According to Alexander Schweitzer (SPD), state secretary responsible for matters of transport in Rhineland-Palatinate, citizens buses serve as an important instrument to warrant attractive public transportation in rural areas. "We need new ideas and concepts for flexible transportation offers, that cover the interests of an ageing population", Schweitzer said during the workshop in Geiselberg (West Palatinate). Here, in a commune of some 900 inhabitants, about 60 guests from all over the state discussed chances of the citizens bus concept.

On the agenda were questions of a strategic development and of the legal and financial framework for a citizens bus. Since the project was launched in January 2010, the team made contact with 60 local initiatives. "Ten citizens buses are already rolling through Rhineland-Palatinate, ten others we see on the right track", said nexus staff member Martin Schiefelbusch in Geiselberg. In the next few months, the project team will intensively counsel these initiatives and continue its work on-site.

Together with Martin Schiefelbusch and Geiselberg mayor Georg Spieß, state secretary Schweitzer from the Ministry of Economics, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate (MWVLW) presented the project Citizens Bus Rhineland-Palatinate. The project is carried out by nexus institute and the University of Trier on behalf of the Ministry. The main objective is to accompany initiatives and their ideas for citizens buses in rural areas; counseling for local actors is free of charge. Promising concepts that obtained necessary authorizations receive a proportional support of operating costs by the Ministry of Transport.

Image: Rodenbach Citizens Bus visited Geiselberg on May 31st 2010, state secretary Alexander Schweitzer, local mayor Georg Spieß and Dr. Martin Schiefelbusch (from left) take a closer look at the vehicle (Image: nexus).

Link: Project-webpage (in German): www.buergerbus-rlp.de