The Citadel Bus Company (now Transportes Menorca, SA) began regular passenger service in 1907, two years later opened another company in Mahon, although Ciutadella was the line which was to continue by himself at our days.

Their drivers, characters drawn from the nobility (including the Count of Torre Saura, who served as manager) issued in January 1908, shares in the company worth 100 pesetas each. Juan Gabriel Cardona Vilafranca and were the first drivers on this line, and primary consideration in Menorca in the driver’s license.
Vilafranca Barceló Joan reminds us that the first bus line Menorca began with the century and was installed in Mahon. However, like all beginnings, the first steps of this line were difficult and their development was plagued with setbacks and ups and downs.
In 1907, a number of people from Ciutadella, from the nobility (including Torresaura Count, Baron Lluriac, Pedro Salort Martorell, Joan Simó Olivar and others) decided to found a new company that was renamed "Company Car of Citadel, which the Count of Torre Saura acted as manager, while Salort Martorell moved into managerial positions. To finance the new line, its sponsors made in 1908, a bond issue, amounting to 50,000-ESP-fractionated in securities accounts with participation of 100 pesetas each.
In titles, it was observed (under the heading "Automobile Company Citadel") the carrier of the same part in "the exploitation of the car service on the island of Menorca, in accordance with the conditions set forth in the articles of association of that company. " He signed the manager of the company, the Earl of Torresaura, and the date was 1 January 1908.

Scheduled passenger service

Ciutadella The company, which began in 1907, was founded with the aim of establishing a regular passenger service between Ciutadella and Mahon. It was the second transport company was founded on the island, after Mahon, founded in 1905. A curious fact is that the first cars that had the company of this city operated by steam, coal, and the wheels were solid. The cars, which arrived in 1905 to Mahon, were French-made brand "Dion Bouton, and reached port removed. The arrival date was Sept. 9, but whatever it was proceeding to its assembly on the island, could not become operational until 3 March 1906. These cars were very few places (18, 20 and 24 seats) but to his credit must appear that they were among the first to be enrolled in the Balearics, with the numbers 8, 9 and 10.
It was such a shock that caused those cars that pedestrians circular saw (his speed is not exceeded in any 30 kilometers per hour) that the people of Menorca soon christened with the name "de foc ets animals.

Bus Citadel

On the bus line created in Ciutadella in 1907, it should say first that, unlike what was previously commented to Mahon (whose first buses operated with coal), in Ciutadella on the first passenger car (two Delahaye "24 horses, 10 and 19 seats) used gasoline traction engines.
At first, the cars of the line were led by a French chauffeur, who soon taught the new office two menorquines: Joan Vilafranca jumped (of Catalan origin but resident in Ciutadella) and Gabriel Cardona Carreras. They were the first official drivers of the line, until, between 1918 and 1919, remained with the company set up initially.
The new entity, they gave him the name of "Cars Menorca", which, over time, became known as "Vilafranca and Cardona, SL" until 1951, when it merged with Roselló and Company. Thus in 1961 the company was renamed "Transportes Menorca, SA ’and this name is still on today.

Historic driving test

As seen earlier, Joan Vilafranca (with Gabriel Cardona) were the first drivers line-Mahon Ciutadella. Vilafranca Joan’s career was the engineer engineer, and as such sailed with the ship "El Turia," making the crossing between Bilbao and Liverpool. Villafranca was Catalan (native of the town of Vilaseca) and came to live on the island to enter into marriage with a Minorcan: Ángela Pons. They lived at first in a small workshop set up in the city.
For his part, Gabriel Clarke was a native of Mahon and Ciutadella was married to Dona Anita Sampol sticks. His profession was a blacksmith, although he had previously worked in the branch of mechanical Engineering Command Mahon.
However, the lives of Vilafranca and Cardona (at least in the professional aspect) would change radically in 1908, namely on 20 May this year, when the engineer came to Menorca Massanet and Miguel Beltran. Their mission: to examine driver’s license to Mr. Joan Vilafranca and Gabriel Cardona. The test was satisfactorily overcome, so that Mr. Massanet gave his approval that both examinees had proven to be able to drive any car.
This was a landmark trial because it was the first test drivers took on the island of Menorca.

The first cars

Moving forward in time and in the history of the company Ciutadella travelers would be well advised to refer to the first car that covered a regular route between Ciutadella and Mahon. The pioneers in these matters were the "Hispano-Suiza, which functioned between 1928 and 1929. The power of these cars was 30 and 40 horses and their capacity of 32, 28 and 22 places respectively.
A The "Hispano-Suiza, cars followed them" Studebaker "by General Motors. There were two of these in the company, who arrived between 1934 and 1935. Its capacity was 28 and 32 places respectively, and had hydraulic brakes. Also worked after the war, although the lack of gasoline advised to install the gas generators, which worked with charcoal and pine.
Other types of cars there were the Chevrolet, type master, also Americans, 35 seats and cabin truck, made in Alaior body, which were the same as then was the army. Its approximate price, then a fortune, was 35,000 pesetas. Juan Villafranca still remembers their enrollment: AM 7711 and AM 7772. There were cars, "Bedford" English, moved with gasoline, which, over time, they installed a 6-cylinder Perkins engine. Their enrollment: AM 7566 and AM 7562. The structures of these cars (which were made of wood) were manufactured in Girona, by the factory "Ayats" by Arbucias. Villafranca says in Menorca, Alaior specifically, there was also a manufacturer of such bodies (the body builder Gabriel) while those made in Girona were to have a better suspension.
Later would come the "Pegasus" bodywork by the company in Zaragoza Escoriaza and Fabro, although its chassis were manufactured in Barcelona in the former factory Hispano Suiza. Although not far from the best, this kind of cars were purchased by the protectionist measures introduced by the Franco government, giving precedence to Spanish companies and preventing the purchase of foreign cars in the absence of foreign exchange.

So much to remember

Vilafranca Juan Barceló (grandson of John Vilafranca Saltó) followed in the footsteps of his grandfather in the world of mechanics and cars, so that, like his father (John Vilafranca Pons) and uncles and Adolfo Angel, also a driver would work in the line of "Cars Menorca. Also, John Vilafranca recalls that the year 1950, conducted a "Lancia" Italian survivor of the War of 1914, which had no battery and therefore electrical installation. Without the starter, the launch was made from a gas generator operated crank. The brakes were mechanical and solid iron wheel. Over time, this car is a battery installed, whose diet was exclusively for lighting lamps. With such a device, the route-Mahon Ciutadella became a real adventure if done at night, because in case of failure (given the almost non-existent road then was) the driver could be forced to stay in the place of misfortune until dawn, awaiting the passage of a vehicle savior. Nothing like today, when all the buses of the company "Transportes Menorca (marks" Pegasus "," Iveco "and" Daf ") have air conditioning and better comfort. The fleet of about 20 units, ensuring maximum safety and comfort for passengers. In the entire history of the company (over 90 years) are not aware of any fatal accident. Juan Villafranca concludes that, far from the profit, which has always characterized the company has been the spirit of service to the Society. Louis Black Frame