Global Public Transport Review 2017

GLOBAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT REVIEW 2017

brought to you by

in association with

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Thinking like

a passenger www.keolis.com

Keolis is a leading public transport operator. Established in 1+ countries, Keolis possesses an unparalleled range of expertise to support the goals of local transport authorities and deliver world class services to the communities they serve.

As a multi-modal operator, Keolis offers a new passenger experience through seamless end-to-end journeys.

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 CO NTE N TS

WELCOME Welcome to the Global Public Transport Review 2017, a new publication devoted to this vital sector. This publication from Passenger Transport, based in London, has been produced to co-incide with UITP's Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal on May 15-17 – the world’s biggest public transport event. It features contributions from a variety of organisations involved in public transport around the world, highlighting some of the latest innovations and achievements.

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CANADA

KEOLIS

This year’s Global Public Transport Summit will take place in Canada, where transit is riding high

With operations in 16 countries, Keolis continues to cement its position as a global leader

17 TOWER TRANSIT Adam Leishman, CEO of Tower Transit, stresses the importance of winning hearts and minds

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ALAIN FLAUSCH

RATP DEV

UITP’s secretary general talks about the Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal, and more

RATP Dev can draw on a century of experience, but it’s also leading innovation in urban transport

brought to you by:

Editor: Robert Jack / Deputy Editor: Andrew Garnett / Designer: Keith Simpson Passenger Transport Publishing Limited, Adelaide Wharf, 21 Whiston Road, London E2 8EX, UNITED KINGDOM T: +44 (0)20 7749 6909 / E: editorial@passengertransport.co.uk / W: www.passengertransport.co.uk / twitter: @passtrans

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GET CLOSER, GO FURTHER RATP Dev is wholly owned by RATP group.

Leveraging the Group’s expertise, RATP Dev operates and maintains expanding urban and intercity transport networks in 15 countries around the world.

By your side every day, however you want to travel

www.ratpdev.com

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SHUTTERSTOCK

G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 W E LCO M E : M ASA K I OGATA

UITP GLOBAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT SUMMIT

THE NEED TO LEAD THE TRANSITION wo years after Milan, the biggest event in public transport is back. The 2017 UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal comes at a time when the urban mobility industry is witnessing a rapid and significant transition.

The slogan of the UITP Global Public Transport Summit, ‘Lead the TRANSITion,’ reflects this rapidly changing landscape. We are seeing the emergence of new mobility services and the challenge now is integrating them into the existing offer to best meet customers’ needs. Accordingly, the Summit will delve into emerging players in Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and combined mobility and explore their ability to reduce car ownership as well as the exciting potential of autonomous mobility services.

These discussions will take place within the context of increasing digitalisation and the Summit will explore the opportunities opening up for traditional industry players

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in harnessing the power of data.

The event will also explore new policy pathways, success factors and actions driving the push for decarbonisation, such as the roll-out of electric buses or more energy efficient solutions for rail.

Another cross-cutting theme will be service excellence, which, due to rising passenger expectations, is increasingly at the forefront of public transport companies’ strategies. In parallel, the issues of governance, planning and funding will be on the agenda as experts delve into the challenges in delivering high-quality public transport projects within budget and on time.

The Summit will also examine the cutting-edge innovation in bus and rail, from electric buses and the prospect of autonomous buses to new technologies that are boosting rail’s energy efficiency and its ability to adapt to and survive the digital age.

Featuring an exhibition of almost 30,000m², the Summit will unveil the most important

industry trends and developments, including numerous world premieres, from ground-breaking electric buses to innovative rail and IT solutions. This edition will also offer an overview of the new players entering the sector and provide a tantalising glimpse of the future of public transport.

A logical choice 2017 will be the second time that Montréal has played host to the biggest event in public transport, the first occasion back in 1977. It will also be the third event visiting Canada, with the last one held in Toronto in 1999.

Over the last few years, public transport has enjoyed an historic success in the Montréal region, which saw 514.7m journeys made on public transport in 2015. The establishment of a new metropolitan governance structure and a federal government infrastructure programme will help usher in a new and vibrant era for public transport. During the event, a North American

day exploring topics affecting the continent, will showcase a public transport market enjoying somewhat of a renaissance.

The 2017 UITP Global Public Transport Summit will provide a timely forum for the entire urban mobility world to come together in times of such unprecedented change. Montréal will see the likes of urban leaders, tech wizards and policy watchers gather to discuss, debate and determine the direction of this dynamic sector.

We hope you can join us.

Masaki Ogata, UITP President Q UITP Global Public Transport

Summit, Montréal, 15-17 May 2017. www.uitpsummit.org

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 INT E RV I EW : A L A I N FLAUSCH

DESTINATION MONTRÉAL Interview with UITP Secretary General Alain Flausch This year Canada will host the UITP Global Public Transport Summit. Why was Montréal selected?

UITP’s biennial flagship A event sees us visit a different city on each occasion. The last three editions were held in Dubai, Geneva and Milan, but we’re now

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Public Transit Policy which aimed to increase services offered and ridership. Consequently, the Montréal region achieved, in 2013, an all-time ridership record of more than 725 million passenger trips.

