Delays, poor management of breakdowns … The very chaotic beginnings of Transdev on the Marseille-Nice line

Two months after its launch. However, the Transdev offer which replaces that of the SNCF on this highly frequented TER line multiplies the dysfunctions and angered users’ anger.

It is a complicated launch for Transdev on the busy TER line between Marseille and Nice. In addition, Recall that since June 29. Similarly, the operator who has just passed under a German pavilion, rolled his brand new trains in new Zou instead of SNCF travelers, following the opening to competition in the rail. Consequently, It is a first on a line of this importance.

The promise made by Transdev. Similarly, which convinced the region, is to double the number of daily round trips on the line with a regularity rate of 97% (excluding infrastructure problems), in particular thanks to 16 new OMNEO Premium trains, ordered in Alstom for 250 million euros and a brand new maintenance center delays, poor management breakdowns … near Nice (funded by the region). Nevertheless, Fourteen daily round trips are therefore insured against seven with SNCF travelers. Meanwhile, a train every hour, and even 16 links per day on weekends.

A lot of delays. In addition, trains canceled during the summer – Delays, poor management breakdowns …

But things are not going as well as expected and the account is not there. Moreover, Obviously. For example, there are late or canceled trains, Transdev is subject to the same network vagaries as SNCF travelers with an old and fragile path, especially during periods of heat wave. Consequently, He is therefore not responsible for all delays but there are also the material breakdowns. Furthermore, And for many users, the operator does not better than its predecessor.

“And if we talked about delays since Transdev resumed the line. Meanwhile, Not a day without delay! Similarly, Honest worse than the SNCF”, denounces a user on a dedicated delays, poor management breakdowns … Facebook group.

These delays. cancellations have consequences for the quality of service with sometimes crowded trains, exactly what Transdev wanted to avoid. “The trains dimensioned at Transdev is really optional. This morning, at the arcs, impossible to climb the train of 6:41. Obliged to wait for the aftermath. Pleasant for those who work …”, denounces another member of this group. Moreover. it is enough to look at the official zou communication channels to observe the volume of these delays and cancellations which multiplied in July and August.

Prices sometimes more expensive than TGV

In addition to delays, prices are also pinned. In some cases, taking a TER Zou from Transdev can be more expensive than getting into a TGV. Example with a Marseille-Nice this Wednesday, August 20: with TER, the price is 40.80 euros, in TGV, the cheapest price offered by the SNCF is 36 euros, for the same course (comparison delays, poor management breakdowns … made on Trainline).

But it is the operating incidents and their management that worries the most. In question. a fleet of new trains to “unlock” (inevitable youth defects), inexperienced young drivers and a heterogeneous fleet with older trains loaned by other regions to compensate for the delivery of Alstom.

On delays, poor management breakdowns … August 3, for example, around 9 p.m., a train suffered a breakdown at the Arcs station. According to the incident report that we have given ourselves. an hour and a half later, no rescue request is made by the driver, in contradiction with the regulations. “No information” is transmitted, indicates the SNCF network report, the SNCF entity which manages the exploitation on the tracks.

The driver seems to want to fend for himself but ends up applying for aid around 2 a.m. and stopped the costs at 3 a.m. The train is still frozen in the arcs, purely and simply blocking a main traffic route. Which is not trivial for other trains. SNCF Réseau is then informed that another transdev driver will come on site the next day at 6 am. to “try troubleshooting”. It actually arrives at 7:00 am. and it is then necessary to wait 10 hours for the delays, poor management breakdowns … two trains that made up this train could be separated. At 11:30 am, the trains are finally cleared and the way released. In total, the incident will have lasted no less than 14 hours.

A hazardous breakdowns

The management of the incident questions. According to an SNCF driver. “the regulations require that, from 15 minutes of troubleshooting, a request for aid be made, their driver took 5 hours”. Obviously. the inexperience of the drivers recruited by Transdev (very few SNCF agents have agreed to join the new operator following the change of operator) is in question.

“The SNCF drivers who carried out this connection had at least ten years of road. (at Transdev) they mostly had beginners and also hired guys who have been failed in the SNCF exam,” mocks this driver.

Another railway worker points “to six months to be a driver” at Transdev. “You had to expect it,” delays, poor management breakdowns … he added, pointing “a festival” of incidents.

The other factor explaining the complexity of breakdowns management is the heterogeneity of rolling stock. It seems impossible to tow a new train broken down by a rented train. A scenario that does not seem to have been anticipated. However, these oars, if they are different, are from the same family and are manufactured by the same manufacturer. “Which complicates any rescue operation,” explains a driver. X

Solicited several times by BFM Business, Transdev has not yet returned our requests for details.