STIB plans to offer its customers an efficient and pleasant overall mobility experience, by anticipating their expectations and accompanying them at every stage of their journey.
To do this, it ensures the growth and quality of its public transport offer and is at the heart of the development of new mobility services in Brussels.
More than 15,000 passengers participated in the 2022 satisfaction barometer and gave the STIB and its services a score of 7.3/10. This major survey, conducted annually by an independent research firm, allows the STIB to assess the impact of its investments and identify priorities for improvement.
Frequencies, connections, driving style, contact with staff, and information in vehicles are some of the elements of the travel experience that are improving the most. In-vehicle comfort and on-time performance, both of which scored 6.9/10 in 2020 and 2021, were stable, despite the increase in ridership and the return of traffic congestion. Passengers had an increased sense of security in 2022.
Of the three modes of transport, the bus had the highest increase in its satisfaction rating. With 6.9/10, it was close to the tram (7.2/10) and the metro (7.3/10). The gradual deployment of the bus plan has made it possible to offer 30% more seats thanks to the reorganisation of routes and the creation of new lines, to better meet the changing needs of passengers. More than 400 new hybrid buses have joined the STIB fleet. Passengers can travel in modern, more environmentally friendly vehicles equipped with audio and screen-based information devices.
Nevertheless, the metro remains the preferred mode of transport for passengers, with a satisfaction score of 7.3/10. This is a slight decline from 2020 and 2021, but still better than before the Covid-19 crisis. In 2022, the reliability of the underground network, which is being transformed and modernised, was put to the test. The availability of vehicles equipped with new signage and security systems could not always be guaranteed, resulting in overcrowding during peak hours. A corrective plan is being implemented and is gradually stabilising the situation. These difficulties were compounded by the growing presence of homeless people in the stations. The phenomenon reached such proportions over the past year that it is impacting passenger satisfaction with cleanliness, feeling of safety and the experience in the stations. This delicate societal issue requires a coordinated and structural approach from all the stakeholders involved. The government, in collaboration with the voluntary sector, plans to set up a pilot project at Porte de Namur station. For its part, the STIB is working hard through prevention actions and always strives to use the most humane approach possible.
Ridership on the STIB network continues to grow. From 66% and 76% in January and February respectively, they rose to 84% of the 2019 level by late summer. For the full year, 2022 journeys amounted to 79% of the 2019 level. That is a 23% increase over 2021.
Passengers have also developed new mobility habits, which are reflected in the use of the STIB network. Working from home has had an impact on commuting (12-14%), while public transport is increasingly used on weekends and during off-peak hours. Passenger numbers returned to near 2019 levels during off-peak hours and even exceeded them several times, especially on Sundays.
The STIB is therefore well on its way to recovering its pre-Covid-19 numbers and is delighted with the renewed confidence its passengers are showing in its services.
In 2022, STIB vehicles travelled 4.25% more kilometres than in 2021. This is largely due to the improved offer on the bus network. The STIB has increased frequencies of several lines, such as bus 71, which now runs every 4 minutes during rush hour. Since March 2022, the brand new bus line 73 was added to the network as part of the bus plan.
The capacity of the STIB's vehicles is calculated in places-kilometres. Places-kilometres represent the number of available places across all metro trains, trams, and buses, multiplied by the number of kilometres they have travelled. This measurement is commonly used in the transport sector. This indicator counts not only available seats, but also the frequency of the vehicles.
The STIB without its customers would be a bit like a tram without rails. The STIB is fully aware of this. That is the reason it constantly evolves its services to better meet the needs of its customers.
The STIB has introduced a number of actions to benefit its customers: subscriptions for young Brussels residents for 12 euros, support for major events in the capital, changes to its mobile app, and services in its stations, such as new cash dispensers. It also closed the test phase of its MaaS mobile app and laid the groundwork for the app to be offered to the public in 2023.
The construction of metro 3 made good progress in 2022. At Albert station, an additional level was created for the arrival of metro 3. The level dedicated to trams is currently being developed and the new terminus will be ready for operation in 2023. Around 1 kilometre of walls was built on the Avenue de Stalingrad side, i.e. two walls over a distance of +/- 500 m, from the middle of the Palais du Midi to Place Bara. These walls form the exterior walls and foundations of the new metro infrastructure.
The STIB is working with the local authorities to support the impacted neighbourhoods. In the Stalingrad area, residents and passers-by were able to discover an exhibition recounting the life of Toots Thielemans on the panels surrounding the construction site of the future metro station, which will bear the name of the famous jazz musician. In the vicinity of the Gare du Midi, works by Brussels photographer Marie-Françoise Plissart appeared under the railway bridge.