The 2017 Global Public Transport Summit will actually be the second time that Montréal has played host to the biggest event in public transport, the first occasion dating back to 1977. It will also be the third time that the event has visited Canada, with the event last visiting the country almost two decades ago in Toronto in 1999.

2017 will be an exceptional year for Montréal. Not only will the city be celebrating its 375th anniversary, but it will also be the

heading to North America and the Canadian city of Montréal.

Why? Well, it has a lot to do with the city’s recent achievements in developing public transport, which can be considered an historic success over the past few years. The concerted efforts of the Québec government and Greater Montréal Area municipalities have yielded impressive results, driven in particular by the first Québec

150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Montréal metro has just celebrated its own 50th anniversary as well, so all in all, it’s an exciting time for the city.

What can we look forward to at the 2017 UITP Global Public Transport Summit?

At the Summit we will see A the international public transport community, transport ministers, mayors, industry CEOs and urban visionaries all come together to debate and explore the strategic vision of this dynamic sector. The slogan of the 2017 edition, ‘Lead the TRANSITion,’ reflects the rapid changes that are currently underway in urban

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mobility. When we are facing such rapid urbanisation, increasing digitalisation, improvements in green technology and the arrival of new mobility players, our message is that the public transport sector cannot afford to stand on the sidelines and have its future determined only by others.

One of the key topics that will be covered at the Summit is therefore to look at how autonomous vehicle technology and new transport services have the potential to completely redefine how authorities plan and improve public transport, but also how public transport is taking the lead in the deployment of autonomous mobility services.

The Summit will focus on trends

state-wide public transit measures up for vote were approved, which is a very encouraging sign.

Evolving demographic patterns, continued demand for a cleaner environment and a new willingness of governments to allocate funding for improvements and new projects are promising steps for the future of public transport in the region.

Of the many ongoing projects, light rail transport really seems to have taken off in terms of popularity.

Today, cities like Los Angeles are returning to light rail as a way to address growing urbanisation. LA’s increasingly pedestrian-friendly downtown is accessible by public transport and has many other mobility projects in progress.

Beyond LA, some 30 cities in the US and Canada are working on light rail projects such as preserving existing lines, extending networks or creating brand new systems. Two notable projects are the Valley Line light rail scheme in Edmonton and the Evergreen Line extension in Vancouver.

This renewed focus on rail in North America is combined with a growing interest in innovation, industry best practice as well as the maintenance and safety of ageing, legacy infrastructure. This topic will be covered during the Summit, where a dedicated North American day will explore these and other topics affecting the continent.

in digitalisation and the constant innovation that are together driving the need for new skills in the sector. In order to continue serving the needs of customers, as well as stay competitive, public transport operators and manufacturers must adapt to – and even take part in developing – these new technologies, whilst dealing with challenges in cyber security.

The public transport sector is driving innovative solutions, such as alternative propulsion systems, that are enabling evergreater energy efficiency. During the Summit a diverse range of industry leaders, including vehicle manufacturers and transport operators, will show how they are embracing these technologies and share cutting edge industry techniques.

Throughout the programme, we’ll also be having a close look at the challenges of urban mobility in developing economies and there will be an entire day dedicated to exploring the North American public transport renaissance.

Meanwhile, the 30,000m² exhibition will offer a real showcase for the very latest developments and innovations that the public transport industry has to offer.

The previous edition in Milan attracted almost 300 exhibitors, offering a tangible glimpse at what the future of urban mobility has in store. Montréal will be no different and numerous exhibitors are set to officially unveil their world premieres, and there will also be a dedicated North America pavilion, providing a showcase of what the region has to offer.

This is the place for public transport professionals to meet clients face-to-face, see what industry rivals are doing and create new business contacts.

What does the future of urban mobility look like?

Over the last couple of years A we have seen the rapid emergence of what we call ‘new mobility players’ onto the scene.

Whether it’s ride-selling services, free-floating car-sharing, demand responsive shuttles or even autonomous cars, what’s clear is that the traditional ‘private vs public transport’ distinction is becoming increasingly blurred.

The question now is how we best integrate these new services into a holistic, shared mobility offer.

Despite what the car industry may say about autonomous cars, public transport will remain unbeatable for carrying large

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What’s happening more broadly in North American public transport?

What we are seeing is that A North Americans are becoming more supportive of mass mobility. Not many people may realise this but in the recent US elections, 33 of the 48 local and

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Voters in Los Angeles backed plans for greater investment in public transport

numbers of people on key corridors at peak hours. There is a space and a demand for these new services in our cities and if we can successfully integrate urban and transport planning then we can steer the growth of public transport in complementarity with these services in a productive way.

We can also expect greater efforts to ramp-up the electrification of public transport as we work towards the objective of low or zero carbon urban mobility; public transport is already 40-50% electric so there is still a way to go, particularly with buses. As the recent COP22 climate event illustrated, there is increasing recognition from policy makers for public transport to play the ‘backbone’ role in providing low or zero carbon mobility.

Finally, the buzzword of the day, ‘digitalisation,’ is also opening exciting new doors for public transport. The massive increase in data that is now available to public transport companies is allowing us to increasingly enhance customer service, whether it’s developing new apps or smart ticketing solutions. It’s also allowing us to be smarter: big data will allow us to better match supply and demand and to enhance our own operations. This is a major trend and will affect how public transport interacts with its customers, other transport modes and urban services. It’s the beginning of an exciting journey.

