Luc Bouard, President of La Roche-sur-Yon Conurbation, Jean Castex, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the RATP Group, Hiba Farès, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of RATP Dev, and Serge Reynaud, Senior Vice President of RATP Dev's activities in France and Switzerland, inaugurated RATP Dev's first training centre dedicated to hydrogen-powered bus maintenance, located on the strategic Atinéa site. This new training program is a cooperative effort between RATP Dev and CNAM (the French National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts), within the ecosystem set up by the La Roche-sur-Yon conurbation and the Vendée Energy Syndicate (SyDEV).
Training transportation professionals in the challenges of sustainability
Today, La Roche-sur-Yon passed a major milestone in the sphere of sustainable mobility with the inauguration of the RATP Dev National Training Centre, in the presence of Jean Castex. The creation of this centre was announced as part of the renewal of the urban transportation public service delegation contract with RATP Dev, which manages the impulsyon urban transportation network in La Roche-Sur-Yon, in the Vendée region of France, through its subsidiary Compagnie des transports du Yonnais (CTY). This centre will be fully dedicated to training technicians in hydrogen-powered vehicle maintenance and will be located on the Atinéa site, a flagship project designed to create a centre of excellence dedicated to renewable energies and sustainable mobility.
The training centre will host employees of the RATP group for a training course broken down into two parts. The first focuses on maintenance: RATP Group bus and coach maintenance technicians required to work on hydrogen-powered vehicles will be able to take training modules established through the RATP Dev/CNAM partnership chair. Part two will focus on energy-saving and will offer the technicians an eco-driving training module. At the same time, innovative solutions will be tested to optimize the use of energy resources, with the aim of developing more environmentally-friendly transport modes and supporting the energy transition.
"This training centre is the perfect example of a project that brings people together. It brings together players from the private and public sectors to advance the common good at a time of ecological transition. We will support the industrial revitalization of the Atinéa site, thanks to the impetus provided by the regions and the elected representatives in the conurbation of La Roche-sur-Yon. RATP Group is very proud to be a major partner of decarbonized mobility in the Vendée region, a real pioneer in the field of hydrogen," said Jean Castex, Chairman of the RATP Group.
"This training centre reflects the determination of the La Roche-Sur-Yon Conurbation, the RATP group, and its subsidiary RATP Dev to accelerate their environmental action. By training technicians in maintaining hydrogen-powered vehicles, we are investing in low-carbon solutions. We commit to provide high-performance, environmentally friendly vehicles; an initiative perfectly in line with our dedication to more sustainable mobility," said Hiba Farès, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of RATP Dev.
"We have always encouraged a partnership approach with local authorities, as the most virtuous projects are born of long-term commitment and trust. This training centre is a powerful example of that. We have a strong vision of the role of an operator who not only transports, but above all advises, supports, and makes the community's vision its own," said Serge Reynaud, Senior Vice President of RATP Dev's activities in France and Switzerland.
Atinéa, the innovation and green energy hub located in La Roche-sur-Yon
Since June 2020, the La Roche-sur-Yon Conurbation has been engaged in a successful partnership with Banque des territoires, Michelin, and Oryon to transform the site closed in 2019 into an epicenter of innovation. The ambition of Atinéa (whose name is a contraction of Atlantic, Innovation, Energy, Automation) is to transform the 20 hectares of the former Michelin factory into a centre of excellence dedicated to renewable energies. Atinéa is already home to the first 100% green, 100% local multi-energy station in France, and aims to become a benchmark ecosystem for new mobility and low-carbon energies.
"With the Atinéa project, we are confirming our ambition to ensure the continuity of production activities on an iconic industrial site, to foster research and development and support business start-ups and training, in this case with RATP Dev as our partner. Our goal is to create a showcase for low-carbon mobility and clean energies at the heart of a region where the energy transition is underway, notably through a wide range of mobility options accessible to all. With Atinéa, we are making the metropolitan area of La Roche-sur-Yon a real driver of the low-carbon economy in the Vendée region and resolutely committing ourselves to a sustainable and responsible future," said Luc Bouard, President of the La Roche-sur-Yon Conurbation and Mayor of La Roche-sur-Yon.
The energy transition of the transport modes in La Roche-sur-Yon: the commitment of RATP Dev and CTY
Through its subsidiary CTY, RATP Dev is taking a clear stance as a forerunner in the use of green energies, particularly hydrogen, through its actions and experiments within the impulsyon bus network. The public transit fleet is undergoing a substantial energy transition, including the introduction in 2023 of two hydrogen-powered buses, four buses running on natural gas, one fully electric mini-bus, and an ambitious target for 2033 of 20% green hydrogen-powered buses, 70% BioGNV-powered buses, 7% electric buses, and only 3% diesel-powered buses (reaching the end of their service life). This significant progress is the result of combined efforts by RATP Dev through its subsidiary impulsion and the La Roche-sur-Yon Conurbation to promote the use of environmentally friendly transport modes.