SDG Cases - Public Transporter RET

This case looks at the challenges of Rotterdam Electric Tram (RET), a large public transportation company in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in transitioning its fully diesel-powered bus fleet to become 100% electric by 2030. After winning the bid for the 2019-2034 concession of bus transport in Rotterdam, RET had to deliver on its promise to make bus transportation more environmentally friendly. There were, of course, many challenges to this transition, ranging from infrastructure management to electricity supply, scheduling and pricing.

Learning objectives:

1. Understanding the operational management challenges for a public transport company in transition;

2. Analysing the effects of different operational interventions to create a sustainable city;

3. Creating a business model that sustains both the future as a city as well as the company itself.

4. Understanding the different SDGs related to creating a sustainable city and how they are linked.

5. Understanding the concept of systemic change and evaluating where a business strategy or activity lies in the system of change.