The Metropolitan Council of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) has closed a long administrative gap by approving the contract award to Marfina Bus S.A.U., a company belonging to the Moventis group. The previous contract had been expired since 2012. The proposal was approved with the favorable vote of most metropolitan groups, with the Popular Party (PP) abstaining.
The contract was formalized following a tender process where Marfina Bus, the incumbent operator, submitted the only bid. The Contracting Board validated the proposal, which scored highly (89.9 out of 100) on quantifiable criteria, particularly praising its detailed procedures for managing exceptional situations, such as demand peaks or incidents.
The contract has an estimated value of 30 million euros and an initial duration of eight years, with the possibility of a two-year extension.
Regarding financing, the Cerdanyola City Council will assume one-third of the cost (approximately 1.5 million euros annually), while the AMB will cover the remaining two-thirds. This municipal contribution is directly linked to service improvements, including fleet renewal and the integration of technological innovations.
The specifications mandate that all energy used in the service operation must be 100% certified renewable energy, aligning with decarbonization goals. However, the award comes despite Marfina Bus and the Moventis group having a recent history of labor conflicts and sanctions in other metropolitan municipalities. In early October, the company was convicted for violating the right to strike of three drivers in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.
