In 2010, pilot licences and certificates for seafarers will be issued by the new Transport Safety Agency TraFi. TraFi will also send the invoices for vehicle tax, issue car registration certificates and specify the qualification requirements for locomotive drivers.
Transport Safety Agency TraFi will be formed by merging the Finnish Vehicle Administration, Finnish Civil Aviation Authority, Finnish Rail Agency and the safety functions of the Finnish Maritime Administration. The Agency will start operating at the beginning of next year. As an auxiliary name, the Agency will introduce the abbreviation TraFi, which is well suited also for international use.
Responsibilities cover the whole transport sector
TraFi’s main responsibilities consist of regulating and supervising the transport system, actively improving transport system safety and promoting environmentally friendly transport solutions. The goal is to raise the safety and environmental standard of the transport system in Finland to the highest international level by year 2015.
By merging the agencies, we seek for synergy benefits and efficiency. The objective is to better consider the customers’ needs throughout the entire travel and logistics chain, and to allocate resources in a more focused and efficient way. We aim at increased expertise, co-operation and innovation to promote the safety of all modes of transport.
TraFi has a wide clientele, covering all modes of transport and ranging from car drivers to airlines and from shipping companies to railway infrastructure undertakings. The Agency also participates actively in international co-operation.
TraFi’s tasks are transferred from the earlier transport agencies. It participates in the drafting of national and international standards, issues licences and regulations, collects taxes and charges, maintains registers, compiles statistics and provides information services. TraFi works in close co-operation with both domestic and international partners.
Head office in Helsinki, operations also elsewhere in Finland
The head office of the new Agency will be located in Helsinki. However, some of the tasks will be transferred to Rovaniemi, including vehicle taxation, information services, document management and expert duties related to the qualification register for railway personnel (RAHEKE) as well as certain support services. Moreover, some duties related to international surface transport will be located in Lappeenranta. The maritime safety sector also has offices in Maarianhamina, Kotka, Lappeenranta, Oulu, Savonlinna, Tampere, Turku and Vaasa.
The Agency employs 530 transport safety experts.
Further information:
Kari Wihlman, Director General, Finnish Vehicle Administration AKE, tel. +358-(0)500 847 861, kari.wihlman@ake.fi
Kari Alppivuori, General Director, Finnish Rail Agency, tel. +358-(0)40 566 1218, kari.alppivuori@rvi.fi
Tuomas Routa, Director of Maritime Safety, Finnish Maritime Administration, tel. +358-(0)40 829 9792, tuomas.routa@fma.fi
Kim Salonen, Director General, Finnish Civil Aviation Authority, tel. +358-(0)400 458 191, kim.salonen@fcaa.fi
News
