Running Resilient Public Transport in the Alps with Ekkehard Allinger-Csollich, CEO, IVB

Welcome to the Mobility Redefined Podcast, where we explore governance, strategy, and innovation shaping how cities and regions are moving.

I am Dr. Kaan Yildizgoz and today I am delighted to welcome Ekkehard Allinger-Csollich, who is the CEO of

Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe und Stubaitalbahn . I hope that my German skills are not being tested now. That's very perfect. Thank you. thank you so much. And, IVB, we will call it in that way. for the further conversation. It's the operator serving Innsbruck and the surrounding, region in Austria, running trams, buses, and historic suburban railway across one of Europe's most distinctive Alpine environment.

eke, thank you so much for joining us for the Mobility defined today.

Yes. This beautiful, Alpine view.

And I would like to start with a question, around, around this, Innsbruck's Public Transport Network has to serve a year around resident population alongside a major seasonal tourism peaks, all within demanding alpine geography. How do you plan capacity and scheduling when demand swings show sharply between the ski season, summer season, everyday commuter traffic?

So how you are arranging your capacity offering based on this, seasonalities,

I think that's very, important. The key is to understand the demand patterns and protect reliability in the core network. And to keep enough operational flexibility for ski seasons, for summer tourism, for events, and for commuter peaks. I think that's the most important point. Of course, as a tourist, I want to have a perfect system, network of public transport, but our commuters, our pupils and our students, they have to use the system every day and they are the most important, guests that we have in an

alpine

The road space is limited. You have few. Space in our, narrow valleys. So the public transport is not only the public transport as we know it, in, in other region, but is an instrument to manage the space efficiently. And that's very important for the future if we say future demands of our mobility.

So I think we found a way to keep a stable timetable, which is easy to understand and which has enough capacity and which will meet the demands for all stakeholders holder groups. I think that's very possible. So the main lesson is that resilience is not only about vehicles and timetables, but it's a network that can absorb the changing demand through the day, through the year.

And that's very important to keep remaining understandable and dependable for all the passengers.

And I want to ask this integration in the context of, you are operating both urban network and historic, Stubaitalbahn in the regional rhyme.

what does genuine, multi model integration look like across the network,of the, what you are operating there?

So we start with the information, we start with the good infrastructure and a good operating system. Everything has to work together. The tariff structure, we have a very open tariff system. So our main target is not the single ticket. Our main target is a yearly abonnement. Ah, and, for example, in Innsbruck, every second person, every second citizen has a yearly abonnement.

I didn't see such figures in other cities. I don't know, I don't have a benchmark in my mind, but I'm just, I'm thinking more, but I didn't see a figure where, half of the customers are having an annual ticket that shows us their loyalty. they are loyalty. So it's great.

So I think that's very important to have this, let's say, to be very, I don't know the English word.so to be very, constant in our way.to make this offer for our people. And we want to go further. So we want to, we are building new infrastructure. Let's say, for example, the regional tram extension to Völs, that's the next community to Innsbruck.

We are building, tram, about five kilometres, about three really big bridges, and to strengthen the tram system in Innsbruck and to connect to the main,railway line of the ÖBB. So we can, let's strengthen our network as a whole system. And I think that's very important to see the IVB not as an only operator in Innsbruck.

So we have the, we have the other bus companies. We have the ÖBB and the network of a good public transport system operates within all operators, which are working there. So you can use our annual ticket in every railway, in every bus, everywhere as you like. You don't have to ask if you want to go in, you don't have to show the ticket if you go to run in, just step in just about, and it's done.

I tell them, guys, this is like asking to a question to a technician that whether the screwdriver is better or a hammer is better. They have different functions. And the most important is having an integrated system. Having an integrated system. That's what I am seeing now in, that's right.

Yes. Yes.

And that brings me to another discussion is on, sustainability in a mountain context. IVB operates in a region with a strong sustainable agenda, that's what I know as well, that you have this agenda. But you have a lot of technical constraints on the geography and so on. Where does EAB IVB currently stand on decarbonization and free transition?

so if you can give us some idea on this one Eke As well.

The, in motion charging system,are very important elements, but they are not simply a vehicle replacement programme. That's very important to see. You can't change from a diesel bus to electric bus just by changing the vehicles. You have to think more. That's very important. So the gradients in Innsbruck we have about 15% gradients on some street where we have to go up with our buses.

We have the winter conditions, we have to use vehicles where we can use chains, to go in the winter conditions. The charging strategy is very important. Our depot infrastructure is at the moment, very old. It's more than 70 years old. And we are not allowed to charge buses in our, in our bus parking sites because it's, under the earth.

It's, in a cellar and that we are not allowed to charge the buses because of fire, regulations. So the maintenance, the change in the workers in our, garage systems, and that's very important. And the energy system, everything has to be considered together. I think that's the most important point not to see decarbonization.

Okay, now we have electric buses and it's good. We have to see for the next 20, 30, 40 years how we can change the system in a way that it is fundable. because no, no city has money at the moment and we have to find a systemtoto make the stop decarbonization, with as low cost for the city as possible.

