In the year 2010, PostBus Switzerland Ltd covered over 100 million kilometres during the course of one year for the first time in its history. Demand rose too, with a new record of 121.2 million passengers. Switzerland's leading bus company in public transport expanded its market position in transport for cities and conurbations. New services such as real-time information for smartphones add to passenger convenience. PostBus Switzerland Ltd created 128 new jobs in 2010.

By driving 103.6 million kilometres in one year, PostBus Switzerland Ltd exceeded the 100 million mark for the first time. This represents an increase of 5.4% compared with the previous year. A total of 121.2 million passengers (+2.7%) travelled on the 798 PostBus routes (+1.9%) in 2010. This is also a new record for the company.

Increase in city and conurbation transport

PostBus Switzerland Ltd also continued to expand its market position in city and conurbation transport last year. It now operates the local busses for Lyss (Canton Berne) and Uzwil (Canton St Gallen). In Frauenfeld (Canton Thurgau) it successfully retained the city bus network put out for public tender. The ten-year contract there includes an increase in the service offering and the purchase of two hybrid buses. It also succeeded in extending, and in some cases, expanding the contracts for local buses in the tourist destinations Klosters, Lenzerheide and Samnaun. The service frequency of the local buses in Brig and Sion was increased.

Increase in customer benefit

PostBus Switzerland Ltd invests continuously in new technologies to improve its mobile passenger information service. For example, it offers information in real-time for its routes in the Libero, Zurich (ZVV) and, more recently, also in the Ostwind integrated fare networks. 5000 people have already downloaded the app for the latter to their smartphones. Due to the popularity of this service with passengers, PostBus Switzerland Ltd is currently exploring the possibility of extending it to routes in other regions. It was also the first public transport company to launch an "augmented reality" application that offers excursion tips via mobile phone. Moreover, a WiFi test recently launched in the Sion area allows passengers on Postbuses to surf the Internet for free.

Jobs in 23 cantons

As a result of the additional services, the average headcount increased. PostBus Switzerland Ltd employed 1785 (+3.8%) people. Furthermore, it employed 1514 PostBus drivers in the PostBus companies (+4.3%). In total, 128 new jobs were created. PostBus Switzerland Ltd employs staff in 23 cantons. In order to be able to cover its future demand for qualified drivers, it offers young staff interested in switching careers a separate training course for driving licence category D.

Key figures ¹:

Performance data Switzerland	Unit	2010	2009	Change in percent
Passengers	Million	121.2	118.0	+2.7
Annual performance	Million km	103.6	98.3	+5.4
Passenger km	Million km	756.7	763.8	–0.9
Routes	Number	798	783	+1.9
Network length	km	11 007	10 429	+5.5
Sales	CHF million	621.3	594.2	+4.6

Employees	Unit	2010 Annual average	2009 Annual average	Change in percent
PostBus Switzerland Ltd	FTE	1465.2	1397.4	+4.9
Drivers PostBus companies	FTE	1458.2	1404.3	+3.8
Total	FTE	2923.4	2801.7	+4.3
PostBus Switzerland Ltd	Persons	1785	1719	+3.8
Drivers PostBus companies	Persons	1514	1452	+4.3
Total	Persons	3299	3171	+4.0

FTE = full-time equivalent
1 All figures refer to the services of PostBus Switzerland Ltd (market Switzerland)

Jobs per canton	Unit	2010 Annual average	2009 Annual average	Change in FTEs
Aargau	FTE	367.0	337.4	+29.6
Appenzell Ausserrhoden	FTE	36.4	37.8	-1.4
Appenzell Innerrhoden	FTE	0	0	0
Basel-Landschaft	FTE	78.7	82.6	-3.9
Basel-Stadt	FTE	35.3	32.7	+2.6
Berne	FTE	423.1	380.9	+42.2
Fribourg	FTE	2.9	2.5	+0.4
Geneva	FTE	0	0	0
Glarus	FTE	6.0	6.0	0
Graubünden	FTE	327.4	325.4	+2.0
Jura	FTE	74.1	76.7	-2.6
Lucerne	FTE	85.7	81.8	+3.9
Neuchâtel	FTE	26.9	24.8	+2.1
Nidwalden	FTE	24.8	23.5	+1.3
Obwalden	FTE	16.7	16.1	+0.6
St. Gallen	FTE	154.5	152.8	+1.7
Schaffhausen	FTE	7.1	6.0	+1.1
Solothurn	FTE	95.3	89.1	+6.2
Schwyz	FTE	40.5	44.8	-4.3
Ticino	FTE	258.9	250.9	+8.0
Thurgau	FTE	127.0	121.4	+5.6
Uri	FTE	7.0	5.8	+1.2
Vaud	FTE	204.8	195.7	+9.1
Valais	FTE	277.3	267.5	+9.8
Zug	FTE	0	0	0
Zurich	FTE	246.1	239.7	+6.4
Total	FTE	2923.4	2801.7	+121.7