The Rotterdam city council has decided to extend the contract with transport company Trevvel by one year.
The agreement was originally due to expire this summer, but legal complications have forced the municipality to temporarily continue the collaboration, the General Journal. The extension is a direct result of summary proceedings that Trevvel initiated against the municipality at the end of last year, which caused significant delays in the tender procedure.
Alderman Ronald Buijt emphasizes that the choice for Trevvel was made as a temporary solution to keep the impact on users as small as possible. "A change of carrier could have a significant impact on users," Buijt writes in a statement. This concerns vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and children with disabilities, who depend on adapted transport for their mobility. The municipality wants to prevent this group from suddenly having to deal with a new carrier in the middle of the year, with all the logistical challenges and possible problems that entails.
dissatisfaction
The issue started in November last year, when Trevvel decided to go to court because of dissatisfaction with the tender conditions. According to the transport company, the emphasis in the new tender was too much on cost savings instead of quality. Trevvel stated that the municipality was primarily aiming for the lowest price, which according to the company amounted to a cut of millions of euros on the transport of vulnerable Rotterdam residents. Other transport companies and the Mobility Procurement Institute also criticized the procedure and pointed out possible flaws in the tender.
Ultimately, the lawsuit led to adjustments in the tender conditions by the municipality. Trevvel then withdrew the summary proceedings, but the delay had become so great that it was no longer possible to appoint a new carrier this summer. The extension of the contract with Trevvel is therefore a bridging measure, with the aim of making the transition to a new carrier as smooth as possible.
Although Trevvel will continue for another year, it is not certain that the company will remain responsible for transport in Rotterdam after that period. The adjusted tender procedure is still ongoing and it is possible that another party will eventually be chosen.
mixed feelings
For many Trevvel users, the news will have mixed feelings. The carrier has long been under fire due to complaints about long waiting times and trips that do not run according to schedule. At the same time, there is uncertainty about a possible new carrier, which can lead to concerns among passengers and their families.
In the coming months, the municipality will consider the further implementation of the new contract. Whether Trevvel will disappear from the picture after 2025 is still unclear. What is certain is that the discussion about the balance between costs and quality is not over yet.