Q Global Public Transport Summit,

15-17 May 2017, Montréal Find out more : uitpsummit.org

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : CUTA

A TRANSFORMATIVE DECADE FOR CANADIAN TRANSIT This year’s Global Public Transport Summit will take place in Montréal, Canada, where transit is riding high.

By Jeff Mackey, Public Policy Coordinator – Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) fter years of incremental progress, Canada can now credibly claim to have a real and ambitious transit agenda.

This is due in large part to a new long-term transit infrastructure program announced in the federal government’s 2017 budget. But the work towards this announcement

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has been decades in the making and has yielded not only a change in political policy towards transit in Canada, but a paradigm shift at the federal level towards investing in urban mobility.

In a very strict constitutional sense, urban transit is not the purview of the federal government in Canada. Throughout most of Canadian history, municipalities have been responsible for providing transit services, and these cities were all wards of their respective provinces - and as such were subject to their budgetary whims.

Unfortunately, this arrangement wasn’t fruitful with regards to

creating strong, national public transit networks. Municipalities, who maintain a disproportionately large amount of the nation’s infrastructure, have limited revenues and taxation power to invest in transit. This meant that major capital projects for transit were few and far between and mostly limited to Canada’s largest urban centers.

This changed in 2005 when a modest, $400m Public Transit Fund was created. Such a direct investment in municipal transit infrastructure was unprecedented at the time. This investment was followed by other dedicated transit investments in 2006 and

2008 totaling $1.4bn through two separate funds, which was followed by two long-term and undedicated infrastructure programs under which transit is an eligible category.

The Gas Tax Fund, which was made permanent in 2006 and indexed in 2013, is another key component in federal urban transit investment that has taken shape over the last decade. While the Gas Tax Fund can be used by municipalities for a large variety of municipal infrastructure projects, it is notable that many large municipalities dedicate most of their Gas Tax funding to their public transit systems.

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Political Consensus In the 2015 federal election, all major party platforms promised dedicated transit infrastructure funds for municipalities. This was the clearest signal yet that the value of direct, federal transit investment in Canada was a consensus on Parliament Hill.

When the new government took office, they began work on a two-phase Public Transit Infrastructure Fund. The first phase, which is currently distributing funds, is worth $3.4bn over three years and is targeted towards capital projects, state of good repair and capacity building.

These funds were transferred to provinces based on ridership, where the funds are now being further distributed to nearly all transit systems in the country.

In its second budget since forming government, an 11-year, $20.1bn commitment to transit

ABOVE: Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway station. ABOVE RIGHT: Former bus driver and Edmonton city councillor, Amarjeet Sohi (left), is Canada's minister of infrastructure and communities. He is seen in the driver seat of a Halifax Transit bus.

BELOW RIGHT: Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus and dedicated bicycle lane

strategically, with a focus on large, transformative projects such as regional transit plans, transportation networks and electricity grid interconnections,” reads the 2017 federal budget.

infrastructure was announced, along with an additional $5bn, earmarked to fund transit projects through a new Canada Infrastructure Bank.

This commitment will be more ‘ambitious’ and focus more on expansion projects than its predecessor. The long-term scope of the program will allow municipalities to plan transit networks, instead of individual transit projects, an approach that should yield many benefits for Canadian communities.

Federal cost share for individual transit projects in the second phase will generally vary between 40% and 50%, meaning government investment in transit will more than double when spending from other orders of government are also tabulated.

In its newest budget, the government also announced plans to establish by the end of 2017 a Canada Infrastructure Bank worth $35bn over 11 years.

Some $5bn of the funding will be earmarked for transit projects.

This arm’s-length organization will work with governments and private sector investment partners to build infrastructure.

“These investments will be made

Multi-sectoral strategy To further supplement this new Canadian approach to transit investment, the government has also made commitments to innovation, including the creation of a smart cities challenge and a new superclusters strategy.

It is the hope of many that these investments will help to commercialize and deploy cutting edge transit technologies, many of which are being created in Canada.

The government has also committed to reducing GHG emissions and improving Canadian communities through accessibility, inclusion and climate resiliency.

In all these initiatives transit is present and referenced regularly as a key component to success.

In one short decade, transit investment has gone from outside the federal government’s purview to a central tool in modernizing and improving Canada. This paradigm shift can be attributed to the hard work of transit systems across the country which deliver reliable and valuable service to Canadians on a daily basis. It can also be attributed to commuters themselves, who have forced the issue of improved urban mobility

Prime minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. premier Christy Clark were in Vancouver in June 2016 to announce Phase 1 funding commitments to transit investments in the B.C. region (Courtesy TransLink)

onto the agenda of politicians at every level of government.

But this doesn’t mean that Canada has it all figured out.

Moving forward, the transit industry must grapple with how to address global trends, including automation, transportation network companies and new alternate propulsion technologies.

Perhaps more importantly, while the federal government may now be at the table for transit investment, at least over the next decade, it will need willing provincial and municipal partners to actually get shovels in the ground and buses on the roads.

