VOLUNTARY CITIZENS DRIVE SHARED BUS AND HELP LOCALS

A shared bus driven by volunteers has led to better, cheaper public transport and greater opportunities for getting around. Vordingborg Municipality provides the bus, which has become a new social gathering point.

For many years FlexTur was the only form of public transport to and from the town of Jungshoved in South Zealand. Many elderly citizens thought that it was expensive and difficult to use. As a result, Jungshoved Local Council found a supplementary solution.

Today locals can take a shared bus, called Frøen, to shop, see the doctor or visit friends and family in a nearby town. Thanks to Jungshoved Local Council, the bus has been running since August 2017. Vordingborg Municipality provides a leased bus that is driven by enthusiastic volunteers. A one-way ticket costs 10 Danish kroner, and the bus runs twice a day between Jungshoved and Præstø. At weekends, locals can borrow the bus for private purposes. The bus was a remarkable success from the outset. The first two months alone saw 343 single trips and the bus was borrowed three times. During the same period, significantly more expensive trips with FlexTur fell by 47% down to 146 trips. Overall, the new scheme does not cost the municipality extra, but users have gained more transport that costs them less. The bus has also become a new social gathering point in the community, with locals seeing a positive effect on their village. On average, each trip carries three to four passengers, and the number of times the bus is borrowed is growing. Following a six-month trial period, Vordingborg Municipality has now decided to extend the project for three years.