RATP Dev is a key player in urban areas and deploys a whole range of initiatives in order to become an integral part of citizens’ lives. Our subsidiary CTVH (Transvilles) in Valenciennes shows how.

 

Committed and socially responsible
Since taking over the Valenciennes transit system in early 2015, Transvilles has multiplied its initiatives to participate in local life: partnerships with schools and museums, support for local associations, actions with local sports clubs. “We consider that we have a role to play in cities in order to make a lasting commitment to the communities and regions”, emphasizes Philippe Gaillard, Director of CTVH (the name of the subsidiary operating the Transvilles network). He continues, “Fostering good citizenship, for example, is an important issue for us because we transport many young people on our trams. We therefore run educational activities in schools to educate young people to respect the rules of good behaviour in public transport”. Another initiative entails sports sponsorship, which enables Transvilles to heighten passenger awareness by partnering with renowned local clubs, such as the Denin Voltaire basketball club or the second division football team. But that’s not all, as Philippe Gaillard points out, "We provide extra transportation after football matches and enable passengers and staff to win VIP tickets in order for them to enjoy new experiences”. 

Widening horizons
In the cultural field, Transvilles is also very active. In addition to the partnership with the Valenciennes fine arts museum for the prestigious exhibition “A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum”, the Valenciennes subsidiary has, for example, made available to the association Harmonia Sacra a former bus transformed into a travelling auditorium. “This OperaBus allows a new type of audience to discover opera”, says Philippe Gaillard. “We provide the spare parts so the association can keep this mobile bus in operation.”  
 

Working alongside the RATP Foundation
Most of Transvilles’ activities come under the umbrella of RATP group Foundation, which focuses on three areas: access to employment, education and culture. Transvilles contributes to two projects initiated by the Foundation: the association ADIE, a pioneer in microcredit in France and Europe, in order to facilitate the integration and employment of people who feel excluded; and “Trajets d'Avenir”, a scholarship programme for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, via a partnership with the engineering school ENSIAME. “This project enables us to forge closer ties with students, who represent a key segment of passengers and potential future RATP Dev employees”, concludes Philippe Gaillard. “More generally, all our initiatives are designed to strengthen our local roots in close proximity to residents.