SNT / STT / TRANSTU (http://www.transtu.tn/)
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HISTORY
After independence in 1958 the electricty and transport sector in Tunis and its suburbs were nationalised and managed by a management committee: Réseau Electricité et Transport.
In 1960 the management of passenger and goods road transport, which was operated by Tunisienne Automobile des Transports (TAT) and its subsidiary Société Tunisienne de Transport Automobile du Sahel (STTAS) was transferred temporarily to
the national railroad company.
In 1963 the Société Nationale des Transports SNT was created for road transport of passengers and goods. In 1964, a new company for goods transport, Société de Transport de Marchandises (STM) is created and thereafter SNT
only operated urban passenger tranport in Tunis and suburbs and a network of interurban passenger transport nationwide.
In 1981 SNT is divided into three separate companies: SNT for bus transport in Tunis and suburbs, SMLT (Société du Métro-Léger de Tunis) that operates the TGM electric suburban railway and the new urban light rail system, and Société Nationale de Transport Rural et Interurbain (SNTRI) for interurban passenger transport nationwide.
In 2003 the SNT bus company and the SMLT light rail companies are merged into a new company, Société de Transport de Tunis, TRANSTU.
TRANSPORT MODES
Electric trams ran in Tunis until 1960. The TGM suburban line was electrified in 1905 and is still operational. A new light rail system was inaugurated in 1985.
Trolleybuses ran in Tunis between 1946 and
1970.
Buses are opeated in Tunis since 1930.
The national railways operates some suburban lines.
BUS FLEET
During the colonial period, until 1958, buses were of French origin, among others Chausson buses were used in Tunis. After independence Italian influence became important and FIAT became the most important make. The national vehicle builder STIA, created in 1961, imported and assembled buses between 1964 and 1973. From 1974 onwards STIA built its own bodywork under license from Van Hool in Belgium, mostly on FIAT chassis. Around 1980 Volvo entered the Tunisian market with bodywork by SETCAR. Since then, until around 2004, Tunis bought FIAT/IVECO/Irisbus -STIA and Volvo -SETCAR buses. The exception were the Ikarus articulated buses imported from Hungary, initially as complete vehicles, later assembled by STIA and from 1997-2004 with STIA bodywork. Around 2004 MAN buses with local Alpha bodywork made for some additional variety and around 2011 International -Alpha buses were added. However, IVECO/Irisbus -STIA and Volvo -SETCAR buses still form the major part of the fleet. Contrary to other fleets, like Sousse, Nabeul and Médenine, Tunis apparently did not buy secondhand vehicles during the 1980's.
The economic problems forced the company to buy secondhand vehicles in 2015. Those were Renault Agora and Agora L from Paris.
Fleet 1984: 713 vehicles
FIAT 411 -STIA/Cameri: 74
FIAT 418 -STIA/Van Hool: 467
FIAT 320: 14
FIAT 428/SEAC/Viberti -STIA: 81
Volvo B10M -SETCAR: 10
Ikarus 280: 92
Note: in 1984 one Turkish MAN -MANAS was evaluated.
Fleet
around 1992: 855 vehicles:
FIAT 418 -STIA/Van Hool: 505
FIAT 428/SEAC/Viberti -STIA: 94
IVECO AP160 -STIA: 89
Volvo B10M -SETCAR: 74
Volvo B10MA -SETCAR: 3
Ikarus 280: 35
other: 54
Fleet observed 2006 and later:
standard buses
IVECO AP160 -STIA: series 2700-3300, ca 1990-2000
Volvo B7R -SETCAR: series 3200, ca 2000
Irisbus EuroRider 26 -STIA: series 3300-3400, ca 2002
Irisbus EuroRider 26 -STIA: series 3500-3600, ca 2008
Volvo B7R -SETCAR, series 4000, ca 2003
MAN -Alpha Bus, series 5000-5100, ca 2004
International 3000RE -Alpha Bus, series 5500-5600, ca 2011
Renault Agora: series 7100-...., end of 2015, ex RATP, Paris
articulated buses
Volvo B10MA -SETCAR, series 2100, 1990's
Volvo B10MA -SETCAR, series 2100-2300, ca 2000-2004
Volvo B10MA -SETCAR, series 2300, ca 2005
Volvo B12MA -SETCAR, series 2300-2400, ca 2012
Ikarus 283.20 -STIA: series 7000, ca 1998-2002
MAN art. -Alpha Bus: series 6000-6100, ca 2004
Mercedes-Benz art. -ICAR: series 8000, ca 2012
Renault Agora L: series 7020.., end of 2015, ex RATP, Paris
