Local transport crisis: Red alarm level for rural mobility!

Local transport crisis: Red alarm level for rural mobility!

The challenges in local public transport (public transport) are particularly noticeable in rural areas. A current warning from the Verdi union and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) illuminates the critical situation of public transport in Germany. These warn that the infrastructure is inadequate for many municipalities, which means that no municipality can easily maintain the current traffic. In rural areas in particular, many citizens suffer from a strongly restricted offer.

like sueddeutsche.de can be observed, which not only restoring the mobility of the working population, but also the quality of life in rural regions. The VDV President Ingo Wortmann emphasizes that the existing problems are threatening to exist. Urgent measures are necessary to maintain general interest.

lack of connection and high costs

A central criticism is the lack of willingness to invest in infrastructural modernization. The current state promotes a decoupling from public transport. In fact, more than 60 % of all routes are covered by cars in rural regions, which drastically increases CO2 emissions in these areas. Federal Center for Political Education emphasizes that daily mobility is a quarter higher than in urban areas.

These circumstances affect disadvantaged population groups, such as seniors and people with low incomes that rely on a functioning public transport system. In order to compensate for social deficits, Verdi and the VDV are demanding nationwide standards for the public transport offer and a reform of the regionalization law that regulates the financing of local transport.

Sustainable solutions in the discussion

A future -proof approach could be the Germany ticket, which is only part of the solution. Despite this initiative, large parts of the country are still decoupled from public transport. The VDV also demands an increase in financial resources to expand the offer, especially in rural regions, where the leisure and shopping paths are often difficult to reach via public transport.

Perspective for rural mobility could also be improved by innovative solutions such as autonomous driving and modern car sharing models. These technologies could be individually tailored to the needs of users. Pilot projects for autonomous public transport shuttles are already being planned to improve mobility supply in less developed regions.

Finally, it can be said that the current situation in public transport offers both challenges and opportunities. The discussion about financing, standards and new technologies will be crucial for how public transport will develop in the future. While the problems are still acute, there is the possibility to achieve sustainable improvement through collective efforts and reforms.