On demand: VVS-Rider starts on 23 May in Leinfelden-Echterdingen – shared transport, scheduled services: local public transport | News | bus planner – technology – public transport

Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart (VVS) is launching a new on-demand service in the district of Esslingen on May 23, 2023. The unrestricted VVS-Rider, a diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, is intended to be or become a car replacement – on the road from Monday to Friday from 5:30 am to 7:30 pm and Saturday. from 7:30 to 7:30 pm There is a dense network of common stations, so the walking distance to the entrances is short. VVS tax or German ticket applies – passengers with registration or traveling on a one-day ticket at no additional charge.

The VVS fleet has long been more than just trains and buses. “Mobile shared taxis, rental bikes and car-sharing offers have long been part of the mobility network. From now on the rider completes the offer. That’s why it goes without saying that the VVS tax also applies to rides,” says Thomas Knöller , who is responsible for the planning department at VVS.

VVS-Rider is ordered via the free app or by phone. On-demand transportation collects passengers on the same route and replaces the city bus route 819, which according to VVS recently had low demand. As an operator, CleverShuttle handles the operational implementation of the on-demand service on behalf of Friedrich Müller Omnibusunternehmen (FMO). The service provider via Via is responsible for the VVS driving software and smart algorithms for integrating transport applications.

“As a dedicated operator, we are happy to ensure reliable performance and enable even more people to enjoy exciting mobility,” says Alexander Brüll, General Manager of CleverShuttle. The company provides all services for the best traffic from a single source – from hiring drivers and buying cars to managing direct operations.

The VVS-Rider will be extended to the district of Rems-Murr during the year and will be on the road inleutebach, Berglen, Buoch and Welzheim, Kaiserbach and Alfdorf. At the end of 2023, on-demand service should also start in the Göppingen district – mainly in the upper Filstal valley near Geislingen/Steige. Another vehicle will also be used as clinic transport – only as a transport service to and from the district hospital in Göppingen. A VVS Rider operation in the Böblingen district in Rutesheim and Renningen is also planned for the end of the year. The rider should also facilitate trips to and from the IMAX in Leonberg.

With the uniform VVS Rider system, passengers can book rides across the entire network using just one app, according to VVS. In addition, they can also access Stuttgart’s on-demand “SSB Flex” and vice versa via the VVS Rider app, according to an accompanying press release.

The VVS notes that “it is not necessarily the same in other areas as it is for the VVS-Rider in Leinfelden-Echterdingen”. The district offices, as the relevant authorities, can determine the type of vehicle, the type of vehicle and the number of vehicles used as part of the award process, depending on the needs in the respective area. This varies from service area to service area.