Régie mixte des transports toulonnais

The Régie mixte des transports toulonnais (RMTT) was a French mixed-economy transport company that managed the Mistral public transport network serving the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metropolitan area in south-eastern France. The network, branded Réseau Mistral, covers twelve communes of the metropolitan area and combines urban and suburban bus lines, a network of bateaux-bus (water shuttles) across the Rade de Toulon, school services, a dedicated transport service for people with reduced mobility (PMR), park-and-ride facilities, and the Faron cable car. The RMTT was the sole shareholder of the network and operated under the Transdev group umbrella. The company's origins lie in the Société des tramways du Var et du Gard (STVG), the first public transport operator in the Toulon area, which ran tramways between Toulon and La Valette and extended some lines as far as Sanary, Le Beausset and Hyères. The RMTT itself was created on 6 April 1951 as the Régie municipale des transports toulonnais, later becoming the Régie mixte des transports toulonnais. It took over the tramways and trolleybuses and developed coach lines in Toulon and La Valette. The tramways disappeared in April 1955 and the trolleybuses ceased operation on 20 February 1973, leaving the network to rely on buses. From 1978, with the creation of the Sitcat (Syndicat intercommunal de transports en commun de l'aire toulonnaise) on 24 November 1978, the network expanded from Toulon to six communes, then eight, and eventually twelve. In 2002 the communauté d'agglomération Toulon Provence Méditerranée took over the operation of the network through several companies including RMTT, Sodetrav, Transvar, Orlandi and Littoral Cars. On 6 July 2009 La Crau joined the network, bringing the total to twelve communes, and the liveries of Sodetrav and Littoral Cars were replaced by the unified Réseau Mistral livery on many lines. Under the RMTT, the Réseau Mistral presented itself as one of the cleanest and densest networks in France. The network's services include bus lines, bateaux-bus, school transport, an on-demand bus service, park-and-ride facilities at Portes d'Ollioules, Toulon, Brunet and Tamaris, and the Téléphérique du Faron. A dedicated PMR service with twelve specially equipped minibuses operates on reservation for accredited users. The network also offers tourist products such as the City Card and guides to the islands of Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant. On 1 May 2023, the RMTT (Transdev) was replaced by RD TPM (RATP Dev) as the operator of the Mistral network. The RMTT thus ceased to be the network operator, although the Réseau Mistral brand continues to designate the public transport service of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metropolitan area.

