Moventis took part in the “4th Mobility Forum: efficient future of the transport industry” that took place on 7 July in Madrid and was organised by the elEconomista newspaper. The event gathered leading professionals from the transport sector to debate the main challenges and opportunities being faced by the industry. Juan Giménez, Managing Director of Moventis, was there on behalf of the company and took part in the second round table discussion alongside Andrés Ruiz (Grupo Ruiz), Rocío Abella (Deloitte), Florent Bannwarth (BlaBlaCar) and Miguel Ángel Uriondo (FlixBus). The session was moderated by the journalist specialising in the transport sector, Víctor de Elena.

In his presentation, Juan Giménez discussed the impact that migration and sociological changes are having on the demand for public transport. “We are witnessing a decentralisation phenomenon in our major cities that, alongside a trend among young people towards not owning a car, is driving an increased use of public transport”, he said. He went on to explain that this is accompanied by“a reduction in tariffs that has been key to revitalising demand”.

Juan Giménez presented the specific case of Catalonia with that context in mind, which has grown from six to eight million inhabitants within a very short space of time and forecasts suggest that figure will increase to ten million. “In order to respond to that reality, intercity transport will need to increase by at least 50% above current levels”, he stressed.

One of the strategic pillars for Moventis is the defence of public-private partnerships as an efficient transport management model. The managing director of the company pointed out that “the Government should focus on strategic planning for the service: setting tariffs and defining how often services run. However, the private operators are the ones with the knowledge, experience and resources to manage the day-to-day”. Furthermore, he warned of the risks behind a total deregulation of transport: “This could lead to only the most attractive routes being covered, leaving out others that are also necessary. The balance lies precisely in the mixed model that currently exists”.

Regarding the new Mobility Act, the Managing Director of Moventis expressed agreement with its objectives: “It stems from the previous legislature and its strong support for the sector, especially from Confebus and Atuc. We share its vision entirely: decarbonisation, promotion of public transport and a model that drives forward our society”. Nonetheless, he warned that the financing of public transport is still one of the main challenges. “We lack a stable framework, which leads to such problems as delayed payments to operators. This must be urgently resolved”, he said.

In terms of the concession map, Juan Giménez claimed that “it is hugely outdated, both at a Ministerial level and at the level of our regional government and local council authorities. This situation creates significant legal uncertainty, which is not good for anyone. Finishing that definition process is a major priority”.

Regarding the issue of sustainability, the commitment from Moventis is unwavering: “Our roadmap includes building a zero-emissions urban fleet by 2035. As things stand today, 55% of our total fleet (including the discretionary fleet) is sustainable—with electric, gas and Euro VI vehicles—and we expect to add 70 more electric and 15 more gas vehicles this year. Our commitment is clear”, he said. However, he acknowledged certain challenges in the intercity segment. “Electric vehicles work well on urban lines but not so much as part of the intercity model. Hydrogen is one option with a strong future, but the infrastructure is still lacking. We need strong support from the authorities to make progress in this regard”.

Finally, when asked about the outlook for the sector over the next decade, Juan Giménez was emphatic: “I see far more sustainable transport, more integrated, intermodal and advanced technologically-speaking. And, without a doubt, I see far stronger development of on-demand transport”.