Qbuzz

Last updated

Qbuzz
Industry Public transport
FoundedApril 2008
FounderRob van Holten
Leon Struijk
Headquarters,
Netherlands
Revenue€213 million (2016)
€9 million (2016)
Owner Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane
Number of employees
2,100 (2017)
Website www.qbuzz.nl

Qbuzz is a public transport company in the Netherlands that operates services in South Holland, Utrecht, Drenthe and Groningen. Founded in 2008, it was a subsidiary of Nederlandse Spoorwegen from 2013 until 2017. It is currently owned by Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane.

Contents

History

Mercedes-Benz Citaro in Groningen in April 2014 Mercedes-Benz Citaro (O530LE) Qbuzz.jpg
Mercedes-Benz Citaro in Groningen in April 2014
Sneltram at Utrecht Centraal station in June 2014 UOV (QBuzz) Sneltram 5002 (14398562322).jpg
Sneltram at Utrecht Centraal station in June 2014

Qbuzz was founded in 2008 by former Connexxion directors Rob van Holten and Leon Struijk. [1] Having initially had a 49% shareholding, Nederlandse Spoorwegen purchased the remaining 51% in April 2013. [2] [3]

In March 2015, Qbuzz was awarded a 15-year concession to operate services in the Limburg region from December 2016. However, after the discovery of irregularities during the tender process, the contract was awarded to Arriva. [4] [5] [6]

In July 2016, Nederlandse Spoorwegen announced its intention to sell the business. [7] In July 2017 Busitalia Sita Nord (subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane) purchased the company. [8]

Operations

In December 2008, Qbuzz started operating bus services in Friesland and Rotterdam. [9] Upon being re-tendered, the Friesland services passed to Arriva in December 2016. [10]

In December 2009, Qbuzz won the concession to operate bus services in Groningen and Drenthe until December 2019. [10] [11] In December 2011, Qbuzz began operating the bus and sneltram services in Utrecht trading as U-OV until December 2023. [12] [13] [14]

In January 2018 Qbuzz was selected by the province of South Holland as preferred bidder for a contract which combines the operation of MerwedeLingelijn train service on the GeldermalsenDordrecht route with the provision of local bus services. On 9 December 2018, Qbuzz officially took over services from Arriva on the MerwedeLingeLijn. [15]

In June 2023 Qbuzz announced its plans for a international service to Paris and Berlin. [16]

Fleet

As at March 2016, Qbuzz operated 686 buses and 27 trams. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NoordNed</span> Transport company

NoordNed Personenvervoer B.V. was a public transport company operating trains and buses in the north and northeast of the Netherlands. Founded in 1999 as a joint venture by Arriva and Nederlandse Spoorwegen, after Arriva took full ownership in 2003, the brand was retired in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nederlandse Spoorwegen</span> Principal Dutch passenger railway operator

Nederlandse Spoorwegen is the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands. It is a Dutch state-owned company founded in 1938. The Dutch rail network is the busiest in the European Union, and the third busiest in the world after Switzerland and Japan.

Connexxion is a large public transport company in the Netherlands, operating in the west, middle, east and southwest parts of the country. It is owned by Transdev and Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten. It is a subsidiary of Transdev Netherlands.

Arriva plc is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, England. It was established in 1938 as T Cowie Ltd. and following a number of mergers and acquisitions was rebranded Arriva in 1997. It became a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn in 2010. Arriva operates bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus services in 14 countries across Europe. As of September 2018, it employed 61,845 people and operated 2.4 billion passenger journeys annually. It operates as three divisions: UK Bus, UK Rail and Mainland Europe. Deutsche Bahn announced in 2019 that it wished to sell Arriva, but the sale was placed on hold as of November in that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keolis Nederland</span>

Keolis Nederland is a public transport company operating bus and passenger train services in the Netherlands. Originally created as Syntus and owned by Connexxion, Keolis and Nederlandse Spoorwegen, since 2012 Keolis Nederland has been a 100% subsidiary of Keolis. Syntus is an acronym for Synergy between Train and Bus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane</span> State-owned railway holding company of Italy

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane S.p.A., previously only Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A., in acronym FS, is Italy's national state-owned railway holding company that manages transport, infrastructure, real estate services and other services in Italy and other European countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lelystad Centrum railway station</span>

Lelystad Centrum is a railway station in the town of Lelystad, Netherlands. The station is on the Flevolijn and Hanzelijn and the train services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen. The station was opened on 28 May 1988 after the extension from Almere Buiten was completed. The station was doubled in size to 4 platforms to accommodate the increase in trains following the opening of the Hanzelijn on 9 December 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sliedrecht railway station</span>

Sliedrecht is a railway station in Sliedrecht, Netherlands. The station is located on the MerwedeLingelijn line between Dordrecht and Geldermalsen, part of the Betuwelijn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch railway services</span>

Dutch railway services is an index page of all the rail services operated in the Netherlands.