Clearly, a lot can change in a decade. But in terms of transit, a decade is less than the lifespan of a bus, it’s roughly the time needed to plan and build one major transit infrastructure project, or, in political terms, it’s about the duration of two and a half governments. While transit may now be riding high in Canada, both the industry and the transit riding public must be vigilant to ensure that the incremental progress they have made over the last 10 years doesn’t fall behind schedule.

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23-24 OCTOBER 2017 | KORTRIJK | BELGIUM

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : RAT P DEV

PROVIDING TAILORED SOLUTIONS FOR A CHANGING WORLD RATP Dev can draw on a century of experience, but it's also leading innovation in urban transport perating in 15 countries across the world and transporting 1.5 billion passengers every year, RATP Dev is a truly global transport company. Wholly owned

by RATP group, the fifth largest multi-modal transport group in the world, we specialise in high capacity urban transit systems.

Drawing on over 100 years of expertise with the Paris multimodal transport system, we work with our clients, in both the public and private sectors, to develop successful mobility projects, covering bus, tramway, metro, rail, cable cars, tourist and sightseeing buses, on-demand transport, transport for people with reduced mobility and more.

each year, Riyadh will offer a truly world class bus network.

In the UK, 85% of our turnover is with the public sector, highlighting that we are a private sector provider comfortable working in partnership with the public sector. In London we operate over 10% of all buses in the city and employ some 3,000 people. We consistently rank in the top quarter of monthly performance indicators published by our client Transport for London.

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Partnering with the public sector RATP Dev recognises that for public authorities, successfully integrating multi-modal transport networks is a vital element in ensuring an efficient urban environment. To that end, we have a track record of working with the public sector to design services tailored to the needs and financial resources of their cities.

For example, we worked with the authorities in Algeria and Saudi Arabia to build, respectively, the first metro line and bus network in those markets.

In the former case, to alleviate congestion in Algiers, the authorities wished to build a metro capable of addressing the city’s rapid population growth and its resultant transport needs. Our solution was the creation in 2009 of RATP El Djazaïr, a local RATP Dev subsidiary, which worked with the Algerian authorities to

ABOVE: An electric bus in Paris, where 80% of the buses are to be electric by 2025.

BELOW: RATP Dev is a global player, with operations in 15 different countries

build skills and expertise. We oversaw all stages of the project from pre-operations through to the operation and maintenance of line 1, the first metro line in North Africa. Building on this success, the line is expanding, with three new stations opened in 2015 and two others planned for 2017.

In Riyadh, the challenge was addressing chronic congestion in the city’s road network, the main means of transport for Riyadh’s 6.5 million inhabitants. This time the solution was the creation of the city’s first bus network, which would also be the first regulated public transport system in the Kingdom’s capital.

Alongside SAPTCO, the historic

operator of bus networks in Saudi Arabia, RATP Dev created a joint venture company. We leveraged our technical and financial knowhow, in conjunction with SAPTCO’s local expertise, to design the entire network from scratch, adapt to the local context and meet the requirements of communities, officials and passengers.

Ongoing work includes the construction of three depots to house the fleet of vehicles. When the network comes into service, RATP Dev will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the 1,000-strong bus fleet.

Comprising approximately one hundred lines and transporting around 120 million passengers

A leader in automation It is axiomatic to say that the world does not stay still; yet this is perhaps more so for transport than most other sectors. RATP group recognises that as the urban environment changes, so too must transport solutions. In the new era of modern transport, we are putting innovation at the heart of our transport offer, providing bespoke solutions that meet customers’ rapidly evolving needs.

Automation, a field that we pioneered, is one area in which we are leading the way. In Paris, our parent company RATP built the world’s first high-capacity automated metro line from scratch in 1998. More recently, in 2012 we successfully started operating line 14 with 85-second headways, a significant achievement on a complex and historic infrastructure. Due to this success, RATP has been put in charge of the line 14 extension, the backbone of the vast project to create the Grand Paris Express automated public transport network.

With 75% of new metro lines expected to be automated by 2020, RATP group is well placed to leverage our expertise to provide innovative solutions for transport authorities across the world. As the incumbent metro operator in cities ➢ as diverse as Mumbai, Seoul

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRA N S PORT REV IEW 2017 P RO FI L E : RAT P DEV

and Manila, RATP Dev is well placed to support these networks in the future.

RATP group is also developing solutions for another, much anticipated aspect of automated transport: autonomous vehicles.

With the French transport authority, STIF, and the city of Paris, we tested two driverless shuttles in a dedicated lane on the Charles de Gaulle bridge in Paris.

Fully electric and fully autonomous, the ‘EZ 10’ shuttles transported up to 12 passengers at a time across the Seine, using laser sensors to analyse their surroundings on the road. In Boulogne-sur-Mer and Austin, Texas, we have also tested 100% electric autonomous shuttles, driven with the help of onboard camera technology, sensors and 3D mapping.

Together, with our automated metro experience, RATP Dev is a leader in automated transport systems. These systems, which complement the existing mobility solutions relied upon in low density areas, represent the future of transport across the world.

New solutions to meet passengers’ needs Automation is only one aspect of innovation in transport. The way passengers are using transport is changing rapidly and companies now need to provide smart solutions to support this mobility change. But to get these solutions right we need to understand properly how people are using transport, both traditional modes and new on-demand services.

