Markets and strategy

DB Arriva aims to achieve growth in the European passenger transport market with operations in 14 countries. DB Arriva’s vision is to become Europe’s mobility partner of choice. This is underpinned by four strategy pillars; a strong foundation, delivering growth through tenders and acquisition, the best employees and being the preferred choice for customers.

Sustained profitable growth is only possible as long as DB Arriva provides high-­­quality services that its customers can afford and enjoy using. To achieve this, DB Arriva is continuously investing in new vehicles, improving its passenger information systems and developing new mobility solutions to complement traditional passenger transport modes. Profitable growth is the basis for guaranteeing a stable and sustainably successful business. DB Arriva achieves this primarily by taking part in tenders for transport contracts and through acquisitions.

• In UK Bus, DB Arriva aims to optimize existing business and expand the services offered to customers. For example, DB Arriva expanded the on-­­demand minibus service, ArrivaClick in Liverpool, Leicestershire and Hertfordshire. To make using buses more convenient for passengers, DB Arriva introduced contactless payment.

• In the case of UK Trains, the CrossCountry franchise had its contract extended by one year to October 2020.
• DB Arriva is also growing in the Mainland Europe line of business by winning new transport contracts or having existing ones renewed. In the Czech Republic, rail transport services grew significantly. DB Arriva is also ex­panding its activities in the Polish bus segment with the commissioning of two new contracts.

Committed employees are a vital part of why DB Arriva is successful, and its employer attractiveness enables DB Arriva to attract and retain talent. That is why DB Arriva regularly conducts employee surveys and has developed an action plan to continually improve employee retention.

DB Arriva’s journey to Destination Green is an integral part of its corporate culture. Central to this is reducing fuel consumption, improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions. By introducing new telematics systems in about 16,000 buses, DB Arriva expects to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by about 72,000 t of CO₂ per year. In addition, DB Arriva continues to commission electric buses, particularly in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. This allows DB Arriva to help the respective contracting organizations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.