-Avanza has services and destinations throughout the Spanish geography but, specifically, what services does it offer in the province of Malaga?
-Avanza on the Costa del Sol operates different concessions or contracts of various kinds. The largest is the regional concession for regular passenger transport by road between Malaga and Algeciras, but we also manage several urban networks such as those in Marbella, Benalmádena and Torremolinos.
In the province of Malaga we touch all the sticks of road mobility, which implies the challenge of managing a complex network. Thus, we have long-distance, commuter, urban, discretionary services, and passenger stations. In addition to lines that connect with the airport, with services coordinated with other operators to reach other provinces, and even with an Agreement with Renfe that allows us to offer connections between Marbella, Estepona and Madrid. And our intention is to continue growing and to modify all aspects of our offer that allow us to get closer to our clients, both travelers and Administrations, to solve their mobility needs and that they always consider us a real and quality alternative with respect to the modes of private transport. As for how we do it, we are constantly reviewing the networks and monitoring how demand behaves, and we are very dynamic when it comes to modifying schedules, routes or frequencies. We are also introducing new modes of transport, adapting to new trends, such as transport on demand in areas with low traffic.
-Approximately 700 workers and a fleet of 200 vehicles. In these times, Avanza is being a fundamental pillar for the economy of hundreds of families, right?
-The person is at the center of our values. We understand transportation as an activity that is carried out by and for people, and all our decisions take this factor into account. Avanza workers have set an example of professionalism, guaranteeing an essential service such as transportation. The company has been taking care of all of us who work here, but I insist that guaranteeing mobility in these difficult times has allowed essential services to function. Transport is a fundamental actor in economic activity. We depend a lot on this activity, but we also generate it. Without quality transport, ‘a given area cannot develop the dynamism it needs to be an economic engine.
We can never lose sight of the impact on the quality of life of citizens that public transport gains market share compared to private vehicles. We assume that responsibility with enthusiasm and also seriously, and more at this time. We must do our homework, always maintaining an attractive quality offer for travelers and involving the Administration so that they support us in everything necessary in order to be able to offer the required quality in times that are still very difficult, when demand is still far from recovering. at prepandemic levels.
-We should not focus only on buses, since Avanza is specialized in global mobility. What other modes of transportation does it operate?
-At Avanza we define ourselves as a global operator. Not only because we are present, as MobilityADO, in several countries, but because we operate all modes of public passenger transport.
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In Spain we are the leading private operator of urban and metropolitan bus services, but we are also a rail operator: we manage the Zaragoza tram and the Granada Metro. We also manage more than thirty passenger stations in Spain, including the Madrid South Station, the largest in this country. We do not lose sight of other less massive modes of transport, such as bicycles, and neither do other modes of individual mobility such as scooters.
The operation of different modes of transport is one of our strengths, something that allows us to offer intermodal solutions where our presence is important. This intermodality is increasingly in demand, since travelers require multimodal chains that offer them the possibility of making a complete itinerary in different stages according to their needs.
– “Improving the quality of life through mobility”, a mobility that is becoming more and more sustainable. How does Avanza contribute to this energy transition?
-Within our strategic vision the energy transition is vital, because it is where the market is heading, both at the regulatory level and at the level of social awareness. Increasing the share of bus transport in general mobility ratios is in itself the most decisive fact, since it means removing private vehicles from the streets and highways and, therefore, reducing the impact of harmful emissions . If the buses also move with non-polluting energy, we close the circle. That is why at Avanza we have positioned it as a strategic project and we have tested all the technologies offered by the market.
-The AutoMost program has had a great impact in Malaga. Tell me about it and other actions carried out …
-Automost has been a milestone in the history of transportation in this country. In addition, it has had a great impact at the international level, since it was the first time that an autonomous thirteen-meter bus has been put into operation in real service conditions, interacting in an urban environment with traffic and citizens. It has been four years of development of a totally innovative project, in which Avanza has led a consortium of companies that have developed the necessary technologies, with the support of the Administrations involved, such as the Malaga City Council and the EMT, without whose collaboration it will not it would have been possible, and the Port of Malaga. This project is part of our desire to be leaders in mobility.
Another example is transport on demand, which has been a resounding success. We have also tested MAAS (Mobility As A Service) applications, which allow users to access all modes of transport in an area in an integrated way, and we are incorporating internal management tools that allow us to quickly and efficiently manage our networks. .
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