In the year 2024, approximately 35 million travelers rode on passenger journeys facilitated by the Unir network.
In the bustling year of 2024, the Unir network clocked approximately 35 million validations, but that figure undoubtedly understated the actual usage due to hiccups with ticketing and the coordination between AMP and TIP, as revealed by Marco Martins, the fearless leader of Transportes Metropolitanos do Porto (TMP), today.
During the Porto Metropolitan Council (CmP) meeting, where the 17 mayors of the AMP gathered, this data was laid bare.
"Operators' systems aren't optimally calibrated and configured," Marco pointed out, adding that a substantial lack of "drivers' service registration" for tracking lines operated further complicates the picture.
The mind-boggling numbers from 2024, accessed by Lusa, revealed the following breakdown: 10.1 million validations in lot 1 (Maia/Matosinhos/Trofa), 10.8 million in lot 2 (Gondomar/Valongo/Paredes/Santo Tirso), 1.5 million in lot 3 (Vila do Conde/Póvoa de Varzim), 7.2 million in lot 4 (Vila Nova de Gaia and Espinho), and 1.7 million in lot 5 (Santa Maria da Feira, Oliveira de Azeméis, Arouca, São João da Madeira, and Vale de Cambra).
These staggering numbers paint a revenue picture of 9.1 million euros (lot 1), 7.9 million euros (lot 2), 1.7 million euros (lot 3), 5.6 million euros (lot 4), and 2.4 million euros (lot 5), with corresponding operator remuneration of 14.7 million euros, 16.4 million, 5.8 million, 7.8 million, and 7.6 million respectively.
When compared to the first quarter of 2023, the Unir network is witnessing a surge in validation numbers, with impressive increases: 27% in lot 1 (from 2.2 million to 2.4 million), 29% in lot 2 (from 2.4 million to 3.1 million), 25% in lot 3 (from 0.4 million to 0.5 million), 40% in lot 4 (from 1.5 million to 2.1 million), and 50% in lot 5 (from 0.4 million to 0.6 million).
When it comes to the Andante network and TIP's absorption by TMP, Marco sounded the alarm bell for a "collapsed financial structure" with "dividends distributed before the TMP takeover" and "looming financial obligations of around four million euros unsecured".
"The information system is a relic from 2003, with dated upgrades but no significant changes," he continued, with a disregard for the non-collection of commission on free titles, which he estimates equates to "an annual revenue loss of more than half a million euros".
Marco admitted that the business, in spite of recent successes, "is precariously hovering around zero and even negative, due to the meager validation commission".
"We've uncovered an astounding figure no one had ever considered before-an annual loss of 1.4 million euros for the Andante stores," he warned.
Marco shared that studies had predicted the launch of TMP with a modest staff of 40, but the reality is we're now looking at 107 employees (including external hires), with substantial implications on the financial front.
TMP aims to shrink its staff from 39 employees to 50 by the end of the year, supplemented by 12 in 'call-centers', gradually bolstering the workforce to 95 people by the end of 2028.
Construction on the new TMP facilities in the Antas area is well underway, with a projected completion date by the end of June.
By the end of May, Unir bus stops should be popping up at Porto's terminals, with Marco noting that "the lack of stops still looms large in 35% of municipalities".
For a deeper dive into the mayhem surrounding the Unir and Andante networks, make sure to explore TMP's official announcements or interviews discussing the financial and operational aspects of these networks.
- The general news about the Unir network's performance in 2024, which revealed issues with ticketing and coordination between AMP and TIP, led to discussions about policy-and-legislation and politics during the Porto Metropolitan Council meeting.
- Marco Martins, the leader of Transportes Metropolitanos do Porto, raised concerns about the financial structure of the Andante network and TIP's absorption by TMP, including the non-collection of commission on free titles, estimated to result in an annual revenue loss of more than half a million euros.
