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Since 2006, when Samot, The Service and Market Oriented Transport Group at ������ý, was established as a Vinn Excellence Center at ������ý, an annual conference has been organized where partners and researchers meet to exchange experiences and discuss challenges in the public transport industry.

This year’s conference featured presentations and discussions on the theme innovation. Some of the presentations were project work from the course “Innovations as a driving force for change in public transport", conducted during the fall of 2016. David Widlund, Marketing manager at Värmlandstrafik, reported on innovation work that was conducted in the form or a competition, “Sweden’s best customer center”, organized in the fall of 2016 for customer centers in public transport.

- The annual partner- and research conference is very inspiring and an expression of our good cooperation. Over the years, we have received very positive responses from the participants. For us researchers, it is important to discuss with public transport representatives to find out what kind of knowledge is missing and how this gap relates to the state of knowledge in research. Together, we are the best for innovation efforts, said Margareta Friman, Professor and Director of Samot.

Samot has been a Vinn Excellence Center in the public transport area with funding from Vinnova during a ten-year period. This period ends in December 2017 and this year’s conference was the final conference within this initiative.

- Transport issues will continue to be an important and priority area for CTF. We continue with projects financed by, among others, the Swedish Engergy Agency, Vinnova, the Swedish Transport Administration. Samot is today a leading European public transport center, which we will continue to manage. For example, we will continue to offer the innovation course aimed at leaders in the public transport industry and we are looking for new forms of cooperation, says Margareta Friman.

Read more about Samot.