Infrastructure: Road transport covers 50.4% of collective mobility in Europe and only 34% in Romania

Road transport covers 50.4% of collective mobility in Europe, while in Romania it covers only 34%, which shows that there could be a substantial increase in the local market, said Radu Dinescu, IRU president and general secretary of the National Union of Road Transporters in Romania (UNTRR), at a specialised event.   “Road transport covers 50.4% of collective mobility in Europe, which is a rather important percentage. If we consider Romania, this percentage is only 34%, which shows that in Romania there is room for a substantial increase in the future. If we consider the fact that an increase of the mobility need by 30% in the years to come is estimated in Europe, it means that Romania has an ever higher potential. That thing is due mainly to the flexibility of passenger road transport. This kind of transport can cover even the smallest localities, it can take over passengers from there and bring along tourists. Practically, it satisfies an economic and development opportunity and the needs of citizens who live in a certain locality,” Dinescu said.   According to him, while in Europe 1.1 million people work in this passenger transport industry, in Romania there are 3,200 companies, their number being on the drop by 10% against two years ago, to 3,600.   “The good thing is that there are 26,600 vehicles. 77,000 drivers are working here and we have 33,000 managers. I think it is very important not to forget that due to flexibility, road transport is attractive and on one hand, because of the lack of accessibility, of availability and presence in technology, it has recorded a drop in the last years in Romania. Young people, the new generations want to find a service supplier here, on the phone. If you are not present here, you do not exist as job suppliers for many of them. Today, FlexiBus is offering the possibility of the development of this type of transport for the people's benefit, passengers of all ages, especially new generations. Also, it offers opportunities for passenger transporters in Romania, small and medium, that are offered special opportunities. Each side does what it knows best, to obtain better performances,” he said.   In his opinion, if passenger transport can be available in application, passengers will certainly be interested.   The UNTRR representative pointed out that many young people no longer apply for driver licences because they no longer consider cars as “freedom”, but as responsibility. “Let us not forget that many young people no longer get driver licences, some of them because they want to use other opportunities and do not want to be constrained. They no longer see cars as freedom, but as obligations or responsibilities. I am sure that this day will generate new opportunities and will bring more transport operators, more drivers in industry for the benefit of citizens, of small and medium transport companies. The market is indeed very fragmented in Romania and in Europe as well, 93% of companies have between 1 and 10 vehicles. On the other hand, big companies are ready to enter competition with FlixBus, which can be a good thing , based on the Italian experience. Each company can bedeveloped through creativity, technology use and to the benefit of passengers and citizens,” he added.   The launch of the first domestic FlixBus routes in Romania, in partnership with local operators, “is opening a new gate to passenger trasnport, for this industry and to satisfy a rising collective mobility need in Romania,” Radu Dinescu considers.   “We think that will be a good thing in conditions in which things are regulated by a correct and impartial market arbitrator to everybody's benefit,” he added. Radu Dinescu, IRU president and UNTRR general secretary, participated on Thursday, in an event where FlixBus, the travel-tech company that operates the most extensive network of inter-city buses in Europe, announced its extension to the national market by launching the first routes in Romania.   The new routes will be operated in partnership with local transporters and will gradually connect big towns and tourist destinations in the country, by offering an accessible alternative, comfortable and with lower impact on the environment. Practically, FlixBus will operate transport routes by coach between counties in Romania. As of this summer, FlixBus launces 10 domestic lines connceting over 50 towns in Romania. Passengers will travel bu coach from Constanta to Timisoara, from Bucharest to Iasi or Satu Mare, and also on many other routes crossing the country, offering a new option of national mobility.