School bus: Murnau company resigns because of fuel prices

Created: 08/13/2022, 02:00 p.m

By: Roland Lory

Although it's vacation time at the moment, these children lined up for the photo with school bags at the Kohlgruber Straße/corner of Pessenbacher Straße bus stop.

© Dominik Bartl

Parents and primary school children in the market town of Murnau have to adapt.

Because bus transport will be different in the future than usual.

This has to do with the high fuel prices that are charged at the gas stations.

A long-established bus company has quit.

Murnau

– The Murnau bus company Schretter has been driving students to educational institutions for decades.

Most recently, it transported children on the Westried line to the James Loeb Elementary School and on the Achrain line to the Emanuel von Seidl Elementary School.

But this will no longer be the case in the new school year.

Because Schretter has resigned.

"Because of the sharp rise in fuel prices," says Robert Schretter, managing director of the company alongside his sister Irene.

"There was nothing else we could do." The Murnau market then put out a tender.

Schretter submitted an offer with significantly higher prices.

But the company didn't get a chance.

Schretter says that the offer to drive only at midday was not accepted by the municipality.

According to city hall spokeswoman Annika Röttinger, the problem is finding a suitable bus company that can take over the journeys.

This was also reflected in the meeting of the market town council at the beginning of August.

Treasurer Josef Brückner said it was to be feared that a new provider "will pass on the current fuel prices and the budget amounts will not be sufficient".

According to Röttinger, the municipality wants to cover the relevant trips from the new school year with both the RVO and a private bus company.

Parents are not happy about the change.

The RVO bus is already “crammed full”, emphasizes Ulrike Schorn, who has two primary school children.

The bus, which is used as part of the rail replacement service, is also “cramped”.

Schorn's fear: "We can call in sick all winter." Because of Corona.

The mother is also convinced: "The children come to school more relaxed" when the bus is not so full of passengers.

Schorn would like someone to keep order on the RVO bus.

Schretter deserves praise.

The parents had "a very secure feeling" with the company.

"It was brilliant how they did it." Schorn hopes that the old situation can be restored one day.

The parents are aware of the change in transportation because management at James Loeb Elementary School sent out a circular.