«True innovation always involves risks.» – Interview with FOT-Director Christa Hostettler

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

Our mobility system has developed over decades and is highly complex – especially in the railway sector, which I didn’t know in depth from my previous roles. One example: on the one hand, the railways still operate with old signal boxes. On the other hand, they are conducting pilot projects aimed at full automation. As an authority, we are responsible for laws, standards, and approvals that must accommodate both worlds and all the transitional stages in between. We face similar challenges in planning approval procedures and in the regional passenger transport system. We can only reduce this complexity gradually. That’s why clear responsibilities and simple processes are very important to me. The goal is to ensure that the funds invested in public transport generate the greatest possible benefit for the public.

You bring extensive professional expertise, including roles such as Head of Market and Customers and member of the Executive Board at PostAuto AG, 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 bring different perspectives into the decision-making process. From the CTP, I took away the understanding that politics plays a key role in financing public transport at all levels of government and therefore wants to be involved in shaping it. From my time at PostAuto, I know how many working hours it takes to prepare a bid for subsidized regional passenger transport – and what it means when the FOT suddenly calls for savings and efficiency improvements. I am convinced that being aware of our respective roles, understanding the positions of other players, and “switching sides” when forming opinions are key elements for sound, future-proof decisions. As the person responsible for system leadership during the pandemic at PostAuto, I also saw how strongly the sector can act when everyone works towards the best possible solution for passengers. That’s something I want to build on.

Innovation in regional transport holds tremendous potential to increase the modal split and thus contribute to achieving climate goals. At the same time, the scalability of innovative solutions can also drive exports and enhance 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 help the sector and industry develop new, innovative solutions. Self-driving vehicles, for example, have great potential to increase efficiency and customer-friendliness. But true innovation always comes with risks. Small development steps are safer, but less spectacular. Sometimes expectations diverge significantly. My impression is that we need to better align on goals and discuss how to deal with risks more explicitly.

To strengthen innovation in the rail and mobility sector, diversity plays an important role. We had the pleasure of hearing you speak at our event "Moving Forward Together: Sustainable Mobility through Diversity" in November, where you addressed the importance of diversity. What initiatives are you taking to further promote diversity in the sector?

Diversity means surrounding yourself with people who think differently. This challenges us as individuals and helps eliminate blind spots. That’s why it’s important to me that our management team is composed of leaders with diverse backgrounds. Meetings with representatives from transport companies, politics, academia, and industry are also valuable to me. At each meeting, I have gained new perspectives and learned something new.

Promoting diversity is also a solution to the acute skills shortage in our sector. For all of us, attracting new talent is a key task. If you could share a message with young women or students in STEM fields who are considering a career in the rail sector, what would it be?

A career in public transport is meaningful. Mobility is a daily need for all of us, and currently the carbon footprint of our mobility system is far too high. Especially for young people, it can be exciting to shift from the role of consumer to that of creator and make a difference. Moreover, working in the mobility sector is very close to people and highly diverse.

Finally: Do you have any wishes for the industry?

The further development of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), including the increasing deployment of in-cab signalling, is a great opportunity to digitize and improve the efficiency of the railway. The industry can actively drive this development forward. New products should be oriented toward customer benefit – at the same time, standardization is essential for cost efficiency. Competition plays a key role in this area of tension. I hope this will encourage the sector to develop even better, more customer-friendly, and more efficient solutions.

Thank you very much for this insightful exchange.

(This interview was conducted by Swissrail for their association magazine “express.”)

This interview was published in the January 2025 edition of Swissrail's magazine “express.”

You can read the full issue here.