Company | STIB - Activity report 2021

A dynamic and innovative company

The STIB is a dynamic, innovative and efficient company. It plans to cope with the unprecedented growth of its Investment Plan by fulfilling its commitments, in partnership with the Brussels Region, and by delivering a quality service that meets its customers' expectations.

To do this, it is striving to control and optimise its costs, simplify its processes and governance, improve its operating agility and develop a culture and management of innovation, based on partnerships.

Financial resources

The health crisis has had an impact on companies for the second year in a row, and the STIB is no exception. In 2021, the financial losses amounted to 105.6 million euros, compared to 102 million euros in 2020. Revenues have increased slightly, thanks to the gradual recovery in passenger numbers, but so have expenses. In particular, the STIB continued to incur significant additional costs related to the acquisition of protective equipment and the intensive cleaning of its vehicles and infrastructure to ensure the safety of its customers and staff.

The STIB has continued its investment programme at the same time. Customers saw many concrete examples of this on the network in 2021: new metro trains, new buses for the implementation of the Bus Plan, extension of line 9, etc. A budget of 6.2 billion euros has been earmarked for building the network of tomorrow over 10 years.

The STIB is developing its network

A very eventful year

Once again this year, the STIB demonstrated its dynamic nature through its many achievements. It goes without saying that 2021 was very eventful, with new lines, extensions, reorganisations and key milestones in major projects.

On the bus network, the Bus Plan continued to be deployed, with the creation of two new lines - 52 and 74 - and the overhaul of existing lines to better meet passengers' needs. On the tram network, the STIB closed the year in style with the inauguration of the new section of line 9. Line 32 was the last night tram line and was abolished in favour of improved network readability. This development was made possible by increased service frequency on tram lines 55 and 82 in the evening and the introduction of bus line 52, among other things. In the metro, the arrival of new M7 trains on lines 1 and 5 has freed up additional vehicles to increase frequencies on lines 2 and 6. The Metro 3 project has also made good progress.

The STIB maintains its network

Tracks, stations, depots... A network needs maintenance

16.7

km of track replaced

Tracks, stations, depots... A network needs maintenance

While it is certainly essential to invest in the network of tomorrow, the STIB does not forget to take care of its network of today. Tram tracks, depots, buildings: the STIB's infrastructure is maintained and regularly renovated to ensure its longevity and constantly improve passenger comfort. The same is true for the stations, which are owned by the Region and are being successively renovated for the benefit of STIB customers.

This year, the STIB replaced 16.7 kilometres of tram tracks. Most of the time, these worksites were also an opportunity for the Region and the municipalities to rethink the road system and promote soft mobility. The metro stations are also undergoing a vast renovation programme by Brussels Mobility to refurbish them and, above all, improve their accessibility.

The STIB has a lot of buildings for its staff, its vehicles and... its rails. The Usine centrale, part of Brussels' industrial heritage, now houses the STIB's rail-making workshop. Its refurbishment began in 2021.

The implementation of appropriate road infrastructures is essential to ensure the smooth running of the buses. Thanks to the various improvements made in recent years, bus line 71, the busiest bus line in the STIB network, is not only faster, but also more reliable.

The STIB updates its fleet

Metro, tram and bus: all modes have been pampered in 2021

73 METRO TRAINS

395 TRAMS

862 BUSES

Metro, tram and bus: all modes have been pampered in 2021

The most noticeable innovation was undoubtedly the arrival of the "M7" metro trains on lines 1 and 5. This fleet expansion has freed up previous generation metro trains, which have been placed on lines 2 and 6. The result was a 10% increase in peak capacity in November 2021, followed in early 2022 by a further increase in capacity, with a total peak gain of 20% more seats on lines 2 and 6. Passengers can now enjoy a metro every 2.5 minutes on the shared section of all metro lines during rush hour. In addition, several of the oldest metro trains have been given a new interior design illustrating the jewels of Brussels' heritage.

For the tram, we note the arrival of the "New Generation" tram at the Haren depot, the first of a delivery of 90 vehicles. These new trams will eventually increase the capacity of the tram network by 10,000 seats. Another tram has made its comeback on the network: the Tram Experience. This tram, transformed into a mobile restaurant, allows visitors to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience through the streets of Brussels.

