The offer is becoming too expensive for the district: in the future, a 49-euro ticket instead of a senior citizen's ticket when handing in a driver's license?

Created: 12/29/2022, 08:00

By: Sebastian Tauchnitz

The 49-euro ticket is scheduled to start in April (symbol image).

© Westlight/IMAGO

For a number of years now, seniors who have given up their driver's license have been given a senior's ticket for the RVO for three years.

Since the offer is much more popular than expected and is therefore more expensive, the district committee is considering adjustments.

District – Creating an incentive for giving up a driver’s license and thus making a contribution to more road safety: These considerations were the focus when the district council decided a few years ago that everyone who is over 60 and gives up their driver’s license of their own free will, for gets a free RVO senior citizen ticket for three years.

Since 2021, this has also applied to the city buses in Weilheim and Schongau.

At that time, the committee assumed that interest in this offer would be manageable.

But since the district councils had reckoned without the seniors.

The traffic and climate protection manager of the district office, Veronika Schellhorn, made representations to the district committee and requested an increase in the previous budget of 35,000 euros for this project.

5,000 euros more would be needed to maintain the offer in its current form, said Schellhorn in the committee.

Around 100 seniors would currently be able to enjoy such a ticket.

Senior ticket costs 306 euros per year

However, the district committee did not want to simply expand the budget.

After all, the costs are quite significant.

A senior citizen ticket costs 306 euros per year, for three years that is 918 euros per senior citizen, which is paid from the district budget.

Markus Kunzendorf (ÖDP/Oberhausen) asked himself whether that really had to be the case.

After all, if you give up your driver's license, the costs for the car, fuel, workshop and insurance are eliminated - people would save a lot of money anyway.

If you don't want to completely eliminate the incentive for handing in your driver's license, you could consider the much more attractive 49-euro ticket, which is due to be launched in April, says Kunzendorf.

Because you can use public transport nationwide and not just in the RVO area.

Since the ticket would cost 49 euros per month, it would be significantly more expensive than before, warned District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiss.

Karl-Heinz Grehl (Greens/Weilheim) was also bothered by the costs of the previous offer.

He pleaded for the senior citizen ticket to be abolished completely and instead for anyone who gives up their driver's license to finance the 49-euro ticket for a maximum of one month.

Peter Erhard (CSU/Böbing) was a bit too fussy.

Giving up a driver's license voluntarily is a major turning point in life.

You should support this decision.

The RVO is relaxed about the possible new regulation

Erhard did the math: so far, 918 euros have been used to finance three senior citizen tickets, which are not particularly attractive for many.

“Instead, you could say you pay the 49-euro ticket for a year.

The bottom line is that this costs the district only 588 euros instead of 918 euros and is much more attractive,” says Erhard.

This met with broad approval.

However, the change is not yet a done deal.

District Administrator Jochner-Weiss suggested postponing the decision until the 49-euro ticket was actually introduced.

The District Committee approved this proposal.

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Even the RVO is relaxed about a possible new regulation for the senior citizen ticket.

"Of course we lose income as a result," said branch manager Ralf Kreutzer yesterday.

But you have to take the customer's perspective: "And the 49-euro ticket is undoubtedly the much more attractive offer."

You can find more current news from the region around Schongau at Merkur.de/Schongau.