Nicolas Gindt – Keolis Downer and Yarra Trams

“What makes a fantastic difference for Yarra Trams, is its brand and its incredible value in every Melburnian’s heart. And I realized that every time I’m meeting new people.” 

Transit Unplugged continues its adventure in Australia with Nicolas Gindt, CEO of Keolis Downer Victoria and operator of Yarra Trams. Yarra Trams is the largest tram network in the world. It has a diverse fleet of ~480 trams with 250 kilometers of track (times two as Nicolas likes to say), with 2300 employees.  

On this episode, Nicolas discusses the challenges of operating a diverse trams system – with some trams being weeks old compared to some that have run for 60 years. Sometimes it’s because they must create parts in-house or that the manufacturer no longer exists, and it’s the challenge of integrating the different technologies between all the different trams.  

Nicolas highlights how about 75% of the network shares its service with the road and other vehicles. Finally, he elaborates on the challenges of building additional infrastructure for a tram network and trying to make the system more accessible for people with disabilities.  

If you want to know more about Yarra Trams, you can check out their website.  

Remember to check out transitunplugged.com to learn from top transit professionals and stay up to date to catch all the latest episodes.