Tuomi Logistiikka's intelligent passenger transport services
Tuomi Logistiikka Oy is indisputably one of Finland’s most significant organizers of public passenger transport services. In 2024, the company managed over 1.7 million trips in Pirkanmaa—Finland’s largest wellbeing services county—and generated a turnover of approximately 181 million euros. Tuomi’s transport operations encompassed public and statutory services; operating at a massive scale, the company joined forces with Vinka to create a digital platform enabling centralized management of its operations.
Tuomi is a pioneer in the Finnish passenger transport sector, offering services that include—among others—transportation under disability and social welfare legislation, community transport services, and school transport. The company manages the entire service chain for these transport operations: it puts services out to tender, coordinates rides, and develops its activities based on the needs of customers, society, and owner-customers, as well as statutory regulations. Its goal is to provide individual and group transport services in a manner that is both customer-oriented and cost-effective.
The company’s extensive and socially significant operations are underpinned by years of experience, high-level expertise, and a commitment to responsibility. The services must be operationally high-quality, financially sustainable, and transparent, given that the company is owned by municipalities and wellbeing services counties. Furthermore, given the reliance on public funding and procurement, it is essential to ensure that the services are effective and meaningful from the perspective of the wellbeing services county’s residents.
“The current, highly efficient operating model for passenger transport services has been refined over the years, bolstered by outstanding expertise, strong partnerships, and new innovations. All transport services are procured through competitive tendering, and we work with a wide range of transport operators. Consolidating operations onto a digital platform has been crucial in ensuring the effective management of this complex system.” — Director of Passenger Transport, Tuomi Jussi Teronen sanoo.
One platform, many services – greater clarity and efficiency through consolidation
Tuomi has centralized all its passenger transport services to Vinka's digital platform. Thanks to the solution, numerous different modes of transport, systems, and functions have been integrated into a single, manageable whole, replacing a collection of separate entities. This is not merely a technical solution, but a transformation of operational culture and a leap toward greater efficiency, enabled by the centralized digital platform.
Collaboration with Vinka began in 2018 following the reform of taxi legislation. Due to the reform's tight schedule and the significant changes that ensued, a pilot project was quickly launched to test how a new digital platform could streamline participation in the transition process and the management of operations. Since the pilot, the partnership has continued with the aim of streamlining information management and operational control, as well as making the service experience even more seamless.
“Our collaboration with Vinka has deepened over the years, and we have learned from one another, making our teamwork seamless and our partnership strong. Consolidating operations into a single system has significantly simplified tasks such as vehicle data management. Standardizing tools and processing data within one system is crucial when managing a fleet of around a thousand vehicles. Data can be managed centrally, and the new tracking tool allows us to respond to customer feedback more easily than ever,” says the Service Manager at Tuomi. Outi Grundström.
Bookings and routes from various systems are now displayed in a single interface, which also allows for the management of vehicle data. Vinka handles the booking system for individual trips, presenting a unified, clear system to the contracted drivers. As a result, using the service has become easier and more intuitive. With the launch of the new mobile app, individual customers can also book their rides without having to call the service number.
"A centralized system not only streamlines day-to-day processes but also yields indirect cost savings by allowing for a reduction in workload and resources. The savings haven't been measured in euros, but the smoother workflow speaks for itself," adds Grundström.
Developing and centralizing operations is an important part of Tuomi’s organizational culture.
At Tuomi, the development of operations and services is not viewed as a separate project but as an integral part of the organization's core activities. New development needs constantly emerge from legislative changes, customer feedback, and insights from staff, and these are carefully evaluated and prioritized. Digital platforms support this culture of development: real-time data, visual reporting tools, and clear user interfaces enable rapid responses and seamless communication between drivers, transport operators, and service coordinators.
Tuomi’s message to other industry players is clear: consolidation pays off. It reduces the number of interfaces, clarifies responsibilities, and streamlines cooperation. The support of a skilled partner is also invaluable; when a partner deeply understands the company’s operations and proactively proposes new ideas for development, improving those operations becomes even easier. However, technology alone is not enough; trust, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to developing the company’s operations are essential between partners. The collaboration between Vinkka and Tuomi demonstrates that public passenger transport services can truly be built to function effectively—from people to people.
Will we see more centralized, smart solutions in passenger transport services in the future?
According to Jussi Teronen, Director of Passenger Transport, the future of the sector is strongly linked to legislative developments and the obligations they entail. However, he sees enormous potential in the industry.
“People always have a need to travel from point A to point B. In Finland, passenger transport services have traditionally been siloed, with different authorities responsible for different areas. However, there has long been an understanding that public transport, school transport, and our services could be planned as a unified whole—and technology plays a key role in that.”
Since public resources are limited and may become even scarcer in the future, economies of scale must be leveraged more effectively.
“With two decades of experience, we know how transport operations can be organized more smartly. If the barriers and restrictions created by outdated regulations can be dismantled, the sector holds enormous potential,” Teronen summarizes.
TUOMI LOGISTIIKKA OY
- 15% of all trips are made using low-emission vehicles.
- Founded 2016
- Operations in the Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County
- Provides accessible transport for the elderly and people with disabilities, group transport such as school transport, non-urgent patient transport, and on-demand public transport.
- Over 1,7 million trips per year (2024)
- Annual revenue €181 million (2024)