That's not so easy. So for me, the central message for a climate friendly operation is, we must work in a daily service. That's the most important point, not on strategy papers. And to see what we can perhaps do in the next 20 years. We need a good mix of technologies to be open-minded for all technologies, but to focus on the right and the reliable ones.

And, for every corridor it can be at the moment, not in 20 years perhaps, but it can be at the moment that we have for each corridor as different system. Why not at the moment? It must be reliable and we see how it'll develop this system in the next years.

but, the most important thing is that, we need a good fleet management. Good operation controls real time information for our customers. The customer communication is very important. So this, these are the main things we are working on. let's say from the, from the written things on the bus, from the digital, timetables on our stations.

This is very important, but we do it not for ourself. We do it not for the digitalization. For some companies, we are just doing it for our passengers, and that's always the first point which we have to have in mind. So it's always for our passengers and it not for a, let's say, a good thing. Now we are di digital in size, so they are helpful.

Digital tools are helpful when they make the system easier to use, but they may remain inclusive for residents and for the visitors. So at the moment, we always have to use. In parallel. Good analogue orientation systems. You do not have always your mobile phone at hand, that you do not drop like this through the town to find the bus.

Bus network systems. So you need good stations, good information at the stations. High quality transport offer is always made for humans, not for machines.

So if reliable and sustainable mobility is not provided, the costs will appear elsewhere in congestions, in emissions, in the loss of accessibility, in the reduced social way. And quality of life. Even.

They like to have their mobility in the town, and we can offer their social connectivity to the other people. I think that's very important. We, if we always say sustainability, we always forget, or not always, but most of the time we always say sustainability is climate protection. But for me, the most important thing is the social aspect of public transport.

We bring people together, which are not able to use their own car. And I think that's a very important point for the public transport system in towns.

And this brings me to another most important point is the workforce. public transport employees globally more than 10 million people and many cities, it is the largest employer at the city.

Bias, I don't know your case. But in many cities, that's what we are seeing as technology and sustainability targets are reshaping operations. How, IVB managing the human side of that transformation. and also how are, how you are facing with the current challenges, because we all know that there are driver availability, the challenges and so on.

So how, what, what challenges you are facing today and how we are approaching to this.

So that's a very important point, especially if you bring in a new system as we would like to do with the IMC trolley bus. So a complete new system, brought into our, company that's very, difficult to handle. So the transformation affects almost every part of a public transport company that's very important to see and at, at first.

So new vehicles, new energy systems, digital tools, changing the customer expectations, that's a very important point. so we need to have new skills in our operation systems, planning control centres, and the driving services. We have to, To force our drivers how to can handle with the new surrounding areas with more traffic with the customers and so on.

So I think successful change, therefore depends on an early involvement, clear communication, the practical training is very important. And the respect for the operational experience. You have to take all your employees with you on your journey to the change process. I think that's very important.

You have to start where you have to explain. So let's say for me, leadership in this case is, to create the orientation where we want to go, to explain why the change is necessary and where are the advantages of this change? You have to explain, that's very important. All the employees, they are very strong.

If they know why to have to do something and why we have to change things, that's the most important things. And so we, let's say participation in the most important processes is, I think, the key to a successful transformation.

before we conclude, it's, if you look for five years later, 10 years later, what does a successful public transport in Innsbruck and in your region look like in 2 35 and beyond?

We want to find a way to get, in every household, with the tickets.the next big step will be to strengthen the connection between Innsbruck and the surrounding with the, with the infrastructure of the new tram to fill with the strengthening of a regional line to the Stubaitalbahn. So that is very important to find a step by step, strengthening of this connection.

But if you need to add more buses and if going for electric, that may mean that you may add less buses and you may leave some customers on the street. That's right. So why we do this? So why you do this first, make sure that you are capturing, offering the right capacity, then offer this right capacity with the right technology.

Yeah, that's what I think that it is the most important. I think I see a lot of good points from your insights. I'm about to finish my new book, which will be published by end of this year. And I see there are a lot of elements. Maybe I should be including some points already,from you.

It's a very, it's a very good, it's a very good discussion that we are having.

And before we close, what is one message you would like to leave with the mobility leaders? looking to build systems that are not only technically advanced, but also the resilient and people centred.

So public transport is a shared investment and it's a shared investment in the future of the region. So it connects the people, the municipalities, the workplaces, education and public life. So it supports climate protection as well as social participation. And I think that's the very, important point to build a system for our, society to build, a, a system which is technically functioning, financially responsible, and of course useful for everyday life.

I think that's the most important point. I do not want to thinkin the early morning when I leave my home. How can I reach my destination for today? It should be clear and it should be clear that it can be done without my own car. Just to use public services, buses, trams, our bicycle network in Innsbruck.

That's the most important thing. And if you try to start this process in your mind, then you will see everything is possible.

it was really a pleasure. It was, we were learning. And also thanks to our listeners again, joining us for this, episode of Mobility Redefined. Mobility Redefined already crossed the two years time, so we have hosted multiple colleagues and now we, we hope that we will be continuing to host, such kind of insightful discussions, like what we had today with.

Eke. so thank you Eke once again.