The bus network has not been left out. The last of the hybrid buses ordered to enable the deployment of the Bus Plan were delivered in 2021. The STIB has also received new articulated and standard hybrid buses to replace its A330 D1 and Citaro D1 buses. 2021 also saw the arrival in the STIB fleet of a hydrogen bus. This new type of propulsion, which will be tested on various lines, could be an option for the STIB in its programme to progressively decarbonise its fleet, alongside the classic electric buses. To reduce the environmental impact of public transport in Brussels, the STIB has entrusted the operation of the Hop on Hop off tourist bus service to the company Tootbus, thus launching the first 100% electric tourist bus service in the world.

The STIB adapts its depots

The STIB inaugurates its third metro depot in Erasme

The arrival of the 43 new M7 trains required the construction of a new metro depot. Erasme is the third STIB metro depot, after Delta and Brel. Built near the eponymous metro station, the depot is almost entirely underground, except for the administration building, which is visible above ground.

The new depot allows the storage of 23 trains and the maintenance of 7 others. With a surface area of more than 30,000 m², it includes a workshop with all the maintenance facilities required for the upkeep of metro trains: two work pits, a lifting stand, three walkways, a metrowash and a pit for cleaning the lower part of the vehicles. Two 110 metre-long overhead cranes have been installed for maintenance. There are also two hot water pressure washers, a centralised vacuum cleaner and a lift that can move 10 tonnes.

Particular attention was paid to the ecological dimension during the construction of the building. The depot has obtained BREEAM Design Stage (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certification, an international standard that evaluates the environmental impact of a building. With waste management, photovoltaic panels, geothermal wells, rainwater recovery, recycling of the water used for cleaning the trains and planters to recover particle-free rainwater - everything has been thought out down to the smallest detail to limit the environmental impact of the Erasme depot's activities.

Grouping together the dispatching centres

The dispatching centres of the STIB and Brussels Mobility together

Since September 2021, the various STIB dispatching centres and Mobiris, the Brussels Mobility traffic management centre, have been together in the same building, the Brussels Mobility Centre.

The objective is to further improve communication and collaboration between the various departments of the STIB and Brussels Mobility.

The Brussels Mobility Centre occupies a surface area of almost 2,500 m², including a meeting and contact area for STIB and Brussels Mobility staff. The STIB part has 6 dispatching centres, which supervise the bus, tram and metro networks, the infrastructure, the power supply and the IT systems, and ensure the security of the network.

The work began in 2019 and ended in mid-2021.

7 dispatchings centres

Spread over nearly

2,500 m²

Station renovations

A new look for De Brouckère, Clemenceau and Roodebeek

In 2021, three metro stations were thoroughly renovated: De Brouckère, Clemenceau and Roodebeek. New lifts, easier flow, increased lighting, etc. Passengers can now enjoy more accessible, more pleasant and also safer stations.

The points of sale are also gradually being renovated. In 2021, the KIOSKs at Gare Centrale and Saint-Guidon stations were refurbished. Customers and staff now enjoy more light and a more modern environment.

To make the stations more animated, the STIB encourages the installation of commercial spaces offering a range of products. Businesses were put to the test during the health crisis, but the STIB has given them its support, for the benefit of its passengers.

Service quality

The customer at the heart of the quality approach

100%

Certified services service quality

The customer at the heart of the quality approach

In 2021, the "NF Service" certification obtained in 2019 for a three-year period was confirmed by the follow-up audit. The quality approach in which the STIB has been engaged for many years aims to ensure that the level of service offered to customers corresponds to the quality criteria defined to meet their needs and expectations. All the STIB's metro, tram and bus lines, 19 BOOTIK and KIOSK sales outlets, stops and stations, Customer Services and the inspection of transport tickets are involved in the quality approach.

Each year, numerous initiatives are launched by the various departments subject to certification, with a view to continuously improving the customer experience. Some notable 2021 initiatives include:

renovation of around 100 buses, from seats to lighting to bodywork;
improved accessibility on metro trains for people with reduced mobility;
implementation of a transit light system to facilitate connections during construction;
placing of stickers on the service doors of stations, to combat graffiti and strengthen the visual identity of the STIB;
creation of a database to allow the Customer Services department to better inform customers through its various contact channels.