Magyar CIVINET held its 31st meeting in Nyíregyháza under the title Burning challenges and possible solutions in urban public transport.
The importance of the topic was highlighted by the fact that Hungarian cities are facing similar difficulties, albeit to varying degrees, in operating and renewing their public transport systems. Despite this, innovation, the application of effective and forward-looking solutions, and the opportunity to learn from each other represent significant opportunities for CIVINET members and interested parties.
The two-day event included site visits, professional presentations, and roundtable discussions to help participants understand the topic and the specific characteristics and solutions of Nyíregyháza.
On the first day of the event, participants visited the outskirts of Nyíregyháza, which are full of mobility challenges, and one of the major employers' shift changes, with the jewel of the Nyíregyháza bus fleet, the refurbished Ikarus 280 bus. Both areas present unique transportation challenges.
The professional presentations on the second day provided deep insight into the renewal process of Nyíregyháza's public transportation system, designed by Mobilissimus. They discussed the basis for timetable and network developments, how they responded to frequently and significantly changing transport needs, what other transport development investments and measures accompanied the renewal and follow-up process, and how communication serves to promote social acceptance of the changes.
In addition to Nyíregyháza, DKV, BKK, and Transurban R.T., the public transport operator in Satu Mare, Romania, also reported on local projects and developments that seek effective responses to emerging challenges from customers, transport organizers, and service providers. On behalf of BKK, participants were able to learn about the results of the DREAM_PACE Interreg CE research and development project, which designs and tests demand-driven public transport solutions. Experts from Debrecen gave presentations on topics including the fleet renewal process and its effects, as well as the production and use of automatic passenger counting data.
The aim of Magyar CIVINET is to involve not only Hungarian experts, but also experts from Hungarian-speaking cities across the border in the sharing of knowledge related to sustainable transport, so we were delighted to learn about public transport in Satu Mare, with a particular focus on the dynamic renewal of the vehicle fleet, the introduction of a digital ticketing system and passenger information, and the relationship between the bus network and urban planning interventions, such as the pedestrianized city center and the new Szamos Bridge, which was opened this year.
Demand-responsive public transport solutions also received close attention during the roundtable discussion, where theoretical, practical, and IT experts shared their thoughts, their experiences to date and their visions for the future on how to overcome the obstacles to implementing DRT systems and promote more efficient public transport solutions.
On the second day of the professional program, and as a closure to the event, participants visited Volánbusz's new site in Nyíregyháza on Tiszavasvári Road, where, among other things, the city's 41 CNG-powered buses, which were put into service in 2018, are refueled and maintained.
We would like to thank the city of Nyíregyháza for their hospitality, the speakers and roundtable participants for sharing their knowledge, and the audience for their interest and questions!
