The IRU Special Company Award 2009 goes to Flygbussarna Airport Coaches of Sweden for its innovative policy and successful awareness campaign to promote a wider use of bus and coach services.

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is pleased to announce that the Special IRU Company Award 2009 was attributed to Flygbussarna Airport Coaches in Sweden for its innovative business policy and successful public campaign to raise customers’ awareness of buses and coaches’ excellent environmental record and to promote a wider use of their services.

Michel Seyt, President of the IRU French Member Association FNTV, and President of the International Jury who rewarded the Swedish company, said: “Such integrated transport services contribute to establishing a sustainable mobility chain. Not only does Flygbussarna offer a green alternative to private cars, but it also improves the company’s bottom line. This win-win initiative, benefitting the environment, customers and company alike, is a best practice that we wish to emulate worldwide by awarding this distinction as recognition of the entire road passenger transport industry.”

Flygbussarna, a 20-year old company and subsidiary of Veolia Transport since 2007, provides bus and coach transport services at seven Swedish airports, interconnecting them with 12 cities and carrying some 4 million passengers every year.

The company has a turnover of 35 billion euros and a fleet of 66 buses, 16 of which run 100% on biofuels. The rest of the fleet is renewed every 6 years to ensure optimal engine fuel-efficiency and use of the cleanest technologies. Furthermore, four Flygbussarna routes have been eco-labeled by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.

In 2009, Flygbussarna’s public campaign won the Prize for best website in Sweden and a second best for outdoor advertising. As a result, and despite a 15% decrease in air travelers at Arlanda airport in Stockholm, Flybussarna’s market share kept increasing over the same period.

President of the IRU Passenger Transport Council, Graham Smith, commented, "This award is a message we send to policy-makers, showcasing that our industry can participate very concretely in the global effort to cut CO2 emissions, provided the regulatory framework allows it to do so. As Flygbussarna’s business results and image campaign demonstrate, customers react positively to such ecologically-sensible travel solutions.”