Rides in Besigheim, Kirchheim am Neckar, Walheim, Gemmrigheim as well as in Bietigheim-Bissingen and Tamm
On Sunday, August 4, 2024, the VVS-Rider will be launched in two different areas in the Ludwigsburg district. In the municipalities of Kirchheim (Neckar), Gemmrigheim, Besigheim and Walheim, the flexible service can be used Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on weekends and public holidays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In Bietigheim-Bissingen and Tamm, citizens always benefit from local transport on demand on Saturday nights, Sundays and public holidays between 10 pm and 5 am.
How does the VVS-Rider work?
The VVS Rider network consists of around 3,800 "virtual" stops, mostly at intersections, in front of stores, at places of interest or at regular stops. Selected points of interest and places of interest are visible on the map stored in the system and can be selected directly. While a cab picks up its passengers right outside the front door, VVS Rider passengers can get on at a nearby location that is within easy walking distance. The drop-off point is not far from the desired destination.
Passengers order the minibus via the free "VVS-Rider" app or by phone. The bus collects passengers with similar routes and takes them to their destinations one after the other - from A to B, with short walking distances to the next stop. As soon as the user has entered their start and destination address via the app, the pick-up and drop-off points are displayed on a map, as well as the pick-up and arrival times. If you book by phone, you will receive the information directly on the phone.
The new "VVS-Rider" complements the existing scheduled buses. It can therefore only be booked if no scheduled bus is running at the desired time.
Environmentally friendly and flexible mobility
"The VVS-Rider is a great addition to the existing scheduled services for which the district is responsible. On-demand services such as the VVS-Rider make an important contribution to greater mobility and less environmental pollution where traditional public transport has reached its limits. The new VVS Rider is a real alternative to the car for the population and makes it possible to travel from A to B without a long walk to the bus stop," said Jürgen Vogt, First State Official and Head of Transport for the Ludwigsburg district.
"The new Rider service makes environmentally friendly bus transport much more flexible and therefore more attractive. We assume that the Rider will therefore be well received by our citizens and in the other five municipalities," says Besigheim's mayor Florian Bargmann.
"With the VVS Rider, we are offering passengers convenient and innovative local transport. We have already gained a lot of experience with the Rider in Leinfelden and Echterdingen in the district of Esslingen. We are looking forward to the new project in the Ludwigburg district and hope that the service will be just as well received there," says Birgit Stoib, Managing Director of Friedrich Müller Omnibusunternehmen (FMO).
The fleet of transport companies in the VVS has long since ceased to consist solely of trains and buses. "Collective call cabs, rental bikes and car-sharing services have long been part of the mobility network. For some time now, the Rider has complemented the range. It is therefore pleasing that the VVS tariff applies to on-demand journeys," says VVS Managing Director Thomas Hachenberger. Passengers with a VVS season ticket, including the Deutschland-Ticket, or a day or one-way ticket travel at no extra cost.
Via's VVS Rider system, which is standardized across all districts, enables passengers to book journeys throughout the entire network area with one app. The VVS Rider app also has access to the Stuttgart on-demand shuttle "SSB Flex" and vice versa.
"Via's software and network of "virtual bus stops" provides VVS Rider passengers with seamless mobility that combines the convenience and flexibility of owning a car with the affordability and sustainability of public transportation," said Chris Snyder, CEO of Via Europa. "We are proud to partner with VVS to further expand access to technology-enabled public transportation for citizens in the Stuttgart region."
