“AktiVVo” is the name of the on-demand pilot project by Augsburger Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund GmbH (AVV) to better connect the rural areas around the Bavarian university city – two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 314 CDI with tail lifts at the rear will operate from June 1, 2023, from Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. between and within the nine municipalities of Adelsried, Altenmünster, Bonstetten, Emersacker, Heretsried, Horgau, Welden, and the market town of Zusmarshausen as well as their associated districts. Up to eight passengers can be transported. According to AVV, DB Regio Bus Bayern is responsible for the deployed diesel minibuses, driver allocation, and scheduling.
“For the AVV, the new offering is an important first step towards a more flexible public transportation system. We are very curious to see how passengers will respond to AktiVVo,” said AVV Managing Director Linda Kisabaka.
As is common with on-demand services, there is no fixed route, and similar trip requests are bundled as much as possible. Passengers are picked up at their desired stop after prior booking via the AktiVVo app or by phone and chauffeured to their booked destination.
“Booking is easiest with the convenient AktiVVo app,” says AVV Managing Director Linda Kisabaka.
The app, along with the intelligent algorithm for bundling trip requests, comes from the French provider Padam Mobility based in Paris. Start and end points can be selected directly via a map or by text input. In addition to the date, departure time, and number of persons, it is also possible to enter desired arrival times at the destination. Bookings can be made up to 30 days in advance. Passengers traveling with a wheelchair, walker, or stroller must indicate this when booking. By clicking the "Search" button, possible rides are then displayed. After booking, the app informs the passenger of the actual departure time via push notification. The location and approach of the booked vehicle can be tracked in real-time. In case of telephone booking, confirmation is sent via SMS if desired.
A total of over 360 stops called “AktiVVo-Halt” will be served – the focus in their selection was on particularly frequently requested destinations such as shops, sports facilities, or doctors' offices – the exact determination was made in close coordination with the participating municipalities, according to AVV. There are no extra costs with AktiVVo – the fare is covered by subscriptions, season tickets, and the Germany ticket. As in regional buses, passengers who do not have any of these tickets can buy their ticket either in cash from the driver or stamp a strip ticket. Single trips cost between €1.80 and €7.20 for adults, depending on the number of zones required.
“With AktiVVo, we are succeeding in creating a comprehensive and, above all, highly citizen-oriented flexible public transportation service in the Augsburg district in an area that has hardly been served so far,” said District Administrator Martin Sailer. “A comparable transport offer that is accessible to all citizens within an area cannot be economically or personnel-wise represented with a regular bus service.”
AktiVVo is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) as part of the second funding call “Model Projects to Strengthen Public Transportation” and will initially be offered for two and a half years, during which demand, usage, and possibilities for improvement will be evaluated. After the pilot phase ends, this data will be presented to the district committee as well as the working group on the regional public transportation plan. A possible continuation after the end of funding will primarily depend on the occupancy rate.
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