Suche
Mein Konto
Important night bus connections in Osnabrück are on the brink!
The VCD warns that Osnabrück could save money on night bus services; shift workers and commuters are at risk.
Important night bus connections in Osnabrück are on the brink!
There is a worrying threat of savings in Osnabrück's night bus traffic, which could have fatal consequences, especially for shift workers, train travelers and people without their own car. The Osnabrück district association of the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD) is sounding the alarm and pointing out that there is no lack of need, while the range of services urgently needs to be improved. As Hasepost also reports, the night bus service is currently only maintained on weekends - specifically from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday.
Unfortunately, after midnight during the week, travelers at the main station only have the option of spending the night outdoors. Early morning trains, which depart between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on weekdays and between 7 a.m. and 7:50 a.m. on Sundays, are also not accessible to the many citizens who come from districts or the surrounding area. This puts many people in distress, especially shift workers, whose work often starts at 6 a.m.
Focus on shift workers
Working hours in the region are changing. According to the German Federation of Trade Unions, the number of employees with stressful working hours has increased in recent years. In 1992, 15.5% of employees worked in the evenings between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., while in 2016 this number increased to 25.2%. Particularly staggering is the fact that more people are working shifts: from 11.5% in 1992 to 17.4% in 2016. Employers are required to take into account the needs of this group, which includes solid public transport connections. This information comes from a detailed article by DGB.
The challenges of shift work are diverse: They not only affect the private life of employees, but also place a significant burden on families. Important family times in particular, such as the early morning hours or late afternoons, often fall within the working hours of shift workers, which can lead to massive conflicts and difficulties in social life.
The role of public transport
After all: The member companies of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) play a central role in the mobility transition. It is expected that the number of passengers in local public transport (ÖPNV) will continue to rise. In 2023, for example, VDV companies transported around 9.4 billion passengers and it is estimated that around 26 million passengers travel on buses and trains every day. This not only saves 10 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year, but also shows the clear benefits of public transport for the environment and society, as VDV informs.
The VCD therefore calls for better accessibility during off-peak times and suggests flexible offers such as on-call buses or shared call taxis. An initiative that would be of immense importance for the shift workers in Osnabrück! The appeals to politicians and transport companies should not go unheeded, because serving citizens must have the highest priority.
In summary, it can be said that the night bus service in Osnabrück is severely undersupplied. This not only affects shift workers, but also everyone who relies on flexible and reliable transport connections. It is time for decision-makers to take action and create solutions that meet the needs of the population.