Moventia and TRAM renew their commitment to Sant Joan de Déu

Moventia and TRAM have renewed their support for the project aimed at providing easier access to mobility for the homeless people being helped by Sant Joan de Déu Servicios Sociales – Barcelona. This partnership, which is one of the projects being organised by the two businesses as socially responsible companies, represents a contribution of 60,000 euros per year towards providing easier access to public transport for the people supported by various social service programmes run by the organisation.

 

The project seeks to offer free access to public transport in the city of Barcelona and surrounding areas for the homeless people being looked after by the various direct support programmes run by Sant Joan de Déu Servicios Sociales – Barcelona so they can attend their training, employment or job search activities, medical appointments, regain their network of social and family relationships, engage in socialisation support activities (including leisure and cultural activities) and any other type of procedure or activity coordinated with the social workers of Sant Joan de Déu to help them take back control of their life.

 

Mobility is one of the key aspects that are essential in combating social exclusion. The programme launched by Sant Joan de Déu with support from Moventia and TRAM helps to reduce this inequality – a problem encountered by many people – by facilitating travel on public transport. Moventia has adopted a clear commitment to people in this regard and beyond its employees, users and customers. In line with UN SDG 17 ‘Partnerships for the Goals’, Moventia and TRAM develop in-house programmes and, as is the case on this occasion, partner with non-profit entities and foundations to promote a better society and contribute towards improving quality of life for the most vulnerable.

 

The funding received has already impacted the lives of more than 2,200 people over the five years of this partnership, all of them men and women aged between 18 and 65 supported by Sant Joan de Déu Servicios Sociales – Barcelona on the programmes it runs in the city. In addition, and in response to the COVID-19 situation, part of the contribution in 2021 was used on a line of financial aid to make rent payments on behalf of vulnerable households in order to prevent them from potentially losing their homes.

 

                           

Public transport, a tool for inclusion   

The partnership renewal event was attended by the Corporate Deputy Chairwoman for Internal and Institutional Communication of Moventia, Sílvia Martí; the General Manager of TRAM, Humberto López Vilalta; the Director of Sant Joan de Déu Servicios Sociales – Barcelona, Salvador Maneu; and the Director of Obra Social Sant Joan de Déu, Oriol Bota.

 

During the conversation, public transport was highlighted as an essential tool that enables people to engage in daily life, such as studying, working or maintaining a social network, and is especially important for those homeless people needing to access various public resources throughout the city of Barcelona and its metropolitan area. Furthermore, access to transportation allows them to enjoy additional activities that directly impact their recovery because they strengthen social and community ties.

 

The meeting was also an opportunity for these representatives from the two companies to visit the new dentistry clinic for people with no financial resources that is jointly managed by SJD Servicios Sociales Barcelona and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona, and funded by Barcelona City Council and internal funding from Sant Joan de Déu.

The gas refuelling station used by the TIB fleet in Calvià opens to the public

The Mobility and Housing Councillor, Josep Marí, together with the Mayor of Calvià, Alfonso Rodríguez, the Director-General for Mobility and Terrestrial Transportation, Jaume Mateu, and the Managing Director of the Mallorca Transport Consortium, Maarten Johannes van Bemmelen, officially opened the gas refuelling station used by the TIB fleet in Calvià (Mallorca, Balearic Islands) to the public earlier today.

The Managing Director of Moventia, Josep Maria Martí, and other representatives from the company managing the gas refuelling station, as well as the new intercity public transport concession for the western region since the start of the year, also attended the event.

Located at the TIB depot on the Son Bugadelles industrial estate, the gas refuelling station has been supplying compressed natural gas (CNG) to the 50-strong TIB bus fleet owned by Moventis since January. From today, it will also be open to the public for the CNG refuelling of private cars, trucks, coaches and vans.

The Mayor of Calvià expressed gratitude for the Council’s support and its sensitivity to public transport in Calvià. “By opening this gas refuelling station to the public”, he said, “we are taking another step towards reducing our environmental impact and highlighting the commitment from Moventis to making it easier for the public to use this infrastructure”.

