The beginning of this new year coincides with the start of several public transport service operating contracts, but also with some changes in management methods, regulatory changes and new features for travellers.
Overview of the main changes at the start of 2022.
Skills transfers
In the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Sytral was replaced on January 1, 2022 by the organizing authority for mobility in the Lyon territories, a local public establishment (EPL). The mixed syndicate was the transport organizing authority for the entire Rhône department. The perimeter of the EPL is wider with 263 municipalities in a territory of more than 1.8 million inhabitants. This public establishment associates the Metropolis of Lyon, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, the Villefranche Beaujolais Saône and West Rhodanian urban communities, as well as all the communities of communes of the Rhône.
In the Occitanie region, the Haute-Garonne departmental transport authority is leaving the bosom of the department for that of the region.
Changes in legal form
The Montpellier TAM network operator is changing its legal form. The SEM is transformed into a Local Public Company (SPL).
It should be noted that SEMITAG, operator of the TAG network of the Syndicat Mixte des Mobilités de l’Aire Grenoble, has also changed its legal form. This SEM became the SPL M TAG at the end of September 2021.
In Finistère, the community of communes of the Landerneau-Daoulas country changes status and becomes a community of agglomeration. The community had taken the mobility skill last July.
New operating contracts
Organizing authorities that opt for delegated management periodically launch calls for tenders. Contracts generally range from 3 to 8 years. At the end of these calls for tenders, local authorities can choose to renew the outgoing operator or choose a new service provider. Panorama of the contracts that take effect at the start of 2022.
In the Brittany region, from January 1, 2022, the Pontivy/Loudéac – Rennes regional line is operated by the carrier Transdev CAT replacing Keolis Armor.
On September 28, 2021, the elected officials of the urban community of Fécamp Caux Littoral again selected the company Keolis Seine-Maritime for the operation of urban passenger transport services. The Ficibus network has changed its logo, the buses will be revamped.
In Île-de-France, the company Keolis Argenteuil Boucles de Seine is starting to operate the DSP 33 allocated in February 2021 by Île-de-France Mobilités. The bus lines serve 9 municipalities in the east of the Saint-Germain Boucles de Seine urban community and the town of Argenteuil. This new contract mobilizes 220 vehicles and more than 500 employees. These lines were previously operated by two Transdev subsidiaries.
In October 2021, the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg retained the company Antoni (Prêt-à-Partir group) to operate the transport service for people with reduced mobility MobiStras. A dedicated company has been created: L’Alsacienne de Mobilités. The contract is for 3 years.
On November 25, 2021, the elected officials of the Le Creusot Montceau-Les-Mines Urban Community unanimously renewed their Transdev CMT delegate for 6 years for the operation of the MonRézo service.
Sytral has awarded operation of the Libellule network in Villefranche-sur-Saône to Transdev. The group created a dedicated company for this 6-year public service delegation: Transdev Villefranche Beaujolais. The previous operator was Keolis Villefranche-sur-Saône (formerly CarPostal Villefranche sur Saône).
In Isère, the Vienne Condrieu Agglomeration community council awarded Vienne Mobilités the DSP for operating the L’va public transport network on 9 November.
In Aix-les-Bains, RATP Dev remains the operator of the Ondéa network in Grand Lac, the Lac du Bourget urban community.
Les élus de Thonon Agglomération ont retenu le 23 novembre 2021 l’offre du groupement formé par RATP Dev et Borini pour l’exploitation
et la gestion des transports publics durant 7 ans. Le réseau sera renommé Star’t.
The Community of Communes Pays d’Évian Vallée d’Abondance launches its public transport network Eva’d. A public service delegation will begin in September 2022.
Public transport in Salon-de-Provence is operated by Transdev Alpilles Berre Méditerranée, replacing Keolis Salon de Provence (formerly CarPostal Salon de Provence). The service to Salonnais is part of the public service delegation for the Salon Étang Côte bleue sector, operated under the La Métropole Mobilité brand of the Métropole d’Aix-Marseille-Provence. This company has been operating the lines in the Vitrolles and Côte Bleue sector since July 2021.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, three public service concessions awarded by the South region for 8 years begin on January 1, 2022. Two lots are operated by Keolis Alpes Maritimes (Nice – Cannes or Antibes & Grasse – Vence) and one lot by Transdev Alpes Maritimes (Nice – Monaco – Menton). Low- or zero-emission vehicles will be put into service by the end of 2022 on these regular intercity lines.
In the Gers, Grand Auch Cœur de Gascogne has renewed the operator Keolis for 8 years to operate its Alliance network.
On December 20, 2021, the municipal council of Figeac awarded the new operating contract for 18 months.
The Bassin d’Arcachon Sud agglomeration community has renewed the Transdev contract for a further 7 years. The group has operated the Baïa network since its creation in 2007.
Keolis will continue to operate Horizon public transport in Châteauroux Métropole for another 6 years.
