Study trip to the transport association VRN in Mannheim
Representatives of the project partners from Czech Republic visited the transport association Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN) in Mannheim to see how this association provides public transport services within the territory of three German federal states - Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse.
On 15 November 2016, representatives of the project partners from Czech Republic (from Vysocina Region, Jikord, the Institute of Technology and Business in Ceske Budejovice) visited the transport association Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN) in Mannheim. Since 1996, this association provides public transport services within the territory of three German federal states - Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse.
VRN organizes cooperation of 54 transport companies in 24 districts, cities and towns, meaning a territory 9 967 km2 large, with population of approximately 3 million inhabitants. Cooperation with relevant stakeholders during the last several decades resulted with creation of a complex transport association, whose role and tasks correspond to the given territorial needs and historical experience, and with an introduction of a tariff system for public transport which is in operation since 1989.
This German association can be proud of constantly increasing tendency in the number of passengers using the public transport and amount of revenues, which is being accompanied by several development initiatives. Whole development is focused on innovative and customer-oriented approach.
In that sense, the VRN is a great example of functional, long-standing and sustainable cooperation among various territorial stakeholders, which makes it possible to adopt solutions that fit the respective territory and population needs, including less populated peripheral areas of rural character.
