Prior to 1960, the transport system in Abidjan was ancient. Besides some wood and canvas canoes, ground transportation was provided by Vans "1000 kg Renault" carrying twenty people on a fixed route. Or by private cars, for 6 or 7 passengers on a route more or less regular with a fixed rate of 30 CFA francs or by few taxicabs, similar to taxis in Europe.

Such transport was no longer on the scale of the modern city that Abidjan had become. In 1959, the Ivorian government contacted different organizations to set up a more define public transport system. These collaboration lead to the creation of Abidjan transport Society (SOTRA) on 16 December 1960. SOTRA became the first public transport organization in West Africa and signed an agreement for public service for a period of 15 years.

Placed under the Minister of Public Works and Transportation supervision, SOTRA was already a shared ownership company in which the government held 35% of the capital and foreign investors 65%.
The public service agreement granted SOTRA market exclusivity in Abidjan and this enforced the abolition of ancient public transportation systems. Only standing were taxicabs. This monopole was effectively implemented from July 1964. This deficit company turns in a more productive company and had an increased of capital from 50 million in 1960 to 800 million CFA francs in 1974 and 3 billion CFA francs in 1983. The Ivorian government became bigger share holder with 60.13% shares, IRIBUS/IVECO 39.80% and Abidjan district 0.07%.