STIB wins new management contract for the period 2019-2023

The Brussels government approved on Thursday a new management contract for STIB, the capital’s mass transportation operator, for the period 2019-2023.

The new contract aims to increase overall usage of the public transport system, with the set goal of reaching 475 million trips per year by 2023. (STIB recorded 417.5 million trips last year, an increase of 43.8% from 2008.) A new tram network will also be built to Tour and Taxi, Neder-over-Hembeek, and Meiser.

Other objectives include making the public transport system as a whole faster, more wheelchair-accessible, and more environmentally friendly. Specifically, the contract stipulates that STIB must reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030. It is also envisaged that by 2025 only electric buses will be purchasable by the company.

Overall, STIB’s ‘green’ investment plan is predicted to cost approximately €6.2 billion by 2028.