In Casablanca for example, RATP Dev used big data technology to analyse operational information and passenger movements to achieve optimum efficiency in our tram service.

Alternatively, in Bristol we launched Slide, a premium shared ride to work service, which provides a more efficient, and customer friendly bespoke transport solution. Our technology offers a convenient pick-up point and calculates the optimal route to passengers’ places of work based on others requesting the same

AT A GLANC E

€1.127bn 16,300 110 1.5bn 12 5 2 8,000

journey. Slide is a cash-free service, booked using an app and paid for on phones via a secured Payline system. Fares are fixed and upfront and are not based on the number of passengers or demand at the time of travelling.

With Gemm, a real-time multimodal mobility platform which we have tested on two French networks and “Mon car dans ma poche” (“My bus in my pocket”), a real-time information application for students, parents and schools using routes operated by RATP Dev, we are putting passengers and their journeys first.

To create solutions which are at the nexus of transport, technology and data science, RATP group created a new subsidiary, RATP Capital Innovation, which focuses on investing in start-ups, in particular in new services and forms of mobility, with an endowment of €15 million. This approach gives start-ups the freedom and agility to grow, while making the most of RATP group’s business expertise, international presence and relationships with transport authorities. We look forward with excitement to the solutions that this group will develop. These solutions will benefit both the passenger and transport authorities, allowing cities to get the best out of their transport networks.

revenue in 2016

employees worldwide

subsidiaries

passengers every year

tramline routes

metro lines

regional express networks

buses and coaches in service

RATP Dev has tested a fully electric autonomous shuttle in Austin, Texas

increasing threat that climate change poses for societies across the world. Alongside heat and power generation, the transport sector generates some of the largest amounts of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

Through the introduction of electric vehicles, RATP group is

Greener transport for greener cities Of course there is one global reality that the transport sector cannot avoid, namely the

RATP Dev operates Slide in Bristol, England. It's a premium shared ride to work service

committed to making our cities greener and healthier for residents and visitors alike. In Paris we have an ambitious target to operate a bus fleet of 4,600 vehicles that is 100% green by 2025. This will comprise 80% electric buses and 20% biogas-powered vehicles.

In June 2016 RATP group took a major step forward, by inaugurating the first 100% electric bus line. By the beginning of 2017 this line was equipped with 23 Bluebus 100% electric 12 metre buses built by Bolloré. This is a first in Europe for a fleet of this size.

However, Paris is just the beginning. London, like Paris, is facing increasing levels of pollution. In 2018 we will complete the conversion of two London bus routes to fully electric operation, using 36 100% electric buses.

Our aim, working in partnership with Transport for London, is to make our Shepherd’s Bush garage London’s first zero emission bus depot.

Working with transport authorities to save space and plan more efficient urban spaces is another way the transport sector can help create greener urban environments. RATP group is working on a ‘smart garage’ concept in its Lagny bus depot in the 20th arrondissement in Paris.

The aim is to optimise available space in bus depots located in densely built-up areas and save time by automatically parking buses. This is an area where we see great potential for development in other cities, where space, and how it is employed, is a crucial issue.

The world’s cities are complex, diverse places and so, by extension, are their transport networks. For this reason RATP Dev does not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” model. A city’s needs must guide the solutions that it deploys. That’s why we devise transport systems that are in tune with the region and local community in which they will be used. From Mumbai to Johannesburg, Florence to Tucson, our experience means we are trusted to deliver innovative and reliable urban and interurban transport solutions.

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12/04/2017 12:23

G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : K EO LI S

PLAYING A GLOBAL GAME Keolis continues to cement its position as a global leader in public transport ith operations in 16 countries across four continents, Keolis says it’s “ready to compete around the world”.

The group, which is 70% owned by the French railway company SNCF, provides the full range of mobility services. It is the world’s largest operator of both automated metros and tramways, but it also operates buses, coaches, ferries and self-service bicycles, carrying more than three billion passengers every year.

For Jean-Pierre Farandou, the president of Keolis Group, the key to winning public transport contracts is understanding the unique circumstances of regions and meeting the expectations of the local client.

But it’s also about rising to the challenge of being an innovator and a leader in putting technology to work to create a superior passenger experience, while also remaining price competitive by providing overall value for money.

The partnership concept is a hallmark of the Keolis value proposition, Farandou says,

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because the relationship between the public authority and the service provider is key to the overall performance of any network.

“Public authorities expect both agility and transparency from their operators,” he says. “It’s not enough to provide a transport service. In today’s competitive environment, Keolis sets itself apart by being a leader in integrating transit systems into a broader strategy in order to improve the quality of life and economic vitality of the communities we serve.”

An effective digital strategy is absolutely vital, Farandou observes.

“Over the past few years, Keolis has dedicated significant resources to develop digital solutions that are creating a seamless experience for passengers across multiple transportation modes, leading to improved usage and higher levels of passenger satisfaction.”

To support this strategy, Keolis began working with the highly regarded Netexplo Digital Observatory, which studies the usage and effect of digital technologies on people, customers and businesses, from across the world.

Following up on an extensive

ABOVE: The new urban cable car in Brest.

