The future of TPL – the topics at the centre of the round table

Published 30 May 2025

During the Cluster Trasporti Conference, ample space was given to a round table between operators and experts in the local public transport (TPL) sector to focus on the challenges and opportunities of the “seventh transport revolution”.

Among the topics addressed, the necessity for greater industrialisation of the sector stands out, in particular, to overcome fragmentation and attract investment, making the TPL sector more efficient and standardised. The energy transition, on the other hand, imposes crucial choices on technological neutrality, considering.

The mobility of the future must be supported by a systemic approach, which integrates the different modes of transport (bus, rail, metro) and involves all stakeholders (operators, industry, public administration, and research centres) to define standards, facilitate innovation, and ensure the effectiveness of investments. In this framework, national projects and initiatives such as Most and HD Motion are cited as concrete examples of collaborative efforts aimed at supporting innovation and training in the sector.

Solutions for more flexible and integrated mobility

The round table moderated by Massimo De Donato of the Transport Cluster was an opportunity to take stock of TPL, offering a detailed picture of the potentially disruptive dynamics underway, exploring current critical issues, but above all future opportunities for a more sustainable, digital, and resilient TPL.

Angelo Costa, vice president of Agens, highlighted the ongoing changes in the local public transport sector, driven in particular by two “disruptive” factors: innovation in new fuels and the digitalisation of services. Agens, through its main operators, has defined the industrialisation of the sector as an associative program; a process that aims for better service efficiency, focusing on standardising processes. The main critical issues include a stratification of relationships and contracts, which does not facilitate this standardisation process, making the sector fragmented and less attractive to investors. Among the priorities is the valorisation of the sector, also addressing the shortage of drivers and improving industrial relations to support the upskilling and reskilling of existing resources in response to technological and digital evolution.

Massimo Nitti, vice president of Asstra, highlighted the importance of the ecological transition, a process underway with ongoing investments for fleet renewal with non-polluting vehicles. However, he highlighted an operational problem often underestimated by transport companies, which are subjected to these dynamics. Electric vehicles, for example, have a significant organisational impact, influenced by factors such as passenger load and environmental conditions which reduce. This requires a significantly larger fleet compared to classic buses and infrastructural investments (charging stations) and on work organisation. Furthermore, regarding resources, despite significant investments having been made, an adequate level of service meeting present needs has not been achieved.

The necessity for gradualness in the ecological transition process, in line with institutional directives and practical realities, was also shared by Massimo Locatelli of Anav Lombardia; a gradualness dictated by the necessity of additional resources, actual results on pollution reduction, and the limited production capacity of manufacturers, who were not and are not able to deliver buses quickly. Today thousands of Euro3 buses are still in circulation, and the average age of the extra-urban fleet could increase in the coming years despite investments, depending on technological choices. Another urgent problem concerns the shortage of drivers, which makes it difficult to guarantee the current service.

Subsequently, Giampiero Mastinu of Politecnico di Milano illustrated a study on the bus industry in Italy focused on the effectiveness of different engines through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). For CO2 emissions, the biomethane vehicle resulted winning compared to the electric one with data from a few years ago; and it would be even more so with current technologies. Electric, on the other hand, prevails in other indicators such as particulate matter and terrestrial ecotoxicity. Biocombustibles also represent an important solution for the transition, especially for suburban vehicles. In light of this data, the biomethane-electric hybrid bus could be a solution that unites the benefits of both technologies.

Dario Ferrillo of Almaviva highlighted the main challenges of digital transformation for TPL; a revolution that impacts both infrastructures, such as smart roads, and services with new business models. The introduction of modern technologies requires modern architectures (interoperability, cloud) and investments not only initial, but also to ensure sustainability over time. Therefore, it is fundamental to accompany technology with a change in organisational models and change management paths for personnel. Almaviva is active in the sector through strategic acquisitions and integrated mobility platforms, using artificial intelligence for the digitalisation of the sector.

Gabriele Vargiu of Iveco reiterated the importance of the concept of technological neutrality, choosing the best solution based on the specific transport mission. He highlighted the lack of certainty about public investments for the renewal of the circulating fleet, underlining that there is not a sufficient structural annual allocation to achieve the objectives of reducing and maintaining the average age of the fleet. Although the influx of resources has favoured a necessary renewal, this period is coming to an end. In this context, a part of the 7 billion euros from the Social Climate Fund (from 2026) could represent further support for the renewal of the bus fleet.

Antonella Trombetta of Hitachi represented the point of view of rail transport, by definition the most ecological means of transport because it is on average electric. Hitachi’s vision is to guide the mobility transition by putting rail transport at the centre, integrating it with other modes of transport. The objectives are 360° decarbonisation and strong digitalisation for multimodal and integrated mobility. In general, it is important to work as part of a single system that includes operators and infrastructure managers.

Nunzio Micalizzi of Leonardo has described the activity of Leonardo’s Cyber and Security Solution division in the transport sector, highlighting the importance of digitalisation and security as distinctive elements. A characterising and fundamental element of Leonardo’s offer is Cybersecurity and Resilience, integrated from the design phase because the digital surface of infrastructures is growing exponentially, consequently increasing the “attack surface” and potential malicious threats.

Finally, Gaetano Fusco of Most Spoke 9 highlighted the potential of Most, the National Centre for Sustainable Mobility, for the evolution of the sector. Spoke 9, in particular, focuses on urban mobility with a systemic approach, studying governance, infrastructures, services, and technologies. Faced with trends such as urban sprawl that reduce the economies of scale of TPL, the answer lies in the use of technologies for automation, communication, and digital management. An integrated digital platform is essential for collecting and leveraging data to improve planning and management. The “true intelligence” of the system resides in its design and in the training of personnel to use these technologies.