From today, when the first new electric trains manufactured by Skoda Vagonka are handed over to Pasazieru Vilciens, the company will gradually switch to the Vivi brand in passenger transport, representatives of Pasazieru Vilciens informed LETA.
The company representatives explained that the name Vivi is formed from the first letters of the slogan Viena Vilciena (“In One Train”). The slogan symbolizes moving from point A to point B in a fast, predictable and reliable way.
The Vivi brand will be used in the interior and exterior design of the new trains, on the website, mobile app, information and representation materials. The Vivi brand has been launched digitally on the website and mobile app from today and will be used on and in trains when passenger services start in mid-December.
The full brand roll-out is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
The new logo cost EUR 3,900 excluding value added tax (VAT). The total cost of the interior and exterior paint design, the new logo and the visual identity guidelines or style book for electric trains is EUR 34,100 excluding VAT.
The procurement was carried out in 2019 and the service provider with the lowest price and the best idea in line with the company’s values was selected. The service was provided by the creative team Design Studio Teika of Printpigeons.
As reported, in May 2020, Pasazieru Vilciens registered the trademarks Vivi Latvija and Vivi with the Patent Office. Both trademarks are owned by Pasazieru Vilciens and their registration is valid until February 4, 2030. At the time, it was stressed that the company was planning to rebrand and not change its name.
In November this year, the Transport Ministry announced that Latvia has now received 18 new trains, they are undergoing inspections and all the necessary preparatory work to hand them over to Pasazieru Vilciens and start operation.
The Czech company Skoda Vagonka is scheduled to deliver 23 electric trains to Pasazieru Vilciens by the end of 2023 and another nine electric trains in 2024.
Each electric train consists of four cars. One electric train is 109 meters long. Each train has 436 passenger seats.
As reported, the turnover of Pasazieru Vilciens passenger train service company in the first half of this year was EUR 29.132 million, which is 24.5 percent more than in the same period last year, but the company’s profit decreased by 28.7 percent – to EUR 315,461.
Pasazieru Vilciens was established in 2001 to separate domestic passenger services from other functions performed by the state-owned Latvijas Dzelzcels (Latvian Railway). Although initially Pasazieru Vilciens was a 100-percent owned subsidiary of the Latvian Railway, in October 2008 it was transformed into an independent state-owned company.
Source: BNS
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