In an optimal situation, an interregional learning event brings together a group of experts and an active audience with sharp questions. That was the case in the learning event Procurement and Tendering of Electric Buses, which took place on 16 September 2021. The event started with a video in which the participants were shower around in Utrecht with the help of a video about sustainable public transport in Utrecht
In her opening presentation, Marjoke de Boer, Lecturer at HU University of Applied Sciences, outlined the different value chains contexts in the project regions Turku, Hamburg, Utrecht, Péks/Paks, Livorno and Malta. Public transport is arranged either by public and/or private actors. The division varies between the regions and effects on performing the tendering either as public tendering procurement or as awarding the tender.
The following presentations offered the public transport companies viewpoint to their experiences with the tendering process. Emiliano Cipriani, Manager at Public Transport company CTT Nord in Livorno in Italy, shared the company’s experiences with one of the crucial selection criteria: batteries warranty. The uncertainty of its lifetime poses a risk to the operator.
Balázs Kiss, the External expert for Paks Transport Ltd. in Hungary, shared the essentials of the Paks case by explaining the methods of financing and procurement, the network implementation, the company creation and the future plans.
According to Quinten Passchier, Market Development Director at Qbuzz in Utrecht, Netherlands, the company has experiences with various manufacturers and charging systems. He also stated that the battery capacity is a large issue. One of the energy- and battery-consuming solutions is air conditioning. Yet, it is crucial to keep the driver and customers' conditions pleasant.
One of the ideas presented by Pieter Tanja, Management Consultant in Sustainable Mobility at Tanja Topconsult, the Netherlands, was the three-step approach. The idea is to first search for the components, then do market research to get information about the total cost of ownership, and at last deal with the financial arrangement.
Gerard Hellburg, Program Manager Clean & Sustainable by Transport region of Amsterdam, Netherlands illustrated, for example, the three components or targets: cleaner energy, cleaner vehicles and cleaner infrastructure and production. Also, he presented the financial solutions in the past, today and in the future plans.
All the presentation slides are available in the eBussed library: https://www.interregeurope.eu/ebussed/library/
