Course in Operational Continuity in Public Transport
Online 300-hour course in Operational Continuity in Public Transport. 6 modules covering ISO 22301 Business continuity management systems, Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 on public passenger transport services and PTV Visum. Assigned tutor and enrolment open.
Course in Operational Continuity in Public Transport — studying from Ireland
Ireland's civil engineering sector is driven by public infrastructure investment in roads, water, housing and public transport, alongside rail projects such as Dublin's light rail and commuter rail upgrades. Transport Infrastructure Ireland sets standards for national roads, while Irish Rail and Iarnród Éireann operate and develop the rail network. Smart city initiatives in Dublin and other urban areas create demand for engineers working on sensors, data platforms and integrated mobility systems. Typical employers include contractors, consultancies, local authorities and public agencies, with Engineers Ireland providing professional recognition.
Fees for Ireland: €448 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Is a SEIUM qualification recognised for chartered civil or rail engineering status in Ireland?
Chartered engineer status in Ireland is administered by Engineers Ireland, which sets its own criteria for membership and registration. Rail is regulated in part by the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail-related bodies, while building and infrastructure standards involve other authorities. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition is for those bodies and employers to decide.
Do Irish civil, rail and smart-city employers consider private online engineering study?
Irish infrastructure, consultancy and local authority employers usually weigh chartered status, project experience and relevant degrees heavily. A private online qualification may be considered as supporting evidence of skills, but its value is at each employer's discretion. We cannot promise any outcome, so discuss it with prospective employers.
Can I study alongside a site or office job, and is employer funding common?
The programme is online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Plan for 1,900 hours on a master's, 800 on a postgraduate diploma or 300 on a specialist course. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Many Irish employers have continuing professional development budgets, so ask yours.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the role of public transport as an essential service.
Analyse the impact of disruptions on operations.
Design degraded operation strategies and replacement services.
Plan passenger information during a crisis.
Coordinate the response with emergency services.
Schedule tests and exercises for operator continuity.
Integrate continuity into transport contracts and concessions.
Who it's for
- Continuity manager at transport operators who wants to specialise in Operational Continuity in Public Transport.
- Operations manager who wants to specialise in Operational Continuity in Public Transport.
- Transport control centre technician who wants to specialise in Operational Continuity in Public Transport.
- Mobility services planner who wants to specialise in Operational Continuity in Public Transport.
- Public transport consultant who wants to specialise in Operational Continuity in Public Transport.
- Operational safety manager who wants to specialise in Operational Continuity in Public Transport.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter urban public transport.
What you'll work with
- ISO 22301 Business continuity management systems
- Regulation (EC) No 1370/2007 on public passenger transport services
- Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 concerning the rights of bus and coach passengers
- UNE-EN 50126 Railway applications: specification and demonstration of RAMS
- Regulation (EU) 2021/782 on rail passengers’ rights
- Directive (EU) 2022/2557 on the resilience of critical entities (CER)
- Royal Decree 393/2007 Basic Self-Protection Standard
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Urban transport modes and their critical role1.2Minimum services and public service obligations1.3Dependent users and essential mobility1.4Energy, technological and staffing dependencies1.5Threats: strikes, blackouts, snowfall, pandemics1.6Lessons from COVID-19 for operations1.7Lessons from the 2025 blackout on metro and commuter rail1.8Organisation of a transport operator1.9Requirements of consortia and transport authorities1.10Case study: blackout in a metro network
2.1Critical processes: driving, control, maintenance, sales2.2Maximum interruption times per line2.3Dependencies on fleet and energy suppliers2.4Critical posts and qualified staff2.5CBTC and signalling systems2.6Operational assistance systems (SAE)2.7Validation and ticketing2.8Social impact by corridor and neighbourhood2.9Prioritisation of lines and services2.10Practical exercise: BIA of an urban bus operator
3.1Degraded operation on metro and tram3.2Replacement road services3.3Relocation of depots and workshops3.4Fleet and critical spare parts reserves3.5Backup control centres3.6Staff management during prolonged crises3.7Alternative fuels and electric fleet range3.8Agreements with other operators and municipalities3.9Passenger management in stations and tunnels3.10Workshop: replacement services plan for a commuter rail line
4.1Plan activation and crisis committee4.2Real-time information and GTFS-Realtime4.3Public address systems, screens and apps4.4Evacuation of trains stopped in tunnels4.5Coordination with emergency services and police4.6Accessibility for persons with reduced mobility4.7Managing crowds at interchanges4.8Complaints and passenger rights4.9Progressive service recovery4.10Case study: evacuation protocol for a train in a tunnel
5.1Operator exercise programme5.2Testing of alternative control centres5.3Predictive maintenance and RAMS reliability5.4Punctuality and regularity indicators5.5ISO 22301 audit in transport operators5.6Railway safety management5.7Lessons learned from real incidents5.8Investment in network resilience5.9Continuity clauses in concessions5.10Case study: tabletop exercise for a major snowfall
6.1Selection of the operator or network6.2Operational impact analysis6.3Assessment of disruption scenarios6.4Selected continuity strategies6.5Replacement services plan6.6Passenger information protocol6.7Testing and exercise programme6.8Monitoring indicators6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The software used is PTV Visum, Optibus, GTFS Validator, MS Project, Power BI, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case studies are based on real procedures: impact analysis for an urban bus network, design of replacement services following the closure of a railway line, and a tabletop exercise for a prolonged disruption. Assessment is continuous across modules, plus a final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the role of public transport as an essential service.
Analyse the impact of disruptions on operations.
Design degraded operation strategies and replacement services.
Plan passenger information during a crisis.
Coordinate the response with emergency services.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme’s software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulations.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
We work with PTV Visum, Optibus, GTFS Validator, MS Project and Power BI. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. This is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the advanced programme. Please consult the recognition policy when you enrol.
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