RIGHT: Keolis began trialling automonous vehicles in Lyon last year.

BELOW: Jean-Pierre Farandou

joint study by Keolis and Netexplo of mobility and digital technology use in France, the survey was taken to the global level, looking at 13 smart cities across five continents including Abidjan, Boston, Dubai, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, London, Lyon, Melbourne, Montréal, San Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm and Tokyo. The aim was to identify and analyse common trends in digital mobility between smart cities and determine what is specific to each, what best practice could inspire other cities, and what emerging

KEOLIS IN NORTH AMERICA his year’s UITP Global Public Transport Summit takes place in Montréal, the home of Keolis Canada, which provides urban, intercity, school bus, airport and paratransit services. A light rail network will commence operation in Waterloo from 2018.

Keolis operates a fleet of 400 vehicles throughout Québec, including 90 intercity coaches.

It is the second largest intercity operator in Canada. Part of the Keolis Group since 2002, Orléans Express is more than an operator.

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The company manages its entire commercial offer and in 2016 was able to introduce major changes: yield management pricing and a new digital approach, simplifying operations and improving client relations. With more than 600,000 passengers carried each year, it is the leading intercity motor carrier in Québec and the second largest in Canada. The network serves 35 municipalities in Québec, and includes an hourly service on the Montréal-Québec corridor. All coaches are equipped with Wi-Fi.

Orléans Express carries more than 600,000 passengers each year

In the United States, Keolis operates fixed-route local and express transit routes in Las Vegas for the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern

trends could become the basis of best practice for digital mobility in future.

From that initiative came the “World Mobility Report” which details the use of innovative digital applications and other programs that support mobility across these cities.

Keolis’ innovation credentials were further enhanced by its venture into autonomous vehicles, with a one-year trial of its NAVLY autonomous vehicle taking place in Lyon, France. Free of charge to

Nevada. The contract includes service along the resort corridor of Las Vegas Boulevard as well as the “Deuce” service on the legendary Las Vegas Strip, providing service to such iconic landmarks as The Bellagio and MGM Grand.

Keolis and RTC continue to work together to improve the passenger experience for locals and tourists alike, and as the operation flourishes, so does the positive economic impact on the community.

Using the latest technology in capturing real-time information from the field, tremendous improvements have been made to

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AT A GLANCE

all users, NAVLY is an addition to traditional modes of public transport already offered in Lyon (bus, tram and metro). It is the first autonomous vehicle to run in public service and serves the Confluence ‘eco-district’ of the city, a former industrial area that is in the process of regeneration. The two autonomous shuttles can carry up to 15 people, with 11 seated, operating every 10 minutes along the 1.3km route and travelling at an average speed of 15km/h.

This project led to a week-long

pilot in Las Vegas, marking the first time an autonomous vehicle operated on a public road in North America.

In a year of firsts, the group reinforced its position as a multimodal leader by launching the first French urban cable car in Brest. The new service is integrated into the existing public transport network, serving as a viable commuter transport mode rather than a tourist attraction.

In addition, Keolis launched a new bike sharing concept

the operation’s punctuality and efficiency. The team has also seen huge success in improving system and bus maintenance processes.

Across the country, Keolis is leveraging technology and innovation as illustrated in its management of the MBTA Commuter Rail in Boston, the largest privately operated commuter rail system in the U.S., with 14 lines that carry 35 million passengers annually, making it North America’s fifth busiest system.

Since taking on the contract in 2014, Keolis has been focused on turning around the system,

which suffers from an ageing fleet and infrastructure, improving safety, on-time performance, and customer service. MBTA passengers immediately began to see changes designed to improve the passenger experience, among them the launch of a staffed customer service center open seven days a week to provide assistance. Other improvements have included ‘deep cleaning’ of stations and trains, improved signage and the introduction of new apps designed to improve the passenger experience.

Since 2010, Keolis Rail Services Virginia has operated the Virginia

in Europe. The group’s Syntus subsidiary, based in The Netherlands, became the first to offer the new KeoBike, with 340 bikes in 24 locations across the provinces of Veluwe and Utrecht.

The bikes are available for hire through a smartphone app and are situated in prominent locations across the two provinces.

Keolis continues to power ahead in the field of light rail. In January 2017, it became the largest operator of light rail in the UK when its joint venture was named as the new operator of Greater Manchester’s iconic Metrolink network, the largest of its kind in the UK. The new contract commences in July 2017.

Around the world Keolis continues to play a leadership role in the growth and development of light rail networks, including the expansion of the highly successful Bybanen service in Bergen, Norway and the delivery of a brand new 98km network in Aarhus, Denmark in late 2017.

With its prestigious contract wins, multi-modal showcases and ground-breaking innovations, Keolis continues to strengthen its pioneering leadership in global mobility.

€5.1bn 58,300 16 3bn 228km 17 6,000km 23,500 150,000 17,340 9 in revenue in 2016

employees worldwide

countries

passengers every year

of automated metros

tram networks, covering 797km

of train track

buses and coaches

parking spaces

bike shares across 25 cities

car pooling and car sharing networks

4

sea and river boat networks

Q Jean-Pierre Farandou, President

of Keolis Group, will address UITP’s Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal on May 17.

