For four years, the Ostrava Public Transport Company has been operating modern trams made by the Swiss company STADLER. The products of this world-leading manufacturer of rail vehicles can also be encountered when travelling on Leo Express trains or during trips to the mountains of the Liberec Region. When visiting the High Tatras, modern trains of this brand will again take you to the winter resorts. In the area of public transport, the Ostrava Tango NF2 tram is a symbol of the arrival of a new quality of travel. In this context, we asked the Director of STADLER Praha, Mr Bohumír Kráčmar, for an interview.
The Stadler tram is synonymous with safety in public transport. The Ostrava Public Transport Company installs an anti-collision system in all your cars. What is its benefit for passenger comfort?
The anti-collision system for protection against a collision with an external obstacle is now becoming a European standard for trams. More and more customers, especially from EU countries, are demanding this equipment for logical reasons. The aim is to avoid collisions with external obstacles and thus actively protect passengers, especially drivers, who cannot infl uence the collision other than by reacting in time. The anti-collision system thus enables them to activate the braking system based on an audible signal before noticing the actual collision threat. This protects not only them but, above all, the passengers, who are logically never prepared for such a situation. First, we must remember that the driver has no choice but to mitigate the eff ects of a collision. The anti-collision system offers him this possibility.
The Ostrava Public Transport Company operates the only Stadler tram simulator in the country. What is its contribution to transport safety?
As well as equipping trams with an anti-collision system, using the simulator for driver training is another progressive step of the Ostrava Public Transport Company to become a modern public transport operator at the European level. The technical design of the new trams is beginning to approach that of rail vehicles in terms of the requirements for their operation. Everything is controlled electronically, and driver training is becoming more and more demanding.
Today’s workplace provides the driver with greater comfort and the need to react promptly to the information he or she receives while driving, thanks to new technologies. If the driver masters this activity by simulating different driving situations in the training centre, his driving becomes safer for him and his passengers in operational conditions. Thus, the simulator also enables drivers to prepare for crisis situations and helps them to gain the necessary knowledge and experience before deploying them in actual traffic. Other branches of passenger transport already consider simulator training as a necessary standard, which helps eliminate operational risks and reduce potential accidents. And this is the main reason leading to increased safety in tram operations.
Stadler’s development centre involves domestic suppliers in its own projects. How do you manage this, and what opportunities do you offer Czech companies?
When designing the Ostrava tram, we paid maximum attention to this area. The share of domestic suppliers is almost 40%. It was a big task for them but also us. Above all, because the domestic manufacturers considered their involvement in this project a prestigious matter, they opened up the possibility of entering the world of STADLER suppliers.
Quality products of Czech manufacturers are nothing new for us. Our database of certifi ed suppliers has long included companies that supply components mainly for STADLER railway vehicles. And thanks to the excellent experience of our Swiss colleagues with their quality, their number is constantly growing.
However, getting into this select company requires a high technical level of products with quality delivery and service. And also a high technical expertise with knowledge of the requirements of European standards and current design standards. The door is open for a potential supplier with these qualifications.
It is a pleasure to collaborate with partners who understand things. Those partners are and always have been in the Czech Republic. With our products, they can successfully break into foreign markets as well. And I think this is a great challenge.
Thank you for the interview.