The history of public transport in the Toulon area begins with the Société des tramways du Var et du Gard (STVG), the first public transport company in the Toulon conurbation. The STVG operated the tramway network for Toulon and La Valette, with some lines reaching Sanary, Le Beausset and Hyères. The RMTT was created on 6 April 1951 as the Régie municipale des transports toulonnais, later becoming the Régie mixte des transports toulonnais. It took over the tramways and trolleybuses and set up coach lines in Toulon and La Valette. This arrangement lasted until the post-war period. In the era of 'all-automobile' and 'all-diesel', tramways were considered outdated, unattractive and obstructive to car traffic. They disappeared in April 1955, and trolleybuses ceased all operation on 20 February 1973. Long before that, in 1948, a metre-gauge railway line known as the 'Macaron', linking Toulon to Saint-Raphaël along the coast, was closed to all traffic and dismantled, later replaced by a cycle path. From 1978, the RMTT network expanded considerably with the creation of the Sitcat (Syndicat intercommunal de transports en commun de l'aire toulonnaise) on 24 November 1978, which extended the Toulon urban network to six communes: Toulon, La Valette, La Garde, Le Pradet, La Seyne-sur-Mer and Saint-Mandrier, then to eight with Ollioules and Le Revest. At this time, the Cars Étoile, which provided the link between Toulon, La Seyne, Les Sablettes and Saint-Mandrier, disappeared in favour of RMTT and Sitcat. The Sodetrav (Société départementale des transports du Var), based in Hyères, received the concession for the urban lines of La Garde and Le Pradet. This structure gradually took shape until 2002, when the newly created communauté d'agglomération Toulon Provence Méditerranée took over the operation of the network through the companies RMTT, Sodetrav, Transvar, Orlandi and Littoral Cars. On 6 July 2009, the town of La Crau joined the network, bringing the number of communes served by the Réseau Mistral to twelve. From that date, the liveries of Sodetrav and Littoral Cars disappeared in favour of the single Réseau Mistral bus livery on lines 6, 17, 23, 29, 39, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 102 and 103 for Sodetrav, and on lines 70, 71, 72, 84, 120 and 122 for Littoral Cars. The Réseau Mistral is divided into three parts: bus, bateau-bus and cable car. The network has also been the subject of major projects. Before its complete destruction in 1955, the Toulon tramway network was one of the most extensive in France, running from Sanary-sur-Mer to Hyères. In 1972, following a government plan to redeploy tramways in certain pilot cities, Toulon was chosen. The project progressed slowly over the years, and the rolling stock (AnsaldoBreda Sirio) was eventually ordered. The first groundwork was planned for 2002 with a 20.7-kilometre route between La Seyne-sur-Mer and La Garde, 31 stations and a forecast budget of 378.7 million euros. However, the project was compromised by the arrival of a new municipal team after the 2001 municipal elections. In 2005 the project returned to the forefront, was voted unanimously and the public utility inquiry concluded positively. The project then comprised two phases: the construction of a La Garde-Toulon line and then a Toulon-La Seyne-sur-Mer line, all due to be inaugurated by 2013. But it was suspended again in 2007 by the president of TPM, Hubert Falco, who confirmed his choice in 2008 by describing tramway technology as 'outdated'. After the cancellation of the tramway project, Hubert Falco proposed a bus rapid transit (BHNS) scheme with work starting around 2012, after the inauguration of the second road tunnel. The first phase of the dedicated-lane articulated bus project was to be operational in 2014, linking La Valette-du-Var to La Garde via the Toulon university hub, 9 kilometres with 15 stations. Eventually, the first section of the TCSP was to run from La Garde to La Seyne-sur-Mer, an 18.3-kilometre route with 37 stations. Two extensions were to follow: east to Le Pradet and west to Saint-Mandrier, adding 12.1 kilometres and 20 stations. The line was to operate from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. and would likely be operated by 24-metre buses, with the decision on rolling stock to be taken in 2011. The RMTT (Transdev) claimed that the Réseau Mistral was one of the cleanest and densest networks in France. As for the maritime network, the 2008 Toulon municipal programme included a new maritime link between the petite rade and the town of Le Pradet. Following a meeting held in mid-October 2010 at the headquarters of the communauté d'agglomération, Yannick Chevenard, responsible for urban planning and transport within the community, announced that the maritime network would be expanded with several lines in 2017. The Le Pradet-Toulon line was thus launched. On 1 May 2023, the RMTT (Transdev) was replaced by RD TPM (RATP Dev) as the operator of the Réseau Mistral. The RMTT therefore ceased to be the network operator, although the Réseau Mistral brand continues to designate the public transport service of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metropolitan area.

• Creation of the Régie municipale des transports toulonnais, later Régie mixte des transports toulonnais (RMTT).

• Tramways in Toulon disappear.

• Trolleybuses cease all operation.

• Creation of the Sitcat, extending the urban network to six communes, then eight.

• The communauté d'agglomération Toulon Provence Méditerranée takes over the operation of the network via RMTT, Sodetrav, Transvar, Orlandi and Littoral Cars.

• La Crau joins the network, bringing the total to twelve communes; unified Réseau Mistral livery replaces Sodetrav and Littoral Cars liveries.

• RMTT (Transdev) is replaced by RD TPM (RATP Dev) as operator of the Réseau Mistral.

Public transport operator for the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metropolitan area, presenting the Mistral network as one of the cleanest and densest in France.

• Réseau Mistral bus network

  Urban and suburban bus lines serving twelve communes of the Toulon Provence Méditerranée metropolitan area.

• Bateaux-bus

  Maritime shuttle services across the Rade de Toulon, including links to the islands of Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant.

• Téléphérique du Faron

  Cable car offering panoramic views over the Rade de Toulon.

• Park-and-ride facilities

  Free secure park-and-ride at Portes d'Ollioules, Toulon, Brunet and Tamaris for Mistral network users.

• PMR transport service

  Collective transport service for people with reduced mobility, operating on accreditation and reservation with 12 specially equipped minibuses.

• School transport services

  Dedicated school bus services for students in the metropolitan area.

• On-demand bus service

  Flexible bus service on request for certain areas or times.

• Tourist passes and City Card

  Tourist offers including the City Card for access to sites, transport and partner advantages.

1. 1Accueil | Réseau Mistralreseaumistral.com
2. 2Tourisme | Réseau Mistralreseaumistral.com
3. 3Parking P+R | Réseau Mistralreseaumistral.com
4. 4Service PMR | Réseau Mistralreseaumistral.com
5. 5Régie mixte des transports toulonnaiswikidata.org
6. 6Régie mixte des transports toulonnaisfr.wikipedia.org