.7%) and Tinn Billag AS (3.4%). Municipalities in Telemark own all in all 32% of the company.

From Wikipedia’s article on Telemark Bilruter, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Telemark Bilruter, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Chief executive

  1. Olav Hovelsrud1972–1984
  2. Kjell Gunnar Heggenes1984–1999
  3. Svein Olav Straand1999–2020
19801990200020102020

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

From Wikidata.1

Acquisitions

  1. 2017Telemark Last og Buss became a subsidiary1
  2. 2013Agder Buss became a subsidiary1
  3. 2010Telemark Godslinjer became a subsidiary1
  4. Mar 15, 2004Telemark Kollektivtrafikk became a subsidiary1
  5. 2001Telemark Transportservice became a subsidiary1
  6. 1998Telemark Bilruter Buss became a subsidiary1
  7. Succeeded Fyresdal-Vrådal-Nissedal Billag1
  8. Succeeded Seljords Automobillag1
  9. Succeeded Vest-Telemark Billag1
  10. Succeeded Reinums Bilruter1
  11. Succeeded Grenland Nord Trafikkselskap1
  12. Succeeded Birtedalen Rutebil1

Timeline

  1. Jan 1, 1999Renamed Name changed to Telemark Bilruter AS1
  2. 1999New chief executive Svein Olav Straand becomes CEO1
  3. Jun 1, 1984New chief executive Kjell Gunnar Heggenes becomes CEO1
  4. Jun 8, 1972New chief executive Olav Hovelsrud becomes CEO1
  5. Jun 8, 1972Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
    Company websiteTelemark Bilruter logo
  4. 4
  5. 5