PostBus in France

 

CarPostal Dole SAS (Franche-Comté)

Dole was the first city in France to transfer its urban network operations to PostBus. The network was restructured over a period of five years. A transport service was developed to meet the specific needs of the population of Dole and a range of new services was introduced, including the on-demand bus service, based on the Swiss PubliCar system.

In September 2009, PostBus's service mandate was renewed for a further seven years, allowing it to operate throughout the entire agglomeration community of Grand Dole with immediate effect.

No. of inhabitants (conurbation)	52’000
Network structure	6 scheduled routes, 6 dial-a-ride routes, 2 free shuttles in the town centre, 13 school bus routes
No. of vehicles	17
No. of employees	30
Annual turnover in CHF million	3.8
No. of kilometres travelled annually in million	0.8
Start of operations	1.7.2009

  

CarPostal Bourg-en-Bresse SAS (Rhônes-Alpes)

In January 2006, the Bourg-en-Bresse region handed over the management of its urban transport network to PostBus. Forty years on from its establishment in 1966, the Bourg-en-Bresse urban transport network (TUB – Transports Urbains de Bourg-en-Bresse) began a new chapter in its life. PostBus took on the challenge of serving this 75,000-strong community, of whom 37,000 are regular bus passengers and 4,000 students.  Following a year of research, the company demonstrated its expertise by restructuring the network. The TUB network was developed in particular through the creation of a new route, intervals of just 15 minutes between services operating on its two main routes and a "shuttle service" running every six minutes between the town centre and the train station. This redistribution of services was accompanied in January 2007 by the introduction of an on-demand bus service for people with limited mobility: Viva'tel. This service complements the Pass'tel on-demand service.

No. of inhabitants (conurbation)	75’000
Network structure	8 scheduled routes, 7 virtual on-demand routes, 1 on-demand service for people with limited mobility (zonal service)
No. of vehicles	35
No. of employees	86
Annual turnover in CHF million	6.2
No. of kilometres travelled annually in million	1.9
Start of operations	1.1.2006
Link	www.tub-bourg.frThe link will open in a new window

  

CarPostal Haguenau SAS (Alsace)

In August 2006, the transport association of Haguenau and Schweighouse sur Moder unveiled its new urban transport network. By introducing a user-friendly means of transport which is accessible to all and which offers frequent, regular services, with an emphasis on scheduled routes and intermodality, its aim – in partnership with PostBus France – was to provide the inhabitants of the two communities with an alternative to the car.

More than four years on, the Moder intercommunal transport network (RITMO – Réseau Intercommunal de Transport de la Moder) is still in operation. Passenger numbers and feedback indicate that this simple and practical transport system adequately meets the needs of a large number of inhabitants.

No. of inhabitants	39,000
Network structure	4 scheduled routes, 7 school bus routes, 2 virtual routes, 1 zonal on-demand service
No. of vehicles	18
No. of employees	29
Annual turnover in CHF million	2.6
No. of kilometres travelled annually in million	0.7
Start of operations	1.8.2006
Link	www.ritmo.frThe link will open in a new window

  

CarPostal Mâcon SAS

In July 2009, the intercommunal urban transport association of Mâconnais-Val de Saône (SITUM - Syndicat Intercommunal des Transports Urbains du Mâconnais-Val de Saône) entrusted PostBus with the operation of its transport network. The services offered by PostBus comprise six urban routes, of which two run every 25 minutes on average between 6.15 a.m. and 8 p.m., scheduled school routes served by coaches and buses and an on-demand system for peripheral regions and during non-timetabled hours.

No. of inhabitants	65,000
Network structure	6 urban routes, 10 scheduled urban routes serving schools, 7 scheduled interurban routes serving schools, 1 on-demand service TAD (virtual routes and zonal services)
No. of vehicles	31 urban vehicles and 17 buses
No. of employees	49
Annual turnover in CHF million	4,5
No. of kilometres travelled annually in million	1,25
Start of operations	1.7.2009
Link	www.trema-bus.frThe link will open in a new window

  

CarPostal Villefranche-Sur-Saône SAS

The community of Villefranche-Sur-Saône, located 30 km north of Lyon, awarded the operation of its bus network (five scheduled urban transport routes, four school routes and an on-demand system) to PostBus France.