The Managing Director of Moventia, Josep Maria Martí, said that, “from today, anyone with a gas-powered vehicle will be able to fill their tank at this refuelling station. This is a clear step forward in making it easier for drivers and in promoting the purchase of this type of vehicle, in short, in achieving more sustainable mobility”.

In turn, the Mobility and Housing Councillor said that “we are very happy to be able to bring this infrastructure to the entire population. We need to maintain progress on the energy transition, and this is another step in that process”.

The gas refuelling station offers a rapid refuelling service for compressed natural gas and has two supply lanes with NGV1 and NGV2 pumps. It is a self-service facility for which card payment is required. The public opening times are: Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00 and Saturdays from 08:00 to 14:00.

Redexis, a company operating in the energy sector, was responsible for building the gas refuelling station and for laying the gas pipeline branches. The TIB fleet has other gas refuelling stations in Felanitx, Artà, Alcúdia and Inca. Those facilities are used to refuel buses and vehicles owned by the TIB operators. The companies are currently studying the possibility of offering the service to other groups.

CNG is a real alternative to oil-based fuels as it reduces CO2 emissions by 30% and NOx emissions by up to 75%. Furthermore, it eliminates exhaust pipe particulate emissions and practically all sulphur oxide emissions. Its use helps to improve environmental quality in cities and represents a commitment to an environmentally sustainable transport model. The demand for these vehicles continues to grow: according to data from the Gasnam association, the registration of new CNG vehicles rose by 167% in January and February of 2020 when compared with the same months in the previous year to a total of 1,635 new units on the road.

Moventia Welcomes Ms Mercè Rius from the Generalitat de Catalunya

We were recently visited by Ms Mercè Rius, Director General of Transport and Mobility, along with Mr Josep Maria Fortuny, Deputy Director General of Transport Planning and Sector Development, both from the Generalitat de Catalunya government.

The visit was divided into two parts, the first of which took place at the Moventia corporate office in the city of Sant Cugat del Vallès, where they were able to observe first-hand how the Moventia corporate team has been organized ever since it moved to the new Moventia site in 2019. The visitors saw and evaluated the company’s flexible cross systems in addition to the state-of-the-art technology supporting them. They also had the opportunity to find out about the different areas related to the passenger transport division, Moventis. Those responsible for corporate tasks were able to explain their various projects and responsibilities to the Director General as well as how they are working to adapt to the crisis caused by the pandemic and focusing on enhancing rolling stock to offer more sustainable services. 

The second part was a visit to the new garage Moventis recently opened in Sabadell. This base, which is used by Sarbus and La Vallesana, has the capacity to house 170 buses, a car wash and a fuel supply area. The more than 23,700 m2 in Sant Pau de Riu-sec (Pausec) is home to three business divisions (Sarbus-La Vallesana, Vallès de Automoción and Stern Motor) in order to provide fast, quality integrated sales and after-sales services with commercial vehicles, vans and industrial transport.

Julia Gilavert Participates in the International Mobility Congress

With the slogan “Drive into Innovation”, the first edition of the International Mobility Congress was held on 21st and 22nd September. Over the two days, 70 speakers discussed global success stories and debated the future of mobility. Nearly 800 professionals attended the event with 30% of them connected via streaming.

Julia Gilavert, Director of Moventis Illes, participated along with Mario Canet, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) and Antonio Cendrero, Arriva Spain, in the roundtable “Low-Emissions Buses. Enhanced Energy Efficiency and User Experience” during which the usage experience and advantages of the different energy models, including electric, hydrogen and gas, were debated. Julia underlined the virtues of #CompressedNaturalGas in comparison to other existing models. The three participants concluded that the future is uncertain and, in all likelihood, the three energy models will eventually live together.

Sant Cugat Empresarial Presents its Strategy to the Town Council

During an institutional visit, the Mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès, Mireia Ingla, welcomed a representative group of the Sant Cugat Empresarial board of which Silvia Martí has been a member since last June. Also present at the event was the Deputy Mayor for Economic Promotion, Employment, Business and Commerce, Elena Vila.

