International Transit Supplier News Roundup for June 2021

The first pre-production Coradia Polyvalent France-Germany cross-border train left the Alstom Reichshoffen site on May 12, for the DB Systemtechnik test center in Minden, Germany, where it will undergo its first tests for certification and approval. Mechanical tests will be conducted to check how the train behaves in curves. It will then go to the Velim test center in the Czech Republic, where it will undergo traction, braking, electro-magnetic and acoustic stress tests.

The VVB in Völklingen, Germany, partnered with the INIT Group for the planning and optimized operation of its upcoming delivery of electric buses. eMOBILE-PLAN from INIT Mobility Software Solutions (formerly initplan) is being used for forecasting of blocks and duties to ensure reliable and economical scheduling. Due to the system’s flexible and modular architecture, the eMOBILE-PLAN integration was possible within just a few days, so that planning could begin quickly. Optimized blocks and duties for the entire fleet have already been generated for this fall when the first two e-buses arrive, but VVB will also use eMOBILE-PLAN for deployment scenarios for its additional e-buses, which will be purchased within the next few years.

Keolis Downer, Keolis’ Australian subsidiary, was awarded an eight-year contract to operate and maintain 406 buses in Greater Sydney for Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) starting Oct. 31, 2021. It is the first time this network will be managed by a private operator. To improve the passenger experience and boost ridership, Keolis Downer has committed to enhance transport services and facilitate the network’s energy transition by introducing 125 electric buses by 2030.

In other news concerning Keolis, the company was awarded a new contract by the public transport administration in Uppsala to operate a large fleet of alternative energy buses. Uppsala County is approximately 43 miles north of Stockholm, Sweden. The nine-year contract is valued at approximately €540 million (US$659.74 million) and gives Keolis responsibility to operate and maintain a completely new bus fleet running on biogas and biodiesel from June 2022. The new contract grows Keolis' footprint in Sweden, where it has been operating alternative energy urban bus networks since 2003.

Stadler Rail Valencia will build 15 UT 115 electrical trains for Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya’s Vallès underground line in Catalonia, Spain. Masats will supply Stadler Rail with the 360 passenger doors and 60 automatic cabin doors for the trains. The passenger doors will be high-performance double 00Gc electric sliding doors and the cabin doors will be one-leaf electric sliding doors.