No municipal bus fare required in Reutlingen city
In the heart of Germany, the city of Reutlingen has made a small step towards encouraging public transport use with its ticket-free Saturday initiative. The city's transport system saw a significant increase in passenger numbers, with a 20% rise recorded during the event. Retailers also reported positive feedback on their sales, indicating a potential boost for local businesses.
However, the city administration has yet to provide an alternative solution to extend these positive effects to other days. The proposal put forward by the Free Voters last October to introduce a "city tariff" for bus travel, with a fare of one euro instead of the current 3.50 euros for adults, was rejected due to financial reasons.
The Reutlingen city transport company (RSV) calculated that the introduction of a city fare would result in losses of around 1.7 million euros. Given the city's current tight financial situation, it is not feasible to compensate for these losses from the city's budget.
The Free Voters accepted the decision, but their proposal was well received. They had hoped that the city fare would not only encourage more people to use public transport but also stimulate economic activity in the city.
The city administration welcomed the intention to encourage more people to use public transport, but ultimately rejected the proposal due to financial reasons. They assured the Free Voters that a proposal for fare improvements could be reconsidered in the future, contingent upon an improvement in the city's financial situation.
For now, the ticket-free Saturday remains a small success story, with no immediate plans to extend the initiative to other days or introduce a city fare. The city administration continues to explore ways to encourage sustainable transport use while managing its tight budget.
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