Interview with Christa Hostettler

You have been leading the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) for over six months. What has particularly surprised you in your new role within the Swiss railway and mobility sector, and what insights have you gained during this initial phase?

Our mobility system has evolved over decades and is highly complex—especially in the railway sector, which I did not yet fully understand from my previous professional experience. One example: On one hand, railways still operate with old signal boxes. On the other hand, they are running pilot projects towards full automation. As an authority, we are responsible for laws, standards, and approvals that must cover both of these worlds and all the stages in between. We face similar challenges in planning approval procedures and in the regional public transport system. We can only gradually reduce this complexity. That is why clear responsibilities and simple processes are particularly important to me. The goal is to ensure that the funds invested in public transport bring the greatest possible benefit to the population.

You bring extensive professional expertise, including experience as Head of Market and Customers and a member of the Executive Board at PostBus, as well as Secretary General of the Conference of Public Transport Directors (CTP). How do your past experiences influence your work at the FOT?

I try to incorporate different perspectives into decision-making. From the CTP, I learned that politics plays a key role in the financing of public transport at all levels of government and therefore wants to be involved in shaping it. From my time at PostBus, I know how many working hours are required to prepare a bid for subsidized regional passenger transport and what it means when the FOT suddenly demands cost savings and efficiency improvements. I am convinced that awareness of our respective roles, understanding the positions of other stakeholders, and "switching sides" in decision-making are key elements for good, future-proof decisions. As the person responsible for system leadership at PostBus during the pandemic, I also experienced how powerfully the industry can act when everyone works towards the best possible solution for customers. This is something I want to build on.

Innovation in regional transport offers enormous potential to increase modal share and contribute to achieving climate goals. At the same time, the scalability of innovative solutions can be a driver for exports and the competitiveness of Swiss companies. What role do you see for the FOT in promoting innovative approaches?

The FOT supports research in various areas. Our goal is to assist the industry in developing new, innovative solutions. Autonomous vehicles, for example, have great potential for increasing efficiency and customer convenience. However, true innovation always comes with risks. Small development steps are safer but less spectacular. Sometimes, expectations differ significantly. My impression is that we need to align better on our goals and discuss risk management more explicitly.

To strengthen the innovation capacity of the railway and mobility sector, diversity plays an important role. We had the pleasure of hearing you as the keynote speaker at our event Moving Forward Together: Sustainable Mobility Through Diversity in November, where you spoke about the importance of diversity. What initiatives are you implementing to further promote diversity in the industry?

Diversity means surrounding yourself with people who think differently. This challenges us as individuals and helps to eliminate blind spots. That is why it is important to me that our management team consists of leaders with different backgrounds. I also find meetings with representatives from transport companies, politics, academia, and industry extremely valuable. At every meeting, I have been able to gain new perspectives and learn something new.

Promoting diversity is also a key strategy for addressing the current shortage of skilled workers in our industry. We all have a responsibility to attract new talent. If you could send a message to young women or students in STEM fields who are considering a career in the railway sector, what would it be?

A career in public transport is meaningful. Mobility is a daily need for all of us, and the CO₂ footprint of our transport system is still far too high. For young people, it can be exciting to transition from being a consumer to becoming a shaper of the future. Additionally, working in the mobility sector means being close to people and engaging in a highly diverse profession.

Finally, do you have any wishes for the industry?

The further development of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and the increasing implementation of in-cab signaling is an opportunity to digitalize and improve the efficiency of rail transport. The industry can actively drive this progress. New products should be customer-oriented, while at the same time, standardization is essential for cost efficiency. This is where competition comes into play. I hope this serves as motivation for the sector to develop even better, more customer-friendly, and more efficient solutions.

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