Rīgas Satiksme

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Rīgas Satiksme
Type	state-owned company
Founded	2003
Headquarters	Riga, Latvia
Area served	Riga
Industry	Public transportation
Parent	N/A
Website	www.rigassatiksme.lv

Rīgas Satiksme is a publicly owned body which operates public transport and vehicle hire in the Latvian capital Riga and its surrounding areas. The organisation's principal activities involve the operation of the city's 460 buses, 318 trolleybuses and 252 trams ^[1]. It is also responsible for the operation of the city's car parks. It currently employs some 6500 staff members.^[2]

Contents 1 History 2 Buses 2.1 Bus routes 2.2 Regional bus routes 2.3 Livery 3 Trolleybuses 3.1 Trolleybus routes 3.2 Livery 4 Trams 4.1 Tram lines 4.2 Livery 5 Fares 6 Other services 6.1 Car parking 6.2 Vehicle rental 7 Problems 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

Rīgas Satiksme was formed on 20 February 2003^[2] as an umbrella organisation for the respective operators of trams, buses and trolleybuses in the city of Riga. Two years later, the separate operators of the different modes of public transport were merged together and re-branded as Rīgas Satiksme, making it the largest provider of public transport in Riga.

[edit] Buses

In 1924, the first buses were placed into service in Riga, initially operated by private companies, although by 1941 all buses in the city were taken over by the state. In the years between the end of World War II and the break up of the Soviet Union, buses were under the control of the Ministry of Road Transport and latterly the city's Executive Committee. The 1960s saw vast improvement in the bus network, with the building of a new central bus station and the introduction of new Ikarus vehicles. In 1970, conductors were replaced by automatic ticket machines as the principal method of fare collection, although conductors were re-introduced in 1996. Until 1992, the bus network comprised two separate entities, and both were in desperate need of modernisation as they were re-structured into one single oragnisation. 1997 saw the introduction of new Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and the bus network has seen steady modernisation thereafter.

As of 2005, Rīgas Satiksme was responsible for the operation of some 460 buses on a total of 57 routes ^[3] across the city and its suburbs, as well as 15 regional routes connecting Riga with its surrounding towns ^[3]. Buses are by far the most modern mode of public transport in the city, with a variety of models in service, including many newly delivered articulated and rigid vehicles built by Solaris (Urbino), Mercedes-Benz (Citaro, O345) and brand new Ikarus buses for regional routes, although many older Ikarus vehicles are still used in everyday service. As of 2007, all old Ikarus vehicles have been removed from everyday service.

[edit] Bus routes

Number	Start point	End point
1	Abrenes Street	Pansionāts
2	Abrenes Street	Vecmīlgrāvis
3	Pļavnieki	Bolderāja
3a	Riga Central Station	Voleri
4	Abrenes Street	Pinķi
4z	Abrenes Street	Zolitūde
5	Abrenas Street	Mežciems
6	Dreiliņi	Riga Central Station
7	Abrenes Street	Stīpnieki
8	Riga Central Station	Zolitūde
9	Abrenes Street	Saules dārzs
10	Abrenes Street	Brūkleņu Street
11	Abrenes Street	Suži
12	Abrenes Street	Cooperative "Ziedonis"
13	Kleisti	Preču 2
14	Abrenes Street	Zvēraudzētava
15	Jugla 3	Dārziņi
16	Abrenes Street	Mucenieki
17	Abrenes Street	Leisure Centre "Lido"
18	Abrenes Street	Dārziņi
19	Jugla 3	Sarkandaugava
20	Ulbroka's Cemetery	Pētersalas Street
21	Imanta 5	Jugla 3
22	Abrenes Street	Riga International Airport
22a	Katedrāle	Riga International Airport
22b	Abrenes Street	Zolitūdes Street
23	Abrenes Street	Baloži
24	Abrenes Street	Mangaļsala
24a	Abrenes Street	Vecāķi
25	Abrenes Street	Mārupe
26	Abrenes Street	Katlakalns
27	Imanta 5	Pinķi
28	Jugla 3	Langstiņi
29	Jugla 3	Vecmilgravis
30	Riga Central Station	Bolderāja
31	Jugla 3	Dārziņi
33	Abrenes Street	Kundziņsala
36	Imanta 5	Bolderāja
37	Imanta 5	Cathedral
38	Abrenes Street	Dzirciema Street
38a	Abernes Street	Lāčupe's Cemetery
40	Ziepniekkalns	Jugla 3
40a	Riga Central Market	Ziepniekkalns
41	Imanta 5	Cathedral
44	Zolitūde	Ziepniekkalns
46	Zolitūde	Ziepniekkalns
47a	Abrenes Street	Šķirotava
48	Ulbroka's Cemetery	Sarkandaugava
49	Rumbula	MAN-TESS
50	Aberenes Street	TEC2
52	Abrenes Street	Ulbroka's Cemetery
52a	Abrenes Street	Ulbroka
53	Katedrāle	Zolitūde

