This thesis is about the idea of public transport and the discussions stirred in the media during changes in ownership. More specifically it is a study of the historical situation of Stockholm, Sweden, where the periods chosen are the 1910s, 1960s and 1990s.During the 1910s Stockholm?s first and largest tram company was taken over by thecity, and a period of public ownership began, which in the 1960s changed form whenthe county council took over the city?s principal authority and formed the politicallyadministered company SL (Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, Greater Stockholm LocalTransit Company). Between these periods the word kollektivtrafik (public transport)was established in the Swedish language. This study describes and compares the ideasconcerning the phenomenon of public transport.The aim of the study is to analyse the ideas, values and ideals concerning public transport in the media, defined as newspapers.