SMBTA will rename its services Ales’Y by Bus, Ales’y Carpool, Ales’y by Bike and Ales’y by Scooter and has also announced the trial of a hydrogen-powered bus with Keolis.
The Syndicat Mixte des Transports du Bassin d’Alès (SMBTA), in France’s Gard region, is to rename its NTecC public transport network from April 2021.
All mobility services will be refashioned under the identity of Ales’Y as the public transport operator seeks to increase network ridership and commercial revenues by 28 per cent.
The transition will result in the deployment of France’s first public carpooling network, development of new mobility services as well as the introduction of hydrogen-powered buses. Services will be named Ales’Y by Bus, Ales’Y Carpool, Ales’Y by Bike and Ales’Y by Scooter.
This new public service concession, operated and maintained by Keolis and lasting nine years and eight months, is forecast to generate cumulative revenue of more than €120m.
Intended to serve the city of Alès and 101 other municipalities of the SMBTA, which has 147,000 inhabitants, the current network, called NTecC, is structured around 113 lines (13 urban, 25 suburban, eight lines serving the markets, 60 school lines and seven on-demand transport routes), city centre electric shuttles, and an electrically assisted bicycle rental service.
To respond more precisely to the mobility needs of this partly rural area, the future transport network will evolve by integrating 25 additional lines
In order to respond more precisely to the mobility needs of this partly rural area, the future transport network will evolve by integrating 25 additional lines and will benefit from numerous developments including:
Additionally, to help support the conurbation in its desire to accelerate the energy transition in its region, Keolis will initiate an evaluation process for vehicles running on alternative fuels. From May 2021,100 per cent hydrogen fuelled buses will be trialled on four lines of the network.
Further symbolising the modernisation of the network, passengers will be able to benefit from the Ales’Y mobile app from spring 2021, Keolis reports. Passenger information will be significantly enhanced through this app, which will enable customers to obtain real-time information about bus journeys.
Eventually, the entire fare range will go paperless and will be accessible directly from the website or on smartphones.
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