Josep Enric Garcia Alemany has left Spanish state rail operator Renfe during the development of its new bus division to join transport company Direxis as mobility director.
Direxis, a road transport operator headquartered in Badalona, Catalonia, announced the executive hiring on LinkedIn as Renfe works through legal and operational hurdles to launch its road transport initiative.
Renfe is Spain's state-owned passenger and freight railway company. Direxis operates urban and interurban bus lines across Catalonia and northeastern Spain.
Recruitment and past railway roles
Garcia Alemany, a civil engineer specializing in roads, canals, and ports, was recruited to Renfe by company president Alvaro Fernandez Heredia. Fernandez Heredia has hired several senior executives from the bus industry since taking charge of the rail operator in January 2025.
Prior to joining Renfe, Garcia Alemany served as general manager of EMT Valencia, the municipal bus company in Valencia, between 2015 and 2020. He subsequently worked as a mobility consultant before being appointed operational director of Rodalies, the commuter rail network in Catalonia operated by Renfe.
Garcia Alemany held the top operational post at Rodalies until late January, when he was dismissed following several days of service disruptions caused by a fatal train accident in Gelida on January 21 that killed a train driver.
Following his removal from the Rodalies leadership role, Garcia Alemany remained at the public railway company, taking charge of planning Renfe's alternative road transport services.
Challenges facing the bus subsidiary
The departure comes in the middle of Renfe's efforts to establish a joint venture bus company. Renfe intends to use the subsidiary to operate its alternative transport plans, known as PAT, which provide emergency road services when rail lines are suspended due to incidents or engineering work.
Creating the bus division has proven difficult for Renfe. The operator previously considered launching a bus company on two occasions, but discarded the plans both times due to the operational complexities involved.
The announcement of the new bus venture triggered strong opposition from Spain's private road passenger transport sector. Private bus operators accused the state rail company of improper intrusion into their market.
Legal challenges and tribunal rulings
Three major bus industry trade associations, Direbus, Fenadismer, and Anetra, filed legal appeals against the project with the Central Administrative Tribunal for Contractual Appeals, known as the TACRC.
The trade groups argued that Renfe's bidding criteria unfairly favored large operators, restricting potential joint venture candidates by requiring partner firms to possess a fleet of at least 500 buses and demonstrate a minimum annual turnover of 75 million euros.
In July, the TACRC, an administrative tribunal dependent on the Spanish Ministry of Finance, ruled in favor of the trade associations. The tribunal ordered the total annulment of the challenged clauses and required the procurement procedure to be restarted.
Revised tender and expected savings
Despite the tribunal ruling, Renfe confirmed it will launch a new bidding process after the end of summer. The operator stated the revised tender will allow broader corporate participation.
Renfe noted that while the tribunal required changes to specific terms, it supported the core principles of the project. The tribunal directed Renfe to review contract bundling into a single national lot, financial and technical solvency requirements, minimum vehicle availability, and project duration.
The bus project has an estimated cost of 61.5 million euros. Renfe estimates that operating its own bus subsidiary will reduce alternative transport spending by 10 to 15 percent, generating annual savings of between 9 million and 13 million euros.
