Summary

In large parts of Europe, the public transport services are operated under concessions from local and regional authorities. Concessions are allowed after a competitive tendering procedure in which the authorities lay down the demands the operators should meet. Novem has developed a tool (STEPUP - Strategic Tool for Ecological Public Transport) to stimulate public transport authorities - and through them the operators - to consciously assess the energy and environmental aspects of the service and plan for gradual improvements. The tool makes a balance sheet of extra costs for investment in cleaner and alternative fuel options for buses, on the one hand, and ecological benefits, on the other, in order to support transport authorities in decision-making. Novem has applied the tool in several cases in the Netherlands since 2000. The objective of the OPET project was to update, improve and disseminate the tool for use by, in principle, all OPETs. The improved STEPUP was made available to the other participating OPETs (STEM, Motiva and VTC/VITO), who were trained in applying the tool and disseminated information about the tool to local authorities and public transport companies in their countries. STEPUP is available, free of charge, to all OPETs and other organisations.

This case study is one of 31 Good Practice Case Studies published by the OPET Network in 2005