BELGOROD TROLLEYBUS. YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW!

   For anybody not a secret, that today trolleybus one of the most comfortable and modern, and most importantly clean urban public transport. It is no coincidence major cities, trade and industrial centers in the Soviet times as possible was put in plans to equip with electric transport - trams and trolleybuses. And even the number of inhabitants of the settlement were not always decisive in this matter. Could be quite strong-willed decisions of local party leadership, civic initiatives or just geographic location. Among such cities in 60-ies of the XX century was and Belgorod.
  So in November 1967 in the city ended work on the launch of the first trolleybus route and carried out a preliminary test operation. On December 3, a solemn opening of the trolleybus traffic.
  On this day, for the first time, on route 1 ("Depo-Railway station) came three trolley type ZIU - 5. plant named Uritskogo from the town of Engels, Saratov region. (photo of passport, Belgorod trolleybus № 001)

   Modern spacious model new trolleybuses were decorated with special nameplates "Anniversary". The first trolleybuses on the streets of our city led drivers, who came from the neighboring city of Kharkov: SAVUKOV Victor Alekseevich, CHERNYSHOVA Nina Dmitrievna, ODINCOVSKAJA Zinaida Vitalievna, TULINOV Valentin Alekseevich, PYATKIN Eugene S. and others... And supervised Trolleybus management in those years MIKHAILOV Georgy Alexandrovich.
  In those days, the movement of young Belgorod trolley-bus, was carried out by the Bogdan Khmelnitsky street, Frunze, Krasin and Avenue of Lenin.

   The length of a contact network in the days of the beginning of the movement was only 15 kilometers. The ticket for one trip was worth 4 cents. A new batch of cars arrived in the city and was commissioned in early 1968 - this was another 12 brand new "ZIU - 5".
   By this time behind the wheel of the village and the first group of Belgorod drivers, prepared in Kharkiv trolleybus management (only was prepared three groups of about 70 people). The same year new drivers were trained in Belgorod.

   So already in 1968 was transported to 12.1 million, and from the beginning of work at present, more than 2.5 billion. And in General, it is particularly noteworthy is the fact that 1968 can be considered a turning point in the development of transport network of the city.
   Before that the flights were carried out route and departmental buses ZIS and LAZ on schedule with a long interval. Stopping points were not equipped. Laying contact network simultaneously led to improved road infrastructure - installation of modern lighting, improvement of the asphalt pavement, the arrangement of the stops and points of ticket sale. High rates continued construction of lines to the end of the year were introduced three routes.
   Its first birthday trolleybus management noted the release on a line of the new party ZIU-5. Now the Park had already 50 units. A new technique was comfortable and roomy old buses, walked trolleybuses often, so the Belgorod quickly appreciated the advantages of trolleybuses. Moreover, that was set schedule, by which the electric worked from 5 a.m. till midnight, as well as introduced a duty "night" trolleybus whose motion was quite unstable, however, every citizen could at any time of the day count not only on their driving capability and taxis, but that at the bus stop can be found sleepless trolley!

   Significant and especially interesting in the history of Belgorod trolleybus, it should also be considered and the fact that  the Trolleybus, inventory number 01 was purchased with funds received from delivery of scrap metal collected by students of school # 17 in the city of Belgorod.

   Currently, the MUP has on balance 102 working trolley of different models and producers. Contact network of Belgorod electric has more than 115 miles away in the city of Belgorod, and 12.8 km in the Belgorod area.

   Suburban trolley line laid along the Simferopol highway (Federal highway M2 Crimea) connects the city of Belgorod with the village of Maisky (by means of trolleybus route 15) passing through the villages Dirty, Small and towns of Belgorod region. In 1968, the total number of employees amounted to 200 people. Today in various parts of the Belgorod electric employs about 1,000 employees and a broad profile of specialties, including bus drivers.
  186 drivers awarded badges - "FOR WORK WITHOUT ACCIDENTS
  114 of these signs of I and II degree.
   Trolleybuses of our city are starting from 05-30 a.m. and finish late at night. Contact network of the city continues to grow and today almost all the major parts of the districts of the regional center covered by trolley-bus lines, which allows passengers to reach virtually any point of the city using modern, comfortable and environmentally friendly type of transport.