View source for Helsinki Regional Transport Authority

{{Short description|Public transportation authority in Finland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Helsinki Regional Transport Authority
| logo = Helsinki Regional Transport Authority logo.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| native_name = ''Helsingin seudun liikenne'' (Finnish)<br />''Helsingforsregionens trafik'' (Swedish)
| type = Kuntayhtymä ([[Inter-municipal cooperation]])
| industry =
| genre =
| predecessor = [[Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council|YTV]]<br />[[Helsinki City Transport|HKL]]
| foundation = 1 January 2010
| founder =
| location = Opastinsilta 6 A
| location_city = Helsinki
| locations =
| area_served = [[Greater Helsinki]]
| key_people = [[Suvi Rihtniemi]] (CEO)
| products =
| services = [[Public transport]]
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| owner =
| members = City of Helsinki<br />City of Espoo<br />City of Vantaa<br />City of Kauniainen<br />City of Kerava<br />Kirkkonummi municipality<br />Sipoo municipality<br />Tuusula municipality<br />Siuntio municipality
| num_employees = c. 400<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hsl.fi/hsl-tyopaikkana |title=HSL työpaikkana &#124; HSL |access-date=23 November 2017 |archive-date=19 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119182438/https://www.hsl.fi/hsl-tyopaikkana |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| parent =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| footnotes =
| intl =
| location_country = Finland
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.hsl.fi/}}
}}
[[File:BYD K11U electric articulated bus at Elielinaukio in Helsinki, Finland, 2021 November.jpg|thumb|263x263px|BYD electric bus on line 40 in Helsinki]]
[[File:Helsinki metro 2021 (1).jpg|thumb|263x263px|Renovated M100 [[Helsinki Metro]] train.]]
[[File:18-08-31-Two Škoda Artic trams side by side in Helsinki.jpg|thumb|263x263px|[[Helsinki Tram]] on line 6.]]
[[File:HSL travel card.JPG|thumb|263x263px|An HSL travel card in use until 2016]]
[[File:HSL travel card 2019.jpg|thumb|263x263px|An HSL travel card in use since April 2016 alongside a reflective sleeve]]
[[File:HSL new ticket reader machine cropped.jpg|thumb|An HSL card reader, in use since 2016|263x263px]]
The '''Helsinki Regional Transport Authority''' ({{langx|fi|Helsingin seudun liikenne, HSL}}; {{langx|sv|Helsingforsregionens trafik, HRT}}) is the inter-municipal authority that maintains [[Public transport in Helsinki|the public transportation network]] of the nine municipalities of [[Greater Helsinki]], [[Finland]].
HSL oversees the operation of all of [[Helsinki]]'s public transportation. The system consists of local buses, [[Helsinki tram|trams]], [[Helsinki Metro|metro trains]], ferries, [[Helsinki commuter rail|commuter trains]], and [[Helsinki City Bikes|bikeshare]].
Apart from four electric buses,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hsl.fi/en/news/2017/helsinkis-first-fully-electric-bus-hit-road-january-9590|title=Helsinki's first fully electric bus to hit the road in January|date=17 January 2017|website=HSL|quote=HSL exceptionally procures the Linkker buses itself, because it would have been unreasonable to place the technology risk on the operators.}}</ref> HSL does not own rolling stock. Due to this, HSL relies on third-party contractors for the day-to-day operation of the transit system.
== History ==
=== Founding ===
HSL was founded on 1 January 2010<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.hsl.fi/EN/abouthsl/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=April 13, 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119022312/http://www.hsl.fi/EN/abouthsl/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=January 19, 2010 |title=HSL Helsingin seudun liikenne - About HSL }}</ref> on the basis of the Finnish public transportation law, ''joukkoliikennelaki'', which was adopted on 3 December 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2009/20090869|title=FINLEX ® - Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö: Kumottu säädös Joukkoliikennelaki (Kumottu) 869/2009}}</ref> According to ''joukkoliikennelaki'', HSL is responsible for the planning of [[public transportation]] in [[Greater Helsinki]]. The traffic functions of the inter-municipal [[Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council]] (YTV) and planning, procuring and tendering functions of [[Helsinki City Transport]] (HKL, within the city of Helsinki) were moved into the transport authority.<ref name="autogenerated1" />
When it was founded, HSL had a revenue of over €500 million and approximately 350 employees.
