Frickenhausen: Citizens' bus ensures more mobility in old age!

Frickenhausen: Citizens' bus ensures more mobility in old age!

At its most recent meeting, the Frickenhausen local council provided information about the annual report on the volunteer-run citizen bus routes. This initiative aims to provide a reliable transport service to older citizens and those who are less mobile. The citizen bus runs four days a week and covers four rounds on two different lines that serve the towns of Frickenhausen, Tischardt and Linsenhofen. An important aspect of the program is that it enables trips to central destinations such as shopping, doctors, authorities and even the cemetery, as ntz.de reports.

The citizen bus service is operated entirely by volunteer drivers who not only transport passengers, but also benefit from the varied tours themselves. The volunteer drivers have the opportunity to get to know the region better and support their fellow citizens. This contributes to increasing the quality of life and promoting local cohesion, which is also the goal of the Hessian citizen bus initiative. As miteinander-in-hessen.de explains, citizen buses are a valuable addition to existing local public transport (ÖPNV), as they serve routes that are not economically viable for regular public transport.

Promotion and development of citizen buses

The citizen buses in Hesse have been part of the “Land has a Future” offensive since 2018, which was launched by the state of Hesse to promote rural mobility. There are currently around 145 public buses in Hesse. Of these, 100 vehicles were procured through the government funding program, while 45 exist independently. In 2024, the number of supported vehicles will increase to around 170, of which 125 will be supported by the state.

In recent years, investments have also been made in the modernization of vehicles. 60 diesel vehicles were purchased between 2018 and 2019, followed by 25 electric vehicles between 2020 and 2022 and a further 15 electric buses in 2023. In 2024, 25 additional Opel Vivaro-E station wagons will be handed over, which will further reduce the ecological footprint of the citizens' buses.

Commitment of volunteers

An impressive aspect of this initiative is the great commitment of the volunteers. On average, 10 people work per citizen bus project, which includes a total of over 1,000 people in Hesse. The joint work is supported by a partnership between the Hessian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing and Rural Areas and the state foundation “Together in Hesse” in order to facilitate and further expand citizen bus operations.

With this coherent concept, Frickenhausen is taking an important step towards ensuring the mobility of the older population and less mobile citizens. The citizen bus service is an excellent example of how voluntary initiatives can significantly improve the quality of life in rural regions.