[edit] Regional bus routes

Number	Start point	End point
826	Riga	Vangaži
827	Riga	Saurieši
829	Riga	Ropaži
830	Riga	Jugla
831	Riga	Kākciems
835	Riga	Upeslejas
843	Riga	Ķekava
844	Riga	Ķekava
852	Riga	Mežsētas
853	Riga	Jaunmārupe
854	Riga	Jaunmārupe
859	Riga	Mežsētas
863	Riga	Skulte
959	Riga	Kalnciems

[edit] Livery

All buses are painted in a livery of blue and white, although buses operating on the regional lines are predominantly yellow.

[edit] Trolleybuses

The first trolleybuses in Riga entered service in 1947, using a portion of the budget initially set aside for the new tramway, with the intention of moving slightly slower trams away from the city centre to allow for faster trolleybuses. The service was operated initially by Soviet-built units, although these were later replaced by Škoda vehicles brought in from Czechoslovakia. Conductors remained on trolleybuses for 5 years after they disappeared from the buses, with electronic ticket machines replacing them in 1975. Conductors were re-introduced to the trolleybus network in 1997 and have remained in use to this day ^[4].

Rīgas Satiksme is responsible for the operation of some 20 trolleybus routes throughout the city ^[3]. Although modernised in recent years through the introduction of new Solaris trolleybuses, the system is still operated mainly by elderly Škoda units.

[edit] Trolleybus routes

Number	Start point	End point
1	Pētersalas Street	Valmieras Street
3	Riga Central Market	Sarkandaugava
4	Šmerlis	Riga Central Market
5	Daugavas Stadium	Riga Clinical Hospital
7	Ķeguma Street	Āngenskalna priedes
8	Ābolu Street	Town Hall Square
9	Iļģuciems	Town Hall Square
11	Ieriķu Street	Riga Central Station
13	Ieriķu Street	Riga Central Market
14	Mežciems	Cathedral
15	Višķu Street	Latvian University
16	Šmerlis	Katlakalna Street
17	Purvciems	Riga Central Station
18	Mežciems	Riga Central Station
19	Pētersalas Street	Ziepniekkalns
20	Latvian Television	Latvian University
22	Katlakalna Street	E. Birznieka Upīša Street
23	Purvciems	Riga Central Station
24	Pētersalas Street	AS Dzintars
25	Iļģuciems	Brīvības Street

[edit] Livery

Trolleybuses are painted in the same two tone blue and white livery as buses, although some are in special overall advertising liveries.

[edit] Trams

Trams have been in operation in Riga longer than any other mode of public transport, with the first horse-drawn trams entering service in 1882. In 1900 it was agreed that a number of electric tram lines would be built in the city, the construction of which continued until the outbreak of World War I. Operation of the tramways remained largely unchanged until 1918 and the emergence for the first time of Latvia as an independent nation, when a Belgian company took over. This period of private ownership was deemed a failure, and the city authorities regained control of the tram network in 1931. World War II devastated Riga's public transport system, and it was gradually re-built to its current level ^[5].

Trams remain of the principal modes of transport in Riga, with Rīgas Satiksme operating almost 300 units on 11 routes across the city ^[3]. The bulk of journeys on the tram network are operated by fairly elderly Tatra T3 units, which have been in service in Riga since long before Latvia became independent of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In 2002, Rīgas Vagonbūves Rūpnīca signed an agreement with the Mayor of Riga which will see the company replace the trams in Riga once their period of operation ends in 2010. The new trams are set to offer enhanced comfort and safety, as well as being far quieter than the city's current fleet of elderly Tatra units. According to RVR they will feature bright and spacious interiors and will be 20-30% more power efficient than their predecessors. The new units are expected to be produced at a rate of 15-20 per year and will result in a gradual phasing out of the Tatra tramcars^[6].

