1924
SAVONLINJA Founder: Toivo J. Honkanen Founded in Mikkeli, 1924
FINLAND ON WHEELS SAVONLINJA HAS GROWN hand in hand with public transportation
Since the beginning of regular bus traffic in Finland,
in Finland, boosting its growth by participating in various
Savonlinja has been a major player in the growth and
development projects and by staying busy on Finland’s highways
development of Finnish public transportation.”
since 1924. The young and eager Toivo J. Honkanen started fulfilling his dream of being a professional driver by operating his Ford Model T between Lappeenranta and Lauritsala in 1924. As passenger numbers and competition increased, he purchased a 21-seat Rochet-Schneider bus to run between Mikkeli and Heinola. Bus traffic grew rapidly in Finland, and the Bus Operators’ Association was established in 1928. Its tasks included providing statements to the ministry in matters related to transport licences. Honkanen settled in Mikkeli, where a chapter had been established in 1930. He understood the benefits of active participation in the association and was elected chairman of the local chapter. Honkanen’s position had its advantages, especially when it became harder to acquire a transport licence in the 1930s. Large companies were favoured due to their more extensive fleets that ensured greater reliability. Honkanen had already joined forces with two other operators, and together they decided to launch the limited company Savonlinja in 1935. Bus traffic boomed, causing financial problems for other transportation providers, such as steamboat companies operating on inland waterways. In a couple of years, Savonlinja grew into Finland’s largest private bus company, carrying both people and goods between the countryside and the city. The increase of routes and buses posed a problem for fare collection, and Savonlinja participated actively in creating a ticket system. However, after a few years, the cash register they
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