PostBus has been contracted to operate this network for a period of six years beginning on 1 January 2010. Its fleet comprises 28 community-owned vehicles, eight of which are new. These vehicles are operating on the newly restructured routes from 23 August 2010.

PostBus is applying its expertise in scheduling and intermodality to implement an ambitious transport project to create a perfectly scheduled network with services that run every 15 or 20 minutes between 5.30 a.m. and 9.30 p.m., offering passengers ideal connections with trains running to and from Lyon

CarPostal Agde SAS

On 1 March 2010, the community of Hérault Méditerranée entrusted PostBus France with the management of its new urban network.

The Cap’bus network provides the inhabitants of 19 municipalities with better access to the area's main economic, administrative, healthcare, cultural, tourist and sports locations. All passengers benefit from an attractive fare – among the cheapest in France – allowing them to travel anywhere in the region on new, air-conditioned, Euro 5 low-floor buses for just EUR 1.

Cap’bus also offers an on-demand service for passengers living in the peripheral regions of Agde and Pézenas. This service operates from Monday to Saturday and can be requested by calling the Cap'bus office.

During the course of the summer season, more than 350,000 tourists flock to the region each month. Throughout this period, Cap'bus extends its offering to include three shuttle services to and from the local beaches.

No. of vehicles:	17
No. of employees:	13
No. of km travelled annually in millions:	0.4
Start of operations:	01.03.2010
Link:	www.capbus.frThe link will open in a new window

  

CarPostal Pyrénées SAS

Narbonne

Established in September 2008 in Narbonne, CarPostal Interurbain specializes in occasional transport. An uncontested player in the field of local tourism, PostBus works with numerous local partners as well as national partners for many of its foreign destinations (UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, etc.). The vehicles used are equipped with air conditioning, DVD players and toilets. They can seat up to 63 people.

No. of vehicles	18
No. of employees	15
No. of km travelled annually in millions	0.75 Narbonne
Start of operations	Narbonne 1.9.2008
Link	www.carpostal.frThe link will open in a new window

  

CarPostal Méditerranée SAS

Hérault

The Council of Hérault awarded CarPostal Interurbain three scheduled routes and a school bus service in the areas of Agde, Béziers and Montpellier. Around fifty vehicles operate throughout the department, transporting passengers and school children along the main routes:

• Montpellier-Sète
• Montpellier-Pézenas
• Montpellier-Béziers
• Agathois area

All vehicles are brand new and those running on the scheduled routes are all air-conditioned, as are the majority of vehicles operating on the school routes. PostBus is also developing tourist and occasional business with a number of its local partners.

No. of vehicles	54
No. of employees	66
No. of km travelled annually in millions	1.9
Start of operations	Agde 15.7.2009
Link	www.carpostal.frThe link will open in a new window

  

CarPostal Interurbain SAS

Grenoble

On 1 September 2009, the Council of Isère awarded PostBus Interurbain the mandate to operate the Express Crolles-Grenoble-Voiron route.  CarPostal Interurbain transports some 5,000 passengers daily as part of this service. In December 2009, a further two scheduled urban routes serving the municipalities of Grésivaudan were added. In addition to its scheduled routes, CarPostal Interurbain is also developing various partnerships to tap into tourist and occasional business – notably winter transfer services to ski areas.

No. of vehicles	41
No. of employees	54
No. of km travelled annually in millions	2.5
Start of operations	1.9.2009
Link	www.carpostal.frThe link will open in a new window

CarPostal Bourgogne Franche-Comté SAS

Mâcon

PostBus wanted to extend its urban network services in the agglomeration community to include interurban transport for schoolchildren and an on-demand service. CarPostal Interurbain has also prioritized tourist business from Mâcon and around a dozen vehicles are now devoted entirely to this service.

Dole

PostBus wanted to invest in interurban transport by offering school bus routes in the community of Grand Dole. Around a dozen vehicles from the agglomeration communities currently serve the schools in Dole. The free city-centre shuttle service also forms part of the CarPostal Interurbain offering.

No. of vehicles:	29
No. of employees:	34
No. of km travelled annually in millions:	0.6
Start of operations:	Dole: 01.07.2009 Mâcon: 01.07.2009
Link:	www.carpostal.frThe link will open in a new window