Q Look out for the Keolis autonomous vehicle, which will be providing demonstration rides during the summit.

The KeoBike concept in The Netherlands

Rail Express, a commuter rail line serving the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. After Keolis took over the VRE, ridership has increased, customer service scores have risen sharply and ontime performance has increased to well above 90%.

But Keolis’ experience in North America goes beyond traditional fixed local and express transit and rail services. In Orange County, California, Keolis operates Yellow Cab, which is the largest taxi provider in Southern California. Keolis also runs eight Dial-A-Ride accounts that provide service to people with

disabilities in more than 40 cities, operating 60 dedicated wheelchairaccessible taxis and minivans, making it possible for hundreds of people to get where they need to go, quickly and efficiently.

The result has not only been a positive experience for users of the service, but has also led to significant cost savings in the region of $2m every year. The entire Yellow Cab operation operates using proprietary dispatch systems developed by the Keolis team and a 24-hour dispatch team provides extremely high levels of customer service.

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRAN S PORT REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : TOWE R TRA N S IT

Last year saw Tower Transit expand beyond London to Singapore, where it has brought a fresh approach to employee culture and engagement

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE Adam Leishman, CEO and founder of Tower Transit, stresses the importance of winning hearts and minds utomation, urbanisation, digitalisation are three huge and far reaching global trends that are impacting on the world of public transport. These trends will be the topic of much discussion at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal in May. But Adam Leishman, CEO and founder of London-based Tower

A

Transit, will talk about a more familiar challenge when he addresses the event on May 17.

“There’s a huge tsunami of change coming in our industry and we’re very interested to hear more about that in Montréal,” says the Australian.

“And we are participating with that change. For example, we are working with Transport for London on trials of new technology.

“But what I’m going to talk about in Montréal is more simple in many ways, but actually much more complex - and that’s people.

Because public transport is actually

all about people, the people that work for you and the people that are your customers.”

Leishman argues that the labour intensive world of public transport has often struggled to adapt to change because it has failed to achieve the best possible relationships with the people who are ultimately delivering it. By failing to get its staff on board, the industry turns a massive asset into a massive liability.

“In my experience I think there’s often been somewhat of a crisis of motivation around the world in our industry,” he says.

“I’m specifically thinking about the bus space, but I think this applies across the board. Quite often people don’t feel proud to be a bus driver, for example, or to be contributing in that space.

And I think that is a crisis in itself because actually the public transport system is the lifeblood of the city, and the city’s wellbeing and health is very dependent on the blood system working well.

“If there’s an unmotivated workforce it can be a huge cost to customer experience, to safety, to performance standards, and financially also.”

Tower Transit aims to be the world’s most respected public transport operator, operating in the world’s top cities. Last year saw Tower Transit expand beyond London to Singapore, and Leishman will tell UITP’s Global ➢ Public Transport Summit

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G LO BA L PU B LI C TRA N S PORT REV IEW 2017 P RO FI L E : TOWE R TRA N S IT

how Tower Transit has since transformed employee culture and engagement in that city beyond recognition.

Singapore wants to deliver a step change in the quality of its bus network and has therefore started to transition to a new franchising model. It’s partly inspired by the system used in London, where Tower Transit is already a major operator.

Singapore’s network was divided into 12 new contracts and Tower Transit won the first one. The contract began in June 2016, covering 26 routes and 370 vehicles, and operating out of a brand new, 10-hectare, government-owned site at Bulim in the west of Singapore.

Leishman has subsequently been told that Tower Transit won the contract because the tendering authority, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, wanted to see transformation in the industry.

But he says that delivering this transformation has been a “monumental task”.

“The industry [in Singapore] has been one where drivers were demotivated, were often not treated as professionals and not many people in Singapore wanted to drive a bus,” he explains.

“Singapore is very much a society where you want to go to university and get a white collar job. So we had a bit of a big challenge put in front of us.”

Tower Transit couldn’t simply recruit foreign workers because 60% of the workforce in Singapore must be Singaporean. So it had to get people to think differently about a career in the bus industry.

The company came in with a fresh approach to employee culture and engagement and it has been overwhelmed by the response. It received 10,000 applications, from which it recruited 1,000 people.

Success has been achieved through a mix of high volume public relations, better pay and by changing the profile of the job. For example, traditionally bus drivers in Singapore would drive all day and return the bus to the depot, where they would then wash, fuel and park their vehicle.

PRO FI LE

“But we thought, hang on, they’re professionals,” says Leishman. “They should be driving.

They’ve had a long day on the road, they want to get away from work and they want to go home. So we’ve employed depot shunters to do those fuelling, washing and parking tasks. Traditionally the driver did everything and they had a shortage of drivers. We’ve professionalised the role and the drivers just love that.”

The facilities for staff at the new Bulim depot aim also to reflect the upskilling of the drivers’ role. In many ways these facilities would not be out of place in the offices of a tech company. The quality of the fit-out is such that it featured in an extensive photo shoot for a leading Asian architectural magazine.

Meanwhile, in a first for Singapore, the company’s maternity leave policy is well ahead of the legal minimum at 26 weeks. That decision, says Leishman, created a stir, even being labelled the best employer of mums by one magazine and a lot of goodwill as a family-friendly employer. All of these initiatives mean that the median age of bus drivers at Tower has fallen by 10 years compared to the industry.