The Elst–Dordrecht railway is a railway line in the Netherlands running from Elst to Dordrecht, passing through Tiel, Geldermalsen and Gorinchem. It is also called the Betuwelijn. MerwedeLingelijn is the name of the western part between Dordrecht and Geldermalsen, which is operated by Qbuzz. Tiel - Elst as part of the service Tiel - Arnhem is operated by Arriva and Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) operates Geldermalsen - Tiel as part of the service Utrecht - Tiel. The railway connects to the Arnhem–Nijmegen railway in Elst. There were two connections to the Arnhem–Nijmegen railway in the past from the junction near Vork station; one to Elst and towards Nijmegen connecting near Ressen. The Nijmegen junction was used until 1990 and torn down during construction of the Betuweroute in order of creating a junction between the Betuweroute from Rotterdam and the Arnhem–Nijmegen railway towards both Arnhem and Nijmegen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groningen railway station</span>

Groningen railway station, locally called Hoofdstation, is the main railway station in Groningen in the Province of Groningen, Netherlands. It is located on the Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway between Zuidhorn and Groningen Europapark, on the Meppel–Groningen railway as terminus after Groningen Europapark, and on the Groningen–Delfzijl railway as terminus after Groningen Noord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akkrum railway station</span>

Akkrum is a railway station located in Akkrum, Netherlands. The station was opened on 1 September 1868 and is located on the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway. The services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delfzijl railway station</span>

Delfzijl is a railway station in Delfzijl, Netherlands. It is located on the Groningen–Delfzijl railway after Delfzijl West as the terminus for passengers. The railway line continues further east, but only for freight trains. The station building was completed in 1883 and train services started on 15 June 1884. The trains are currently operated by Arriva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeuwarden railway station</span> Railway station in Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Leeuwarden railway station is the main railway station in Leeuwarden in Friesland, Netherlands. The station, which opened on 27 October 1863, is on the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway, the Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway and the Leeuwarden–Stavoren railway. Leeuwarden was also the terminus of the North Friesland Railway which served Anjum and Harlingen via Stiens. Behind the station is a stabling point for many trains. The train services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen and Arriva; of the station's six platforms, five are terminating platforms and one is a through platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meppel railway station</span> Railway station in Meppel, Netherlands

Meppel is a railway station in Meppel, Netherlands. The station opened on 1 October 1867 and is on the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway and Meppel–Groningen railway. Train services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Nieuweschans railway station</span>

Bad Nieuweschans, previously named Nieuweschans (1868–2013), is an unstaffed railway station in the village of Bad Nieuweschans, Netherlands. It connects the Harlingen–Nieuweschans and Ihrhove–Nieuweschans railways and is situated between Winschoten, Netherlands and Weener, Germany.

Abellio is a Dutch public transport company that operates bus and rail services in Germany, and formerly also in Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It was founded as NedRailways in 2001, before being renamed Abellio in January 2010. Abellio is wholly owned by the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Abellio UK was separated from the group in 2023 by a management buyout.

The main public transport in the Netherlands for longer distances is by train. Long-distance buses are limited to a few missing railway connections. Regional and local public transport is by bus, and in some cities by metro and tram. There are also ferries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zuidbroek railway station</span>

Zuidbroek is an unstaffed railway station in Zuidbroek in the Netherlands. It is located on the Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway between Sappemeer Oost and Scheemda, and at the northern end of the Stadskanaal–Zuidbroek railway after Veendam in the province of Groningen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winschoten railway station</span> Railway station in the Dutch village of Winschoten

Winschoten is an unstaffed railway station in Winschoten in the Netherlands. It is located on the Harlingen–Nieuweschans railway between Scheemda and Bad Nieuweschans in the province of Groningen.

References

  1. Connexxion, Arriva and Qbuzz NRC Handelsblad 2 September 2011 (Dutch)
  2. NS obtains remaining share in Qbuzz Nederlandse Spoorwegen February 2014
  3. Qbuzz Abellio
  4. NS uncovers tendering irregularities Railway Gazette International 29 April 2015
  5. Arriva wins re-awarded Limburg operating contract Railway Gazette International 3 June 2015
  6. Arriva delighted as it profits from scandal at rival Abellio The Daily Telegraph 9 June 2015
  7. NS puts Qbuzz up for sale Railway Gazette International 11 July 2016
  8. Busitalia buys Qbuzz, Dutch public transport services company [ permanent dead link ] Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane 13 July 2017
  9. Qbuzz had to get out of the way De Telegraaf 13 December 2008 (Dutch)
  10. 1 2 Qbuzz loses ground in the north RTV Drenthe 11 August 2016 (Dutch)
  11. Free travel with Qbuzz Groningen Provence (Dutch)
  12. Qbuzz wins Utrecht sneltram concession Railway Gazette International 26 October 2010
  13. BRU selects Qbuzz to operate bus and light rail in Utrecht Global Mass Transit 26 October 2010
  14. Qbuzz wins Utrecht concession Today's Railways Europe issue 180 December 2010 page 17
  15. "Qbuzz ook nieuwe vervoerder reizigers op R-net MerwedeLingeLijn". 8 December 2018.
  16. "Ook Qbuzz wil internationale treinen naar Parijs en Berlijn". 12 June 2023.
  17. Abellio facts & figures Abellio 29 March 2016

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Qbuzz at Wikimedia Commons