[edit] Tram lines

Number	Start point	End point
1	Imanta	Jugla
2	Tapešu Street	Central Market
3	Dole	Jugla
4	Imanta	Central Market
5	Iļģuciems	Mīlgrāvis
6	Jugla	Riga Central Station
7	Dole	Ausekļa Street
8	Mežaparks	Tapešu Street
9	Dole	AS Aldaris
10	Bišumuiža	Central Market
11	Mežaparks	Riga Central Station

[edit] Livery

Most trams are painted in regular Rīgas Satiksme two-tone blue and white livery, although some are in special overall advertising liveries.

[edit] Fares

A flat fare of LVL 0.40 per single journey (LVL 0.50, if buying ticket from tram driver) is currently in operation by Rīgas Satiksme within the city boundaries. This applies to all bus, tram and trolleybus services. Fares on the regional bus routes range from LVL 0.40 to LVL 1.40 per single journey ^[7].

The method of fare collection on public transport in Riga has, since 1996^[8] , been by conductor, and indeed this practise is still widespread on buses and trolleybuses operated by Rīgas Satiksme. On the city's trams, conductors have been phased out, and now passengers are required to pay their fare directly to the driver. Starting from April, 2008 there will be no conductors also in trolleybuses. This has happened, because of lack of workers who would ever work as conductors. Tickets are also available for purchase from some news kiosks.

It's also possible to buy tickets, which are valid for one month.

[edit] Other services

[edit] Car parking

Rīgas Satiksme took over the operation of car parks in Riga in 2005, the first of which was built in 1993 to introduce parking charged to the city. Electric parking meters were introduced in 1994 with the assistance of both Riga City Council and local authorities in Helsinki, Finland. Since 1996, the operation of car parks has gone hand-in-hand with the responsibility of the removal of illegally parked vehicles in the city. In 2001, it was decided that vehicular access to the city centre would be allowed only through use of a smart card, and such cards were later introduced as a method of payment for parking. A system of parking charges by SMS was introduced by Rīgas Satiksme in 2005^[9].

[edit] Vehicle rental

Vehicle rental, initially operated by SIA Rīgas domes autobāze, was set up in 1992 with the main goal of providing vehicles to Riga City Council, although it now offers rental services to the general public. Operated by Rīgas Satiksme since 2005, the service currently boasts 180 rental vehicles, comprising cars, minibuses, coaches and ambulances ^[10].

[edit] Problems

Although the public transport network is generally well integrated and efficient, several problems can be noted in the day-to-day operation of the system. Issues concerning passenger safety arise from the layout of the tramway on many streets in Riga, whereby the tram lines are positioned in the centre of the road, with a lane of motor traffic on either side. As a result, it is necessary for passengers to cross the road in front of moving vehicles when boarding or alighting tramcars, although it is widely accepted that motor vehicles should stop behind stationary trams. As in any city of this size, public transport can become very crowded at peak times, and capacity boards on Tatra T3 tramcars show that as many as 167 standing passengers can be accommodated at any one time. This situation is not helped by the current system of fare collection on the trams, where passengers pay the driver at the front of the tram and then have to move to the middle of the tramcar to have their ticket stamped by a machine. There are also great problems with fare evasion on trams. Most units consist of two separate tramcars joined together, and since only the front car is manned, people can simply board the rear car and not pay the fare. This is possible due to the lack of conductors currently employed on trams in the city. Staff safety is also a problem on the Rīgas Satiksme network. On the trams, drivers do not have a vault to place money into, rather the money is placed into grooves on the dashboard. The driver's cab on the tram is not covered, making theft and assault easy. This problem is also evident on buses and trolleybuses with conductors placing money in an open pouch. Finally, although Rīgas Satiksme employees are issued with uniforms, they are not required to wear them and it can therefore be difficult to distinguish employees from passengers.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Rīgas Satiksme