The Municipal Transport Company has formalised the agreement with the major unions, guaranteeing job stability until 2029 and allowing the execution of the 2025-2030 Master Plan, with a historic investment in fleet and infrastructure.
The Municipal Transport Company (EMT) of València has finalised a labour agreement that sets the course for the company until 2029. The collective agreement, signed with the unions APTTUV and UGT, which hold an absolute majority on the works council, provides a stable framework for the next four years and clears the way for the investments planned in the 2025-2030 Master Plan.
The pact comes at a time of growth for public transport in the capital of Turia. The management of EMT and the workers' representatives have sealed an understanding that, according to company sources, offers security to both the workforce and the organisation. The councillor for Mobility and president of EMT, Jesús Carbonell, has described the signing as "excellent news for EMT, for its staff, and for the thousands of users who use municipal public transport every day."
Investment plan with 222 electric and hybrid buses
The renewal of the fleet is one of the pillars of the agreement. The Investment Plan 2024-2028, approved by the València City Council in 2024, includes the incorporation of 222 electric and hybrid buses. The vehicles are being integrated progressively, although the pace will accelerate from October and will extend until early 2027. The aim is to reduce the average age of the buses and provide a more sustainable and comfortable service.
Carbonell has emphasised that the company is going through "a decisive moment of growth, with historic investments in fleet, infrastructure, and personnel." The increase in vehicles will allow for strengthened frequencies and adapt the offer to the evolution of urban movements, as well as to the needs of neighbourhoods and districts. For users, this will translate into shorter waiting times and a more extensive network.
New depot in Safranar and improvements in facilities
The investment programme includes allocations worth 20 million euros to improve infrastructure. The most significant action is the construction of a new depot in the Safranar neighbourhood, with works set to begin in September. Additionally, EMT is carrying out electrification and power increase works in the other two existing depots, to adapt them to an increasingly electrified fleet.
These interventions are necessary to ensure the operation of the new electric and hybrid buses under optimal conditions. They will also provide sufficient capacity in light of the expected growth of the service outlined in the Master Plan. Concurrently, the company has created structural employment pools for driving and maintenance personnel, in order to ensure the necessary human resources to incorporate the new vehicles and respond to the increase in activity.
Carbonell has stated that the agreement "provides us with the necessary framework to develop the Master Plan with guarantees and continue offering increasingly efficient, sustainable public transport tailored to the needs of Valencians, as well as improving the working conditions of its staff." The company believes that the signing completes the main instruments necessary to execute the plan until 2030, consolidating a municipal service with greater capacity, a renewed fleet, and infrastructure prepared for future mobility challenges.
For citizens, the agreement represents a clear roadmap: in the coming years, EMT València will expand lines and frequencies, improve service quality, and reduce its environmental footprint. The expectation is that the first effects will be felt as early as 2026, with the incorporation of the new buses and the progress of the works in Safranar.
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