=== Digitransit ===
In 2016, HSL started to develop a revamped version of its native journey planner, ''Reittiopas'', originally released by YTV in 2001. The replacement [[journey planner#Public transport routing|intermodal public transport route planner]] named as Digitransit<ref>[https://digitransit.fi/en/ Digitransit]</ref> is built on [[open source]] OpenTripPlanner.
In February 2017, the new route planner was opened for public use, and the phasing-out of ''Reittiopas Classic'' began.
==Name==
[[File:Välkky.jpg|thumb|right|263x263px|Välkky, a blue cube with a face and a cap, is the official mascot of the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority.]]
The official name of the transport authority is ''Helsingin seudun liikenne -kuntayhtymä HSL'' in Finnish and ''Samkommunen Helsingforsregionens trafik HRT'' in Swedish. The official name of HSL in English is ''Helsinki Regional Transport Authority''. Also the shorter form of the name, ''Helsinki Region Transport'' (''HSL'') may be used in everyday use.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hsl.fi/SiteCollectionImages/logoEN.gif |title=Archived copy |access-date=23 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231215328/http://www.hsl.fi/SiteCollectionImages/logoEN.gif |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Transportation ==
HSL oversees the operation of all public transportation in the Helsinki region. However, apart from select bus routes with electric units, the agency does not operate any rolling stock. Therefore, it relies mainly on [[independent contractor]]s for the operation of the network.
=== Metro ===
{{See also|Helsinki Metro}}
The Helsinki Metro is operated by [[Helsinki City Transport|HKL]]. The metro line opened in 1982. The system serves 30 stations in total on its two lines, '''M1''' and '''M2'''.
==== Länsimetro ====
The first phase of the [[Länsimetro]] expansion program extended the metro lines west to [[Lauttasaari]] and southern [[Espoo]], serving eight new stations. The second phase of the extension opened in December 2022. At that time, the total number of metro stations on the line increased from 25 to 30.
=== Commuter rail ===
{{See also|Helsinki commuter rail}}
Commuter rail service in the region is operated by [[VR Group|VR]]. There are 52 stations in the network, which are served by 15 lines. Out of HSL's three rail networks, commuter rail is the most far-reaching; it serves the northern, north-eastern, and western suburbs of the city, as well as [[Helsinki Airport]] in Vantaa.
=== Trams ===
{{See also|Trams in Helsinki}}
Trams in Helsinki are operated by [[Helsinki City Transport|HKL]]. Helsinki was the only Finnish city with tram service in use from 1972, when tram services in [[Trams in Turku|Turku]] ended, until 2021, when the [[Tampere light rail]] was opened. Tram service in Helsinki began in 1891.
=== Buses ===
{{Main article|Buses in Helsinki}}
HSL offers three types of bus service: standard buses, neighbourhood buses and nine small headway crosstown lines ("runkolinja", literally: trunk lines).
HSL tickets are also valid on most U-routes which are run by separate companies and serve cities outside of the HSL area.
=== Ferry ===
A ferry to Suomenlinna is part of the HSL network. This route is operated on two ferries, ''Suokki'' and ''Suomenlinna II''.
=== Bikeshare ===
{{See also|Helsinki City Bikes}}
In 2016 HSL launched Helsinki's bikeshare program. Starting on 2 May 2016, users could register to use the network for a day fee of €5, a week fee of €10 or the entire season from May to the end of October for €25. The initial network included 500 bikes, one of which a user could use to travel from any of the 50 stations to another.
The bikeshare system is a joint venture between CityBike Finland, HKL, and HSL. The system is sponsored by [[HOK-Elanto]]'s grocery shop chain [[Alepa]], which has purchased the commercial space on the bicycles. Due to this, the bicycles are colloquially known as ''alepapyörät'' (''”Alepa bikes”'').
