Photo credit swissinfo
In a move that bridges European sustainability goals with North African urban mobility needs, Geneva’s public transport operator (TPG) is donating nearly 200 diesel buses to Tunis, as confirmed in a contract signed Wednesday between the two cities’ transport companies, swissinfo reports.
The donation is a direct result of TPG’s ambitious strategy to fully electrify its bus fleet by 2030. The vehicles, which are being phased out and replaced with electric models, will be shipped to the Société des transports de Tunis (Transtu) over a four-year period starting in January.
For the Tunisian capital, the arrival of the Swiss buses is a critical intervention. Transtu has been grappling with a sharply declining fleet, crippled by vehicle obsolescence and a chronic shortage of spare parts that has left many buses unusable. This operational crisis has led to a dramatic collapse in ridership, with annual passenger numbers plummeting from 335 million in 2010 to just 113 million in 2023, the same source says.
In a statement, TPG framed the donation as a sustainable solution that extends the lifespan of the vehicles and supports the development of public transport in Tunisia. The initiative is expected to offset Transtu’s fleet shortages and provide a reliable stopgap for its struggling network.
The agreement was formalized at TPG’s headquarters, marking a significant step in international cooperation aimed at boosting sustainable urban mobility.
TunisianMonitorOnline (Editorial Staff)
