Helsinki Regional Transport Authority
Encyclopedia
Helsinki Regional Transport Authority began its work on January 1, 2010. The work of the new intercommunal authority is based on the new Finnish public transportation law in force since December 3, 2009. HSL is one of the largest intercommunal bodies in Finland, having 1.1 million people in its area of influence.
According to the law HSL is responsible for the planning and procuring of the public transportation in the Helsinki region. The traffic functions of YTV
and planning, procuring and tendering functions of HKL
were moved into the transport authority.
It is now HSL's duty to procure the bus, tram
, metro
, ferry and commuter train
services and to compile the Helsinki Region Transport System Plan. HSL also takes care of marketing and passenger information for the public transportation, approves the fare and ticketing system and the tickets' prices and is responsible for ticket inspection.
, Espoo
, Vantaa
, Kerava
and Kauniainen
and the municipality of Kirkkonummi
, who own the new intercommunal body together. A treaty has been composed, in which the operations and governance of the transport authority are regulated.
Also the other municipalities in the greater Helsinki area (Järvenpää
, Nurmijärvi
, Tuusula
, Mäntsälä
, Pornainen
, Hyvinkää
, Vihti
and Sipoo
) may join the transport authority in future. There are currently altogether 1.3 million inhabitants in the 14 municipalities of greater Helsinki and the population is estimated to increase to 1.5 million by 2030.
The Helsinki Regional Transport Authority was founded in a meeting on June 17, 2009. When its work began, it had a revenue of over 500 million euros, and approximately 350 staff members. The first president of the board of directors of HSL was Timo Jaatinen from Helsinki. Since mr. Jaatinen got chosen as the president of another organization, Tatu Rauhamäki from Helsinki was chosen as the president of HSL in December 2009. The offices of the transport authority are located in Pasila, Helsinki in the address Opastinsilta 6A.
The visual outlook of HSL has been designed by design office Kokoro & Moi.
Its compilers explain it in the following manner:
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.
According to the law HSL is responsible for the planning and procuring of the public transportation in the Helsinki region. The traffic functions of YTV
Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council
The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council was a co-operation agency operating in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, now replaced by HSL and HSY. The organisation had a few responsibilities, most notably regional public transport and waste management. It was subordinated to the city councils of the four...
and planning, procuring and tendering functions of HKL
Helsinki City Transport
Helsinki City Transport or HKL is the official city-owned public transport company in Helsinki, Finland. It operates the Helsinki metro, Helsinki tram and ferry boat traffic...
were moved into the transport authority.
It is now HSL's duty to procure the bus, tram
Helsinki tram
The Helsinki tram network forms part of the Helsinki public transport system organised by Helsinki Regional Transport Authority and operated by Helsinki City Transport in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki. The trams are the main means of transport in the city centre. 56.6 million trips were made...
, metro
Helsinki Metro
The Helsinki Metro , is the metro system in Helsinki, Finland. It is the World's most northern metro system, and currently the only one in Finland. The system was opened to the general public on 2 August 1982 after 27 years of planning...
, ferry and commuter train
Helsinki commuter rail
Helsinki commuter rail is the commuter rail system serving Greater Helsinki, Finland. The network is operated by VR, the Finnish national railway company. Together with the Helsinki Metro and trams, the network forms the heart of Helsinki's public transportation infrastructure.Trains run above...
services and to compile the Helsinki Region Transport System Plan. HSL also takes care of marketing and passenger information for the public transportation, approves the fare and ticketing system and the tickets' prices and is responsible for ticket inspection.
Member municipalities, revenue and staff
In the beginning phase the member municipalities are the cities of HelsinkiHelsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Espoo
Espoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
, Vantaa
Vantaa
Vantaa is a city and municipality in Finland. Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo and Kauniainen make up the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.Vantaa, with its population of , is the fourth most populated city of Finland. The biggest airport in Finland, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is located there...
, Kerava
Kerava
Kerava is a town and municipality in Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
and Kauniainen
Kauniainen
Kauniainen is a small town and a municipality of inhabitants in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. It is surrounded by the city of Espoo, in Greater Helsinki...
and the municipality of Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi
Kirkkonummi is a municipality of inhabitants in southern Finland. The literal meaning of the words "Kirkkonummi" and "Kyrkslätt" in English is "church moor"....
, who own the new intercommunal body together. A treaty has been composed, in which the operations and governance of the transport authority are regulated.
Also the other municipalities in the greater Helsinki area (Järvenpää
Järvenpää
Järvenpää is a town and municipality of Finland.-History:Järvenpää was separated from its parent community Tuusula in 1951. Järvenpää was granted the status of a market town after the separation. Neighbouring districts Kellokoski and Nummenkylä were not added to the municipality of Järvenpää and...
, Nurmijärvi
Nurmijärvi
Nurmijärvi is the most populated rural municipality of Finland, located north of the capital Helsinki.The close proximity to Helsinki has led to a considerable growth of the major villages such as Klaukkala and Rajamäki, which nowadays are considered dormitory towns of Helsinki...
, Tuusula
Tuusula
Tuusula is a municipality of Finland. It belongs to the Helsinki sub-region of the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of .-Geography:...
, Mäntsälä
Mäntsälä
Mäntsälä is a municipality in the province of Southern Finland, and is part of the Uusimaa region. It has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
, Pornainen
Pornainen
Pornainen is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
, Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää
Hyvinkää is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in Uusimaa region, approximately north of the capital Helsinki. The town was chartered in 1960. Hyvinkää belongs to the Province of Southern Finland. The population of Hyvinkää is ....
, Vihti
Vihti
Vihti is a small municipality located in the Uusimaa region of province of Southern Finland, approximately northwest of the capital city Helsinki. Its seat is Nummela. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and Sipoo
Sipoo
Sipoo is a municipality of Finland. Its seat is in Nikkilä/Nickby.It is the eastern neighbour of Helsinki and is located in the Uusimaa region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water...
) may join the transport authority in future. There are currently altogether 1.3 million inhabitants in the 14 municipalities of greater Helsinki and the population is estimated to increase to 1.5 million by 2030.
The Helsinki Regional Transport Authority was founded in a meeting on June 17, 2009. When its work began, it had a revenue of over 500 million euros, and approximately 350 staff members. The first president of the board of directors of HSL was Timo Jaatinen from Helsinki. Since mr. Jaatinen got chosen as the president of another organization, Tatu Rauhamäki from Helsinki was chosen as the president of HSL in December 2009. The offices of the transport authority are located in Pasila, Helsinki in the address Opastinsilta 6A.
Official name in different languages and visual outlook
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 HSL. Also the shorter form of the name, Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) may be used in everyday use.The visual outlook of HSL has been designed by design office Kokoro & Moi.
Its compilers explain it in the following manner:
- "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."
Work
HSL's duty is to do its part in taking care of the functioning, economical aspects and caring of nature in the 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.