In late 2016 HSL announced the details of a revamped bikeshare system, this time spanning 1,500 bikes and 150 stations. The expanded bike program brought the service to [[Munkkiniemi]], [[Pasila]], and [[Vallila]]. In addition to having 1,400 bikes and 140 stations in Helsinki, the service covered [[Matinkylä]] and [[Olari, Espoo|Olari]] in Espoo with 100 bikes and 10 stations. The 2018 season saw a further-expanded network, with a total of 2,200 bikes at 220 stations, of which 70 are located in Espoo. The season fare was increased to €30.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hsl.fi/en/citybikes|title=City bikes|work=HSL|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en|archive-date=22 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622155712/https://www.hsl.fi/en/citybikes|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Ticketing ==
As of 27 April 2019, the HSL area is divided into four zones designated A, B, C and D, roughly circularly divided according to distance from the city centre of Helsinki. Customers are obligated to buy a ticket spanning at least two zones at a time; the exception to this is zone D, for which a single zone ticket is available. Available tickets include single, multi-journey, day and seasonal tickets, all of which can be bought using a travel card or from HSL's vending machines or mobile application. Additionally, single and day tickets may be bought aboard buses from the driver.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tickets and fares|url=https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets|access-date=21 September 2020}}</ref>
HSL controls the sale and inspection of transit tickets. Apart from the bus network, all of HSL's services use a [[proof-of-payment]] system: there are no gates at metro and commuter rail stations or tram stops. Instead, passengers are required to present a valid ticket to fare inspectors, who randomly patrol the network. If caught without a valid ticket, a passenger must pay a fine of €100 in addition to the full price of the ticket.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets-and-fares/penalty-fare|title=Penalty fare|newspaper=HSL|access-date=2024-07-04|language=en}}</ref>
=== Zones ===
* {{HSL zone|A}} – spans from the city centre of Helsinki to the districts of [[Lauttasaari]], [[Etelä-Haaga]], [[Käpylä]] and [[Kulosaari]]
* {{HSL zone|B}} – the rest of Helsinki, [[Kauniainen]], eastern [[Espoo]] and southern [[Vantaa]]
* {{HSL zone|C}} – the [[Östersundom]] district of Helsinki, western Espoo and northern Vantaa
* {{HSL zone|D}} – the town of [[Kerava]] and the municipalities of [[Kirkkonummi]], [[Siuntio]], [[Sipoo]] and [[Tuusula]]
** Järvenpää, which is completely surrounded by municipalities that are part of the HSL, was expected to become a full member of HSL in 2022, but following delayed negotiations the plans were scrapped in late 2023. As a consequence of the failed negotiations, the city will also lose its special status that gave its inhabitants reduced HSL rates.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lehtokari|first=Rosa|date=20 December 2023|title=Nyt se on varmaa: Järvenpäästä ei tule HSL-kaupunkia|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20065978|access-date=16 January 2024|work=Yle|language=fi}}</ref>
==Organization==
HSL is owned by the cities of [[Helsinki]], [[Espoo]], [[Vantaa]], [[Kerava]], and [[Kauniainen]] and the municipalities of [[Kirkkonummi]] and [[Sipoo]]. In 2017, [[Tuusula]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hsl.fi/uutiset/2017/tuusula-tulee-mukaan-hslaan-9715|title=Tuusula tulee mukaan HSL:ään|newspaper=HSL|access-date=2017-02-20|language=fi}}</ref> and [[Siuntio]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hsl.fi/uutiset/2017/siuntio-paatti-hslaan-liittymisesta-9655|title=Siuntio päätti HSL:ään liittymisestä|newspaper=HSL|access-date=10 June 2017|language=fi|archive-date=12 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912012637/https://www.hsl.fi/uutiset/2017/siuntio-paatti-hslaan-liittymisesta-9655|url-status=dead}}</ref> voted to join HSL.
The other municipalities in the [[Greater Helsinki]] area ([[Järvenpää]], [[Nurmijärvi]], [[Mäntsälä]], [[Pornainen]], [[Hyvinkää]], and [[Vihti]]) have the possibility of joining HSL in the future. About 1.3 million people live in the 14 municipalities of Greater Helsinki and the population is estimated to increase to approximately 1.5 million by the year 2030.
HSL's office is located in Opastinsilta 6 A, Helsinki.
==Visual identity==
[[File:Raitiovaunu HSL logo.png|thumb|HSL's logo for tram transportation]]
After the founding of HSL, the visual identity of all transportation services in Helsinki was unified under one brand name and logo. The HSL identity is heavily based on the color-coding of different elements to highlight the types of information presented; danger is represented in red, optional information in blue.
The visual identity of HSL was created by the design office Kokoro & Moi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kokoromoi.com|title=Home — Kokoro & Moi|website=Kokoro & Moi|language=en|access-date=2017-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221005515/http://www.kokoromoi.com/|archive-date=21 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The designers have explained the concept as:
:"The outlook shows reliability, freshness and ease of approaching. The octagonal shape of the logo is symbolizing the expanding public transportation network. The loops in the logo remind of leaf shoots, telling of new ways of action and new partnerships and of ecological values. The eight loops also represent all cardinal directions and are sending a message of the broad-ranged function of the organization. In the middle of the logo there are two graphical lines, symbolizing uniting organizations and the public transportation with its tracks, wheels and map lines."