During the meeting, the highest-ranking member of Sant Cugat Empresarial, Jaume Vives, Chairman and Managing Director of Roche Diagnòstics, told the Mayor of Sant Cugat about the association’s main strategic lines for the next three years. A decision was made to create a mixed commission to monitor various urban development, economic and business invigoration issues.

Moventia is a part of Sant Cugat Empresarial with the aim of working together with other companies in the area to generate more and better economic development for local businesses, support and mentor local entrepreneurs and start-ups, foster corporate social responsibility activities among associated companies and establish forward-looking ties between schools, universities and businesses.

 

picture: Sant Cugat Empresarial

Moventis Group’s Autocares Emilio Seco Invests 4 Million Euros in its All-New Hybrid Fleet

  • With this investment, the Moventis discretionary services company has renewed 65% of its fleet transforming 25 coaches to compressed natural gas with the ECO seal.
  • Autocares Emilio Seco is also starting this second half of the year having renewed its agreement with the Balearic Islands Regional Department of Education to provide school transport services. Likewise, it has signed new contracts as a school and handicapped mobility and transport operator on Majorca.
  • The company has unveiled its new more modern and dynamic corporate identity which was inspired by the concept of connectivity and reflects its 50 years of experience in the sector.

 

Barcelona, September 2021. Autocares Emilio Seco, the Moventis discretionary services company on Majorca, is starting off the second half of 2021 at full speed. The company has become an even stronger sector reference in sustainable mobility after investing 4 million euros into renovating and reconverting its fleet of coaches to make them sustainable.

This investment was used by Autocares Emilio Seco to add 25 compressed natural gas (CNG) hybrid models with the ECO seal. The operation boosted the transformation of its fleet, which is currently comprised of 65% CNG models with the ECO seal, as well as a company action under its commitment to reduce its impact on the environment. This is also a priority goal for the Moventis group which includes Autocares Emilio Seco.

In fact, nearly 50% of the Moventis fleet of buses, coaches, tramways and bikes has been converted into electric, hybrid and natural gas or diesel models that comply with the Euro VI regulation, which is the most recent and restrictive when it comes to reducing contaminating emissions.

Trust in a Company with 50 Years of Experience in the Sector

Autocares Emilio Seco is fully consolidated as a reference in mobility and transport on the Balearic Islands and more specifically on Majorca. Its 50 years of success have earned it the trust of local users and entities who enjoy its services daily.

Thus, the company was able to renew its contract to provide the transport services it had been providing to the Balearic Islands Regional Department of Education. Specifically, it operates 60 routes moving 3,000 boys and girls every day and has done so for 4 years. Added to this are two additional adapted transport services which position Autocares Emilio Seco as the main school and PRM transport operator on the island of Majorca.

The company also recently signed a contract with the Town Hall of Calviá (Majorca) to operate discretionary transport services in that town. These services are for certain groups of residents in the municipality of Calviá such as the elderly, school cultural excursions as well as specific services for people with reduced mobility.

Finally, Autocares Emilio Seco also began school services in September for the Town of Calviá sailing school centres.

Miquel Martí Pierre, Managing Director of Moventis Discretionary Services, said, “A commitment to innovation, excellent service and the environment is in the Moventis DNA. It’s a commitment that moves us to work every single day with all of the group’s companies in order to turn it into a reality. In the case of Autocares Emilio Seco, it’s a step forward as the collective transport leader on Majorca.”

He also said, “The renewed and new contracts for Majorca back our good work and push us to continue working in this strategic line of technology and sustainability.”  

A New Corporate Identity as the Symbol of Evolution and Service Excellence

After 50 years, Autocares Emilio Seco now has an all-new more modern and dynamic corporate image with a new logo inspired by the concept of connectivity in conjunction with the idea that mobility connects us. It is also a reflection of the company’s evolution and professionalism in the services it offers customers.

Thus, all Autocares Emilio Seco vehicles and professionals will now sport this new corporate identity which represents the beginning of a new era for the company with its commitment to excellent services and the environment.

