As of: February 28, 2024, 9:30 a.m
By: Birgit Davies
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For its 10th anniversary, the members of the Biberger Bürgerbus association were proud of their successful model, which many passengers used due to the lack of public transport connections, here with the then chairman Huguette Scharpegge-Welker (4th from right) and the current chairman Jens Nonnenmacher (5th .vl).
© Birgit Davies
Because the MVV has expanded its offering, the Biberg citizen bus is no longer needed.
But the driving service could be used elsewhere.
Oberbiberg
- On Thursday, February 29th, the Biberg citizens' bus will make its rounds between the old communities of Oberbiberg and Oberhaching for the last time.
For over 20 years, the successful model, run on a voluntary basis by the Biberg Citizens Bus Association, has reliably connected people from all generations between the two districts, which were previously only accessible by car.
The MVV buses 226 and
30 volunteer drivers on the road in all weathers
“We are proud that we were able to be active for the citizens for such a long time,” says Jens Nonnenmacher, chairman of the association.
He was chairman from its founding in 2003 until 2011, when Huguette Scharpegge-Welker took over the honorary position, who died in 2016 after a serious illness.
Nonnenmacher then became chairman again and remains so today.
In autumn, the members of the Biberg Citizens' Bus celebrated their 20th anniversary in the old bowling alley opposite the Kandler inn.
At that time it was already clear that the bus would soon no longer be running.
© Birgit Davies
On average, around 30 volunteer drivers were on the road from Monday to Friday, regardless of wind and weather, sunshine or rain.
“The drivers came from the old communities and also from Oberhaching,” reports Nonnenmacher.
This meant that students could get to school reliably, while others used the bus to visit the doctor, go shopping, meet friends or as a good connection to the Deisenhofen S-Bahn station.
Social interaction also played a major role, as drivers and passengers often knew each other.
“We would pick someone up right from their front door if they had health problems,” the chairman recalled.
Without the financial support of the community, the project would not have been possible
At the beginning of 2003 there was not only the laborious construction of the bus route with numerous legal and official hurdles, but also the pool of volunteer drivers was constantly maintained.
The project would not have been possible without the financial support of the community.
In addition, 30 local companies took part and presented their advertising on the bus.
There was strong headwind from the authorities in 2011.
But the concerns were dispelled, and in 2012 the club even won second place in the Federal Ministry of Transport's “People and Successes – Mobility in Rural Areas” competition.
A year later, the club members took part in the “Green Week” in Berlin with great commitment and met with great interest from other rural communities who had similar concerns and were able to provide them with advice and support.
150,000 passengers and over 1.3 million kilometers
In total, the citizens' bus counted around 150,000 passengers in the 20 years of its existence and traveled over 1.3 million kilometers.
“Without the great commitment of the members, this would not have been possible,” emphasizes Nonnenmacher.
And because everyone still wants to stand up for their fellow citizens, the association will not dissolve, but is currently in intensive discussions with the Oberhaching neighborhood help group, for example to take participants of the Friday breakfast or the games afternoon there by bus or to other events bring.
In addition, the citizens' bus will drive to the farmers' market every Friday from March 8th.