Senior ticket: success story goes into overtime

Created: 01/27/2022, 07:00

By: Gerti Reichl

For almost two years, citizens over 65 have had the opportunity to use RVO buses for free.

Gmund has now extended the senior card until 2023.

© Thomas Plettenberg

Travel around Lake Tegernsee free of charge with the senior bus card and cross the Oberland fare zone of RVO GmbH as you please.

"This can be described as a success story," said Gmund manager Florian Ruml at the municipal council meeting when the extension of the contract was on the agenda.

Gmund - The senior card was introduced in Gmund on March 1, 2020, and in January 2021 it was decided to extend the contract for the first time until 2022. It is not only in Gmund that seniors who are 65 years of age or older and have their main place of residence in the municipality can enjoy this card. In the meantime, ten municipalities in the district are making this offer to their citizens: in Bad Wiessee, Fischbachau, Gmund, Hausham, Miesbach, Rottach-Egern, Schliersee, Tegernsee, Waakirchen and Weyarn. According to the RVO, Ruml reported, the introduction is also planned in Otterfing and Holzkirchen.

Ruml provided specific figures on which he based the "success story".

By the end of 2021, 512 senior bus tickets had been issued.

Based on current figures from the Bavarian State Office for Statistics, 1479 seniors are eligible.

"Every third person uses the card," Ruml made clear.

Further figures are available from 2020: From March 1st to December 31st, a total of 3317 trips were registered, from January 1st to September 30th, 2021 there were 3494 trips.

According to Ruml, the statistics for the fourth quarter of 2021 are not yet available.

Senior citizen ticket for bus trips: manageable costs for the municipality

Regarding the costs: As stipulated in the contract, the municipality bears the necessary costs for the journeys, they are capped at a maximum of 40,000 euros. The RVO bears all additional costs. Since July 1, 2021, the RVO has been charging the municipality 6.37 euros for the day ticket instead of the previous 6.24 euros, which corresponds to an increase of two percent, according to Ruml. However, according to the managing director, the senior citizens' ticket is not affected by the 4.56 percent increase in transport charges due to increased energy and personnel costs. Almost 11,000 euros were incurred in the first nine months of 2021 for the community. The administration suggested extending the contract again. However, a clause for price increases during the term is to be included. These should only be permitted within a frameworkapproved by the government of Upper Bavaria, explained Ruml.

Many got in to get out and not be lonely.

Martina Ettstaller (CSU), Senior Citizens Representative in Gmund

"The card makes many seniors happy," said Mayor Alfons Besel (FWG) and reported "a lot of positive feedback".

This supports public transport and the costs are manageable.

That's why he was in favor of extending the contract by another year.

The Green Councilor Michael Huber, who was online, agreed and rated it as positive that the billing was not lump sum, but usage-oriented.

Martina Ettstaller (CSU), as Senior Citizens' Representative, also reported a positive response.

Many seniors also told her that during the lockdown they often only got on the bus and drove around the lake "to get out and not be lonely."

Senior card: Municipality does not want a permanent contract

After it was also clarified that a payment of ten euros would only have to be paid if the card was lost, the vote could take place: the committee was unanimous in favor of an extension until February 28, 2023. Because other municipalities also do the same, Gmund did not want to sign a permanent contract.

Finally, the planned MVV membership of the district should also be taken into account, the decision said.

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