Formentera locks in 170,000 euros' worth of investments for tech upgrades on public buses

Pujada busThe mobility department of the Formentera Council reports that Jaume Ferrer, president of the administration, was joined by Marc Pons, the regional minister of land, energy and mobility, in signing a deal on high-tech upgrades for the island's public buses.

Under the agreement, CTM, a Mallorca-based transport consortium that rigs municipal buses in the Balearics with on-board technical equipment, promises to lend the Council material and oversee upkeep.

The current plan calls for purchase of 12 ticket-vending machines and 36 validation devices, as well as LED info panels, security cameras and communication kits.

The Council and CTM's joint acquisition of the new material means efforts under way in the Balearics to integrate bus fares and rider-info services will become even easier. Buses in the region, moreover, will all be equipped with the same hardware and software.

The measure, in the words of mobility councillor Rafael González, “is about improving the public transport service”. González said the change was occurring alongside preparations for a new transport contract in early 2019 which is purported to mean further improvements to bus service in the region.