Postponed for lack of having obtained a quorum in early November, the meeting of elected representatives of the Thionville-Fensch (Smitu) mixed urban transport union was held this Wednesday, November 24, with somewhat sparse ranks. “Not serious all that”, slip an elected at the exit of the assembly.
However, he and his colleagues have in their hands the question of the networking of the northern Moselle bus network, and his Citézen project culminating in 200 million euros. Above all, they have to deal with users coming back up like cuckoos, because “about forty races are not provided daily”. This is illustrated by private school buses for a week in Boulange, or by students who remain at the quay because the vehicles are already full.
While waiting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the Smitu decided to quickly think about compensation for users. “A strong commercial gesture”, the funds of which will be drawn from the penalties that the operator Keolis must pay, because it does not meet the terms of the contract (310,000 €). Compensating does not change the root of the problem, chronic staff absenteeism, but it sends a message to everyone who takes the bus.
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New drivers expected in early 2022
In an attempt to urgently rebalance the transport supply at the scale of the entire perimeter of the 35 member municipalities, Bernard Veinnant, vice-president in charge of transport and the network, announced on Wednesday that the Smitu was going “ define a prioritization ”of the lines.
How? ‘Or’ What ? those that do not pose a problem, in favor of those who currently lack the arm to ride. Paul is momentarily undressed to dress Jacques, with in mind the arrival of drivers currently in training who will be able to take the wheel of these deserted lines at the beginning of next year.
One way, according to Bernard Veinnant, “to control things” rather than allowing a situation to flow which plagues users day by day. These reductions in service, specifies the vice-president, “does not mean that we will not apply penalties to Keolis” which, according to him, “is working hard” in its operator mission.
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