swiss label - Com Consulting SA

The company’s aim is to manage the public transport services it provides within Lugano and the
surrounding area ever more efficiently and economically, by bringing to fruition important
projects fit for a region in the throes of constant development.
Director Franco Greco, what is TPL and when was it created?
TPL was created as a joint-stock company on 1 June 2000 against a
background of 103 years of experience in public transport services.
The legal form of a joint-stock company (SA) was considered the best
mechanism for getting both the communes and the canton involved
in the strategies and financing of the company, based on the public
transport legislation. For a company that wishes to be dynamic and
modern, it was an opportunity to define new strategies and to streamline
the decision-making process. Looking back over the past ten years, the
challenge has been successfully met, one only has to think of the
projects that have been completed, such as the renewal of the vehicle
fleet, the new machine shop, the collective agreement for employees
and the reorganisation of the lines that took place in 2002.
What are the main characteristics of the services you provide to customers?
TPL manages the public transport services in the city and the urban belt
(including school transport), with a fleet of some sixty modern vehicles,
from minibuses to 18-metre articulated buses. We also run the Stazione
and Monte Brè funicular railways, which attract ever-increasing
numbers of passengers. The aim is to provide a reliable and safe service,
with modern motor vehicles, professionalism (90% of journeys are on
time), and at reasonable cost. We want to offer an efficient service that
will persuade more and more people to use public transport.
What projects do you have in the pipeline for the next few years?
Among the projects that will make public transport even more efficient
I would mention the improvement of the information provided to
Swiss Label Ticino 2010
C O M PA N Y P RO F I L E
Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi SA
Ten years of modern and efficient public transport
© TPL
Chairman Paolo Beltraminelli
Presidente Paolo Beltraminelli
passengers at stops, which will complement the display system. By the
end of 2010, with the introduction of the “Comunità Tariffale
Integrale”, we will have replaced all our ticket machines, which will
enable passengers to travel all over the canton on the same ticket. And
next year, when the Vedeggio-Cornaredo tunnel opens, all the lines
will be reorganised and upgraded, while in 2012, when work starts
on restructuring the FFS station in Lugano, TPL plans to completely
renovate the funicular railway.
Chairman Paolo Beltraminelli, what are the characteristics required by a
transport company operating in a modern city like Lugano?
An urban transport company must be in touch with the needs of the
public, who want a widespread service that runs at frequent intervals
with maximum punctuality and at reasonable prices, basically one that
is attractive and user-friendly. That is our job (not always easy), which
we try to carry out to the best of our ability with comfortable buses
and respect for the environment, and well-trained and friendly staff. It
also requires a skilful and focused campaign in favour of using public
transport, since there is still enormous potential out there. Too many
people remain convinced that the car is the best and fastest means of
transport, although more and more are coming round to the idea that
our buses can get them around Lugano and its environs easily, quickly
and conveniently (especially with an Arcobaleno season ticket!).
What difference will the opening of the Vedeggio-Cornaredo tunnel make
to public transport in Lugano?
The main infrastructure will not change, but there will be more
connections to the station and the university and we will do all we can
to channel motorists exiting the tunnel into the Cornaredo park and ride,
whose capacity will be increased to 1200 spaces, and from where they
will be rapidly transported into the city. But the greatest challenge will
be to ensure that people can reach Lugano by public transport direct
from their own homes without having to use the car, and with an ever
improved service. The message applies not only to commuters, who
already use public transport regularly or park in the P&R, but above
all to the more than 35,000 cars that live in the city. Many car journeys
in Lugano are less than one kilometre and could easily be avoided.
TRASPORTI PUBBLICI LUGANESI SA
via Maraini 46 - CH-6963 Pregassona
Tel.: +41 (0)58 866 72 42
Fax: +41 (0)58 866 72 34
E-mail: info@tplsa.ch
Website: www.tplsa.ch
Tel. Season ticket office:
+41 (0)58 866 72 24/25
© TPL
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