===Colours===
The base colour for HSL is blue (#007AC9).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tyyliopas.hsl.fi/d/h8JR9dHeqfgd/braendi#/visuaalinen-ilme/vaerit|title=Värit|newspaper=HSL|access-date=2022-09-20|language=fi}}</ref> Each of the forms of transit are represented with a colour of its own.
{| class="wikitable base colours"
|- style="background:#F8F8FF; font-weight:bold;"
!style="width:120px"| The name of the colour
!style="width:75px"| [[RAL_colour_standard|RAL]]
!style="width:90px"| [[CMYK_color_model|CMYK]]
!style="width:150px"| [[RGB_color_model|RGB (Hex)]]
|-
| HSL blue || RAL 5015 || 100, 32, 0, 0 ||style="background:#007AC9; color:white"| 0, 122, 201 (#007AC9)
|-
| HSL pink || RAL 3015 || 1, 50, 0, 0 ||style="background:#F092CD; color:black"| 240, 146, 205 (#F092CD)
|-
| HSL Tram green || RAL 6024 || 100, 0, 85, 0 ||style="background:#00985F; color:white"| 0, 152, 95 (#00985F)
|-
| HSL Commuter train purple || RAL 4008 || 43, 90, 0, 10 ||style="background:#8C4799; color:white"| 140, 71, 153 (#8C4799)
|-
| HSL Metro orange || RAL 2003 || 0, 78, 100, 0 ||style="background:#FF6319; color:black"| 255, 99, 25 (#FF6319)
|-
| HSL Ferry blue || || 76, 0, 5, 0 ||style="background:#00B9E4; color:white"| 0, 185, 228 (#00B9E4)
|-
| Light rail turquoise || RAL 5021 || 96, 3, 35, 12 ||style="background:#007E79; color:white"| 0, 126, 121 (#007E79)
|-
| Light green || || 65, 0, 100, 0 ||style="background:#64BE1E; color:black"| 100, 190, 30 (#64BE1E)
|-
!colspan="4"|Additional colours
|-
| Light Ferry blue || || 23, 1, 0, 0 ||style="background:#BEE4F8; color:black"| 190, 228, 248 (#BEE4F8)
|-
| Light pink || || 2, 14, 0, 0 ||style="background:#F4DEEA; color:black"| 244, 222, 234 (#F4DEEA)
|-
| Attention yellow || RAL 1018 || 0, 10, 100, 0 ||style="background:#FED100; color:black"| 254, 209, 0 (#FED100)
|-
| Warning red || RAL 3027 || 0, 97, 46, 0 ||style="background:#DC0451; color:white"| 220, 4, 81 (#DC0451)
|}
===Fonts===
Fonts used in HSL brand are Gotham Rounded and Gotham XNarrow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tyyliopas.hsl.fi/d/h8JR9dHeqfgd/braendi#/visuaalinen-ilme/typografia|title=Typografia|website=Tyyliopas HSL|access-date=2022-09-20|language=fi}}</ref> The foremost font type is Gotham Rounded which is present in most of the materials. Gotham XNarrow is used less, mostly in advertisements, quotations, numberings and line listings.
===Pictograms===
HSL has its own collection of dedicated pictograms which follow the design guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tyyliopas.hsl.fi/d/h8JR9dHeqfgd/braendi#/visuaalinen-ilme/piktogrammit|title=Piktogrammit|website=Tyyliopas HSL|access-date=2022-09-20|language=fi}}</ref>
They also offer a library for the ready-made pictograms that are used both in signposts and on the website as icons without the frame. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tyyliopas.hsl.fi/d/h8JR9dHeqfgd/piktogrammikirjasto|title=Piktogrammikirjasto|website=Tyyliopas HSL|access-date=2022-09-20|language=fi}}</ref>
==Work==
HSL's duty is to do its part in taking care of the functioning, economical aspects and caring of nature in greater Helsinki. This goal is achieved by promoting the usage of public transportation and by organizing affordable and well functioning public transportation services.
HSL takes care of planning the regional public transportation and internal public transportation of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. Beside planning, HSL also tenders the bus companies. The organization owns no buses or rail rolling stock.
