School bus chaos in Neu-Ulm: Parents demand immediate solutions!

School bus chaos in Neu-Ulm: Parents demand immediate solutions!

There is currently great unrest in Neu-Ulm about school bus traffic, especially on route 88. A committed father from Steinheim has turned to the city administration and the city councilors because of the intolerable conditions. Regular bus delays mean that many children miss the start of classes, which subsequently forces parents to take their children to school by car - something that neither the city nor the school wants.

The situation is exacerbated by overcrowded buses, which endanger the well-being and safety of students. The father describes that complaints in the past led to short-term improvements, but these no longer exist. A few days ago a serious incident occurred when the bus mistakenly drove in the wrong direction to Holzheim. Now the concerned father is calling for a sustainable solution, as an improvement in the bus situation is only announced for 2027. He suggests that the city or the client should check whether the bus company, in this case the Neu-Ulm company Gairing, is complying with the contractually agreed services.

Insights into the bus situation

Gairing's managing director, Hildegard Schnarrenberger, has already apologized for the delays. According to their statement, the driver was inattentive and delivered the students about 10 to 15 minutes late. Despite this incident, Schnarrenberger has no further indications of regular delays. With regard to overcrowded buses, she emphasizes that subjective perceptions must be compared with objective numbers. A passenger count is already planned for next week.

An additional factor for the tense conditions in school bus transport is the introduction of the Deutschlandticket, which makes it more difficult to analyze the number of passengers using school tickets. The planned timetable changes in the Neu-Ulm district, which are due to come into force from January 2024, are not coming quickly enough for worried parents and commuters. These changes are in response to various complaints and aim to improve the situation. Hot spots were visited on site and initial adjustments to the timetable have already been implemented.

The way to school

In general, school bus transport in Germany is often carried out by special non-public buses that are responsible for transporting students to and from school. The issue of safety is particularly important because children are exposed to a variety of dangers both on the school bus and on the way to the bus stop. Traffic reports emphasize that overcrowded buses are a serious problem. Therefore, you should never take more children with you than there is room to sit and stand. Particular attention should also be paid to the safety regulations that must apply in the event of an accident.

In order to make it easier for young passengers to use the school bus transport and to increase their safety, school bus attendants are trained to help get on and off the bus and to control behavior during the journey. Such measures seem particularly necessary now to address current complaints about inadequate transportation for students and to find appropriate solutions. The ball is now in the court of those responsible, who must come up with sustainable improvements by 2027 at the latest.