“They [the staff] love the way

Adam Leishman started Tower Transit in London with Neil Smith and two other shareholders in 2013. In addition to charting the direction of all of the Tower Transit operations and business development activities around the world, he also finds time to be dad to seven children. He is the group’s visionary, “chief culture officer”, and the locomotive force behind the constant push to innovate, change and lead the market.

that we’ve treated them with respect,” adds Leishman. “I don’t think that’s what they were used to.”

Each month, 10 bus drivers who receive public commendations are rewarded with cash vouchers. And one of them is chosen to be the ‘Superstar of the Month’, receiving a S$100 cash voucher and a certificate of appreciation.

Last December, Tower Transit Singapore honoured its very best

at its first staff dinner and Awards Night. The ‘Shanghai-Bollywood’ themed event was held at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club and the best driver was flown to London for a week.

Tower Transit’s transformation in employee culture and engagement was recognised in Singapore last February at the HRM Awards, Asia’s pre-eminent event for celebrating the best and brightest HR people and practices.

Competing against established and renowned organisations like FedEx, Unilever and Changi Airport Group, Tower Transit Singapore clinched the award for Best Workplace Culture & Engagement (for over 500 employees). “I think we were the only name that people didn’t recognise,” Leishman jokes.

The operator’s HR manager, Norman Teng, added to the haul by winning the coveted ‘HR Manager of The Year’ title.

And, in April, The Tower Transit Group was named ‘International Business of the Year’ at the British Expertise International Awards.

Leishman will shed further light on the many different actions that Tower Transit Singapore has taken to achieve a highly motivated, highly engaged workforce when he addresses the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal. He believes that winning hearts and minds is the essence of great public transport, and a vital foundation on which to respond to the challenges posed by change.

“It’s a people industry,” he says, “and if you can understand the psychology of people and leading people, and getting the best out of people, then you’re going to deliver an excellent service.”

Q Adam Leishman, CEO and

TOP: Tower Transit Singapore picked up two awards at the HRM Awards last February.

BOTTOM LEFT: 'International Business of the Year'. BOTTOM RIGHT: Bulim depot

Founder of Tower Transit, will address UITP’s Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal on May 17. He will deliver a presentation titled ‘Culture: An organisation’s “je ne sais quoi”’ in a session about ‘Setting employment conditions in urban and public transport companies’ between 2pm and 3.30pm.

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Partnering the world’s top cities

dŽǁĞƌ dƌĂŶƐŝƚ ŝƐ Ă LJŽƵŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŝŶŶŽǀĂƟǀĞ ďƵƐ ŽƉĞƌĂƚŽƌ ǁŝƚŚ ĨƌĞƐŚ ŝĚĞĂƐ ĂŶĚ Ă ǁĞĂůƚŚ ŽĨ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ďƵƐ ĨƌĂŶĐŚŝƐŝŶŐ͘ tĞ ǁŽƌŬ ĐůŽƐĞůLJ ǁŝƚŚ ŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ďƌŝŶŐ ĐůĞĂŶ͕ ƌĞůŝĂďůĞ͕ ĞĸĐŝĞŶƚ͕ LJĞƚ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂďůĞ ďƵƐ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ ƚŽ ƐŽŵĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͛Ɛ ƚŽƉ ĐŝƟĞƐ͘ dŚĂƚ ŵĞĂŶƐ ǁĞ ƐŝŶŬ ŽƵƌ ƌŽŽƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŝŶǀĞƐƚ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ŚŽƐƚ ĐŝƟĞƐ͘ :ƵƐƚ ůŝŬĞ ǁĞ ĚŽ ŝŶ >ŽŶĚŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ ^ŝŶŐĂƉŽƌĞ ǁŚĞƌĞ ǁĞΖǀĞ ǁŽŶ ĂǁĂƌĚƐ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ ǁŽƌŬ͘ Ɛ Ă ŐƌŽƵƉ͕ ǁĞΖǀĞ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞĚ ŵĂŶLJ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵů ŽƉĞƌĂƚŽƌ ƚƌĂŶƐŝƟŽŶƐ͘ ĂĐŚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƚĂŝůŽƌĞĚ ƐŽůƵƟŽŶ͘ tĞ͛ƌĞ ŬĞĞŶ ƚŽ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ůŽĐĂů ŐŽǀĞƌŶŵĞŶƚƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĂƐƉŝƌĞ ƚŽ ĐƌĞĂƚĞ ǁŽƌůĚͲĐůĂƐƐ ƉƵďůŝĐ ďƵƐ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŬĞĞƉ ĐŝƟĞƐ ŵŽǀŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚƌŝǀŝŶŐ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ hƐ Tower Transit Singapore 21 Bulim Avenue, Bulim Bus Depot Singapore 648170 info@towertransit.sg 1800 248 0950 www.towertransit.sg TowerTransitSG

Ad.indd 19

Tower Transit UK Westbourne Park Bus Garage, Great Western Road, London, W93NW info@towertransit.co.uk 0343 222 1234 www.towertransit.co.uk TowerTransit

12/04/2017 12:28

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