Roadshow on the Iberian Peninsula - Advancing Sustainable Bus Mobility

Jaime Rodríguez Medal, Director of CONFEBUS, the Spanish Bus & Coach Transport Federation, made what was arguably the most significant statement of the Iberian Peninsula Roadshow of BUS2BUS: “The image of buses being old-fashioned maybe comes from people who do not use them.“ At the Roadshows in other countries there was always a discussion about how to encourage bus travel in the first place, whereas in Spain local bus and long-distance coach transport are the most popular ways to travel. In Spain, public appreciation of bus transport ranks second in Europe, resulting in a sensible combination of usage and popularity.

Tiago Sá, Sales Director of CaetanoBus, Portugal, highlighted a further fascinating aspect: “There is often talk about offering passengers comfort, but it is the driver who requires the most comfortable seat, as they are usually on board the longest“, he said, at the same time also addressing the shortage of qualified bus drivers. The panellists at the Iberian Peninsula Roadshow explained why – against the backdrop of a transition to new drives – public contracts with manufacturers needed to be extended, why they recommended electric vehicles for shorter and medium distances, but other solutions for long distances, the opportunities they saw in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and the advantages and disadvantages of retrofitting in transition.

To find out in which European country bus transport is most popular and about the visions experts have of the mobility sector in 2030, you can watch the entire BUS2BUS Digital Roadshow on the Iberian Peninsula here (1 hr 14 mins).

Speakers:
Julen Trojaola, DACH Market Sales Manager, Irizar e-mobility
Tiago Sá, Sales Director, CaetanoBus
Filipe de Oliveira Fernandes, Sales Manager, Omniflow
Jaime Rodríguez Medal, Director, CONFEBUS

Moderator:
Diogo Ferreira Nunes, Journalist, ECO

Hosts:
BUS2BUS Team and International Representatives of Messe Berlin:
Willow Beck-Jewett, Project Manager, BUS2BUS Messe Berlin GmbH

International representatives of Messe Berlin:
Anna Lisa Löcke, German-Portuguese Chamber of Industry and Commerce / AHK Portugal – Portugal
Silvia de Juanes, Brifer Services – Spain