In the words of Emilio Seco, Manager of Autocares Emilio Seco, “We’re quite pleased to start this final leg of 2021 with these great new developments considering it’s been a really complicated year for us and the entire sector in general. At Emilio Seco, we have always been close to our customers with a desire to meet their mobility needs by developing innovative environmentally-friendly transport solutions.” He added, “We’re proud to see just how far we’ve got in the last half century and will continue working day after day to ensure our customers can enjoy the best in mobility.”

Moventis Stands Out as a Transport Operator for Various Entities

A number of service contracts have been signed recently deriving from public tenders awarded to Moventis group companies in Catalonia.

Thus, Moventis will operate school transport services for the district Consejo Comarcal del Vallès Occidental through its companies Izaro and Calella, handling the local primary and secondary school routes on a 5-year contract which once again positions the group in the region as the leader in collective transport just as it historically has been. Along the same lines, a contract has also been signed with the district Consejo Comarcal del Gironès, under which Izaro and SARFA will manage some transport services.

Also in the school transport business, the contract with the district Consejo Comarcal del Baix Llobregat has been renewed so that the same services it has been offering will continue in addition to others which Izaro will operate along with TCC.

In the field of sports, four of the major Catalan clubs: Girona Fútbol Club and C. E. Sabadell, Básquet Girona and Unió Esportiva Costa Brava, have placed their trust in the Moventis Group as Autocares Calella will handle the athletes’ travel throughout the championship.

What’s more, Moventis will continue accompanying the Symphonic Orchestra of El Vallès for all of its travel throughout the territory, thereby reaffirming the commitment to support culture as is evident after having been awarded the Entity Committed to Culture Seal from the Catalonia Culture Foundation in collaboration with the Universitat de Girona Chair of Social Responsibility.

Other public entities have continued trusting in Moventis transport services for their personnel travel such as the Photonic Science Institute (ICFO), which has extended its service contract for the next 5 years. On the other hand, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) has also renewed its personnel transport service contract for another year. Both of these services are operated by Izaro.

Finally, the contract for the FGC Vallvidrera Cable Car replacement services was once again awarded to Izaro this summer.

It’s all no doubt thanks to the great work done by Moventia personnel.

CityBike Presents the New Stockholm Public Bicycle Service

CityBike Global chose VAIMOO as a strategic partner for the supply of electric bikes for this new public service in the Swedish capital which is expected to be one of the largest in Europe and the world.

CityBike Global, the leading micro-mobility company in Europe and Latin America, which belongs to Moventia Group, was awarded the public electric bike service in the city of Stockholm after signing an agreement with the city council to implement this new mode of transport throughout the city. The company is thus reinforcing its European presence and consolidating its international leadership in public shared bike services which are already being offered in cities like Helsinki, Paris and Lima.

For this new project, which is expected to be one of the largest in Europe and the world, CityBike Global chose VAIMOO as a strategic partner to supply the more than 5,100 smart electric bikes needed. Its experience supplying these types of models in other European biking mobility capital cities like Copenhagen, Rotterdam and in the United Kingdom, made it the best choice for City Bike Global for the provision of this service in Stockholm. In fact, the Stockholm e-bike is a version of the CES 2021 award-winning VAIMOO e-bike which has been specifically adapted to meet the city’s mobility needs.

The new e-bike sharing programme in the Swedish capital will equip the city with thousands of new efficient and sustainable vehicles considering this bike model’s recycled aluminium frame and fast large-capacity interchangeable battery. Available 24 hours a day all year long, the electric bikes will be connected to a flexible management system which can be integrated with those already existing to help decongest urban traffic. This flexible system can set up virtual stations where vehicles can be parked after each trip.

As stated by Jordi Cabañas, CEO of CityBike Global, “We’re proud to have been chosen by the city as a partner to operate this strategic service which will provide the citizens of Stockholm with an alternative active mobility choice. This new CityBike project reinforces our position as a European leader in public micro-mobility services.”

“This agreement takes VAIMOO electric bikes to another world biking capital,” said Matteo Pertosa, CEO and Founder of VAIMOO, adding, “The tie to CityBike Global in the Stockholm project is a source of great pride for me personally as well as for the entire VAIMOO team, which is continuously committed to designing and implementing public biking systems that can be easily integrated for alternative, sustainable and inclusive mobility.”