Keolis Downer has won a contract to operate a French electric bus network
International public transport operator Keolis Downer has announced it has won a contract for the Perpignan Méditerranée Métropole public transport network with the objective of increasing ridership and speeding up the energy transition.
Keolis Downer was awarded the contract to oversee the operations and maintenance of its transport and mobility services.
From September 1, 2022, the operator will run the public transport network for eight-years, with a revenue of 295 million Euros.
Keolis Downer says it wants to grow the mobility offer in the French area as well as modernising information and distribution tools while launching the four high-performance 100 per cent electric bus lines.
By 2030, Keolis is committed to increasing sales revenues by 30.2 per cent while acting as a new operator to dynamise the mobility offer, modernise the network and contribute to the energy transition.
To achieve a seamless transition, Keolis Downer will take on the entire workforce from the previous operator and in line with the existing labour agreements.
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Working hand-in-hand with a new executive team, Keolis will ensure that the transfer of all personnel currently assigned to the subcontracted Sankéo services runs smoothly for its subcontractors.
From the first year of the contract, Keolis intends to significantly improve the customer experience, with enhanced passenger information, a new e-shop and a new single application integrating information on mobility and payment methods using the M’ticket solution.
From 2023, two new services will be deployed: post-payment allowing unlimited non-subscription travel at preferential prices for 10 trips or more, and open-payment enabling purchase of a single-trip ticket by swiping a credit card on the on-board ticket reader.
From 2023, the new “Pulséo” performance bus lines will be launched with the deployment of 20 100 per cent electric vehicles by the end of the contract.
Capitalising on its successfully restructured network in 2018, Perpignan Méditerranée Métropole aims to continue this momentum by implementing a new mobility offer that is connected, reinforced, and integrated., based on:
- Four high-performance “Pulséo” bus lines featuring extended service hours and new on-board services including wi-fi, USB ports and a heritage discovery application
- Four main lines, serving the towns of the first outer suburbs and the dense districts of Perpignan, with faster routes to the city centre
- Twenty daily express round trips to and from Perpignan city centre, ensuring up to 20 minutes of commute time savings for 20 towns
- Extended and modernised Transport On-Demand (TOD) services, covering all suburban areas and adapted to the specific needs of employees in large employment areas. Services will be available on reservation up to 1 hour or 30 minutes prior to the desired departure time, depending on the service.