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Mobile Local Branches

An Algemene Bank Nederland mobile branch from c. 1975.

In the 1960s various predecessors of today's ABN AMRO fitted out buses as mobile local branches with which to reach their customers. Twentsche Bank led the way. It introduced its first travelling bank in April 1961. The bus was based at Hoedemakerplein in Enschede and drove to four locations in as many shopping centres in the new suburb of Twekkelerveld. That same month, Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij (NHM) launched its own bank bus. Based at the Blaak branch in Rotterdam, it stopped at locations in Vlaardingen and Hoogvliet, which were expanding fast. Some years later a second bus was introduced for in and around Amsterdam, in Osdorp, Buitenveldert, Westelijk Havengebied, Amstel industrial park and Diemen.

These locations explain the reasons for this form of mobile banking. In the 1960s new suburbs and industrial areas were growing like mushrooms. Since there were often no permanent bank branches available, these mobile units served a useful purpose. They supplied all kinds of the banking facilities, from travellers cheques, money transfers and payments, to personal loans.

The buses were simple in design. Behind the driver/deputy manager's cabin was the office: a desk with a filing cabinet and a counter. A space for the customers was reserved in the centre of the bus, while in the back of the vehicle there was a small area for consultations. Special arrangements were made for electricity and phone lines at the places where the bus stopped, while some buses were also equipped with a powerful battery and a mobile phone connection to the branch building which served as their base.

Mobile banks continued to serve even after the formation of Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN) and Amsterdam-Rotterdam Bank (Amro). In November 1964 an ABN bus was introduced in eastern Rotterdam, behind Kralingse Bos, in Prins Alexanderpolder, and especially Het Lage Land, near Terbregseplein. Two months before, Amsterdamsche Bank had started a bank bus based in Zwolle, serving Genemuiden, Hardenberg, Hattem, Schoonebeek and Zwartsluis. This service was continued by Amro after 1 March 1965. By the early 1970s local bank branches had been built throughout the country and so mobile banks were gradually phased out. In recent years, however, the idea was revived in the shape of the so-called Service Bus which includes a mobile branch of ABN AMRO, intended specifically for the bank's senior customers.