Swiss Post’s PostBus on the road to success
Swiss Post’s PostBus has consolidated its position during 2009 with an increase in passengers, kilometres travelled and sales. PostBus continued along its growth path in 2009, despite the difficult economic environment. The number of passengers carried in Switzerland rose from 114.7 to 118m (+2.9%). The amount of kilometres travelled increased by 3.7m to an annual performance of 98.3m kilometres. The Group unit of Swiss Post generated a record sales figure of CHF 640m. This represents an increase of CHF 36m (+6 %) compared with the previous year. The operating result (EBIT) of PostBus, including the subsidiaries in France and the Principality of Liechtenstein, came to CHF 27m as in 2008. PostBus thus generated a profit for the twelfth consecutive year. Traffic revenue in Switzerland was up by 1.6% to CHF 166.2m. PostBus still generates the lion’s share of its sales (92.7%) in Switzerland. The proportion of business in France was lifted to 4.3% (+1.7 percentage points) compared with the previous year.
Last year, PostBus increased its sales in Switzerland again to a new peak of CHF 594m, i.e. CHF 23m (+4%) more than in the previous year. This increase exceeds the average annual growth of the past five years and is also around 2% above the market growth figure. Owing to additional services and the related rise in headcount, staff costs also went up by 6.9% to CHF 301m. Part of this increase in costs was offset by lower employee benefit expenses. Vehicle expenses were characterised by lower fuel prices compared with 2008. The weak economic situation could make itself felt as of 2011 if the commissioning parties decide to make fewer financial resources available for public transport.
PostBus lifted its international sales substantially in 2009. Compared with 2008 they increased by CHF 12.1m (+36%) to a total of CHF 45.8m. The increase was achieved primarily by stepping up business in France in the regional transport segment and expanding a number of city bus routes. In the Principality of Liechtenstein, PostBus achieved a marginal increase in sales.
PostBus guarantees nationwide provision of regional transport services on behalf of the cantons and the Confederation, which stipulate the level of regional public transport services offered. The average headcount increased significantly in 2009. Overall, PostBus employs 3,522 people (+9.1%), corresponding to around 3,140 full-time positions (+245 jobs or 8.5%, respectively) in Switzerland and abroad. PostBus itself employs 2,070 people. It also provides 1,452 jobs through the 215 PostBus operators. As PostBus partners, these local companies accounted for around 64% of the 98.3m kilometres travelled in Switzerland in 2009. The jobs were spread among no fewer than 23 cantons. This underscores the economic importance of PostBus in Switzerland, not only for the provision of local public transport services but also as an employer. Moreover, PostBus services also play an important role in carrying people to major train and bus routes – and thus in creating additional jobs.