Evolution of the mobility payment
The main source of funding for public transport in urban areas, the mobility payment (VM) is a tax on wages collected by the authorities organizing mobility.
On January 1, 2022, we note changes in the rate in several agglomerations. The increases are of different kinds.
In some cities, it is a catch-up rate for some municipalities. Thus, on the territory of CA Bourg-en-Bresse, the municipalities which were at the rate of 0.4% go to 0.6%, approaching the rate of 0.8% currently in force in some of the municipalities of the agglomeration. Same situation in the agglomerations of Aix-les-Bains, Angoulême, Évreux, Épernay, Fécamp, Vichy, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, with a complete catch-up or which will continue over the years to come.
The rate increases in the cities of Argentan (+0.1 point), Bergerac (0.6%), Haguenau (up to 0.6%), Poitiers (1.8%), Saint-Étienne (2%) , Saint-Quentin (0.8%), Saint-Nazaire (from 1.5% to 1.75%), Sète (1.65%), but also in the territory of the Intercommunal Syndicate for Urban Transport of Calaisis ( 2%).
Some conurbations are taking the VM for the first time, such as Saint-Claude (CC Haut-Jura Saint-Claude, rate of 0.03%), or even the CA des Deux Baies in Montreuillois (Pas-de-Calais) with a rate of 0.8%.
The next increases in the VM will take place on July 1, 2022, these are rate catch-ups for certain municipalities in the agglomeration of Le Havre, Libourne, Louviers and Reims.
Network restructuring and extensions
The Tao network in Orléans Métropole, operated by Keolis, was restructured on January 3, 2022. To support this change, new buses were put into service, 12-meter Irizar ie-trams (electric) and 18-meter Iveco Crealis ( hybrids, diesel-electric).
In Bastia, public transport is modified on the occasion of the renewal of the public service concession. Via Bastia is the new name of the public transport service which will remain operated by the Société des Autobus Bastiais for 3 years.
The Lignes d’Azur network extends to the municipalities of Drap and Châteauneuf-Villevieille which have just joined the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis.
Tariff changes and development of intermodality
In the North, the Syndicat Mixte des Transports du Douaisis provides free access for all to the Evéole network.
In Lille, free access to the Ilévia network is granted to young people under 18 from the European Metropolis of Lille (MEL).
A new price list applies to the Evolity network in Montbéliard.
In Lamballe, the Distribus network adopts the KorriGo regional card. On the same medium, travelers will be able to load a Distribus + TER subscription with a 50% reduction on the bus.
Similarly, in the Landes, the SPL Trans-Landes and the RRTL are starting to issue Modalis cards, the intermodal ticketing system of the organizing authorities of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region managed by the mixed syndicate Nouvelle-Aquitaine Mobilités. These cards will gradually replace the rechargeable Passerelle cards on the Couralin, Yégo, BiscaBus networks and the regional coach lines in the Landes.
In addition, from the end of January 2022, it will be possible to validate with your contactless bank card on board the buses and trams of the Ginko network in Besançon.
Vehicles: new Euro VI Step E standard
European pollutant emission standards for thermal vehicles are tightening. The Euro VI Step E standard comes into force from January 1, 2022. This regulatory change has been the subject of different technological choices by manufacturers, changing the vehicles offered.
Thus, Daimler Trucks has not adapted its M 936 G engine running on natural gas to this new standard. The group favors developments in electromobility. The Mercedes-Benz Citaro NGT range of buses is therefore no longer marketed.
Iveco Group has decided to specialize Heuliez Bus in the production of electric buses. Diesel and diesel-electric hybrid models are removed from the catalog. The Iveco Urbanway natural gas bus is equipped with a new engine, in line with the new standard.
Commissioning of new vehicles
New vehicles are put into service at the start of the year. We see the collapse of orders for diesel buses.
Vannes Agglo’s Kicéo network is turning to electric mobility with the launch of a series of battery-powered Volvo 7900 Electric buses.
In Brest, three buses running on natural gas will be put into service in January by carriers chartered on the Bibus network. These are the first buses using this fuel in Brest. A public truck station, inaugurated at the end of 2021, will be used to fill them with locally produced gas fuel.
In Quimper, an Iveco Urbanway articulated bus running on natural gas arrived at the end of December 2021.
In Le Mans (Setram) and Toulouse (Tisséo) new buses powered by Mercedes-Benz Citaro NGT natural gas have been circulating for a few days.
The Strasbourg CTS network has just put the first new generation Iveco Urbanway Natural Power into service.
Finally, Châteauroux Métropole is preparing for the energy transition with a first stage, the opening at the end of January of a new, more spacious depot. This site will make it possible to store and maintain the entire current fleet and future hydrogen buses in good conditions.
2022, election year
Last November, the Union of Public and Rail Transport (UTP) published a manifesto for the attention of presidential candidates. This document lists 20 measures to give priority to public and rail transport in order to offer sustainable mobility services for all French people.
Follow transbus.org on social networks to discover even more novelties.
Happy new year !
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