Additional bus and an increase in travelers
In the Heidekreis region, a shared replacement bus is being financed by the city of Walsrode for the five citizens bank associations, a move that has been welcomed despite the sudden death of the founder and long-standing chairman, Heinrich Mahnken.
The citizens bank login association, which serves the region well, has managed to maintain its operations in the face of adversity. The fuel costs for the bus are now covered by the district, a change that the association fought for last year.
Schneverdingen is one of the areas benefiting from this shared bus service, with a replacement bus in operation since the end of October. The bus was privately funded by members as a loan, due to the efforts of the former chairman Mahnken.
The state transport company has agreed to the purchase of a replacement bus, but the county must cover the ongoing maintenance costs. So far, the county has only offered 20,000 euros for the purchase, with the county refusing to cover the ongoing maintenance costs.
The acquisition costs of the minibus were shared by the state of Lower Saxony (75%), the district of Heidekreis (20%), and the city of Schneverdingen and the citizens bank association (5% each). There are currently 23 drivers for the minibus, with four more in training.
The reliability and punctuality of the citizens bank are appreciated by passengers, with over 7,310 people using it from January to October, an increase of almost 30% compared to the previous year. The 49-euro Germany ticket is accepted in the citizens bank, and 23% of passengers show it.
The association is currently reorganizing both in terms of content and personnel. Jutta Duden, one of the drivers, states that the electric vehicle variant of the minibus didn't make sense due to a low range (150-180 kilometers).
The communal replacement bus for the five citizens bank associations in the Heidekreis region is being mediated by Schneverdingen's mayor, Meike Moog-Steffens. If you're interested in mobility in the Heidekreis region, the Böhme Newspaper is launching a major online survey at [kurzelinks.de/36ka].
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