One of the agency's jobs is to compile the Helsinki Region Transport System Plan.
==Criticism==
===New fare card readers===
HSL began installing new fare card readers on public transportation vehicles in 2016. The new reader's interface was considered more difficult to use than the previous one, so HSL was advised to redesign the interface. Most of the criticism focused on the difficulty of using the device's OK button.
At the end of 2016, Yle reported HSL's decision to retain the interface. HSL's project manager, Satu Rönnqvist, explained the decision: "The old fare card readers have had many of these error selections, which result in thousands of compensation claims to HSL each year. These are being attempted to be reduced with this OK button."
In March 2017, Yle reported that HSL was still considering a new fare card reader interface. HSL's customer and sales manager, Mari Flink, said that the company was conducting user tests regarding the ease of use of fare card readers. After these user tests, in the fall of 2017, HSL made the validation of season tickets faster.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/3-9323508|title=HSL:n matkakortinlukijassa säilyy haukuttu OK-nappi|website=Yleuutiset|access-date=2023-01-24|language=fi}}</ref>
===Selection of new CEO===
HSL's first CEO, Suvi Rihtniemi, retired and on November 3, 2020, Mika Nykänen was selected as her successor. Nykänen will come from the position of director of the Geological Survey of Finland and has no previous experience in public transportation. HSL's board voted on the selection and in the election HKL's CEO Ville Lehmuskoski and Nykänen both received seven votes, and the selection was then decided by drawing lots.
The selection of a new CEO in 2020 became politicized a few days before the selection. Mika Nykänen, who was selected for the position, has a long history in the National Coalition Party, and his selection as director of the Geological Survey of Finland has been considered political. Other candidates for the CEO position included HKL's CEO Ville Lehmuskoski, OnniBus.com's founder Pekka Möttö, and other veterans of the public transportation industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/3-11628091|title=Kokematon Mika Nykänen ohitti joukkoliikennekonkarin arvalla HSL:n johtajan valinnassa – miten uusi pomo kehittää 1,5 miljoonan ihmisen liikkumista?|website=Yleuutiset|access-date=2023-01-24|language=fi}}</ref>
===Requirement for a smartphone and a certain operating system===
In the summer of 2021, HSL (Helsinki Regional Transport Authority) decided that starting in 2022, students would only be able to receive discounts on fares purchased through the HSL mobile app. Student status would be automatically verified through the Ministry of Education's Koski service. Students whose information is not found in the Koski service, such as students of folk high schools, would be able to receive discounts on physical fare cards. HSL's decision was appealed to the administrative court, as receiving the student discount would require owning a smartphone if the student's information is found in the Koski service. The appeal also argued that the smartphone and its operating system must be sufficiently new for the HSL app to function. The phone's operating system must be Android or iOS. The Helsinki Administrative Court overturned HSL's decision, stating that students are entitled to receive discounts on physical fare cards in addition to the app. The decision was justified by ensuring equality.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20008890|title=HSL:n päätös opiskelija-alennuksesta todettiin lainvastaiseksi – etu on saatava myös fyysiselle kortille|website=Yleuutiset|access-date=2023-01-24|language=fi}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Portal|Finland|Transport}}
{{Commons category|Helsinki Regional Transport Authority}}
*[http://www.hsl.fi/ Helsinki Regional Transport Authority] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201206224140/http://www.hsl.fi/ |date=6 December 2020 }}
*The [https://web.archive.org/web/20140212045131/http://www.reittiopas.fi/en/ Reittiopas Journey Planner] is being phased out with next generation [http://matka.hsl.fi Digitransit service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126124831/http://matka.hsl.fi/ |date=26 January 2016 }} slated for a 2017 completion.
*[https://www.hsl.fi/en/timetables-and-routes/mobile-apps Mobile Apps] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185031/https://www.hsl.fi/en/timetables-and-routes/mobile-apps |date=21 February 2014 }} based on open data by HSL
*[https://www.hsl.fi/uutiset/2015/matkakortti-uudistuu-siniseksi-hsl-kortiksi-2016-6171] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402130954/https://www.hsl.fi/uutiset/2015/matkakortti-uudistuu-siniseksi-hsl-kortiksi-2016-6171 |date=2 April 2015 }}
{{Public transport in Helsinki}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Transport in Helsinki]]
[[Category:Transport in Vantaa]]
[[Category:Transport in Espoo]]