Stand: November 1, 2024, 4:59 a.m
Von: Frank Sommer
PressSplit
The criticism of the school bus transport to the Offenbach Fröbelschule continues. The city, however, denies any connection to the 2022 savings.
Offenbach – The open letter from the parents' council of the Fröbelschule about the grievances there caused a stir: While, according to the parents' council, the city of Offenbach did not respond to it, many readers contacted our editorial team to vent their anger about the conditions. Parents of former students and teachers in particular criticize the problematic transport situation with the OVB buses. As reported, these are often canceled due to a lack of accompanying staff. The buses themselves cannot go directly to the Fröbel School, which only opened in 2022, because the school yard is too small to turn around.
“It is sad that the city of Offenbach’s poor planning is being carried out at the expense of the weakest,” says Gerda Günther-Jansky. While the commitment of the school's teachers is praised, the problematic bus transport is the subject of criticism. It is strikingly common to hear from parents and teachers that there is a connection to the line cancellation at OVB in 2022, which the city, however, vehemently denies: According to the critics, since the city did not want to lay off drivers, it pushed for the OVB take over the journeys to and from the Fröbel School. The city terminated the Mühlheim travel company, which had provided transport for over 26 years, and designed the new tender in such a way that OVB was the only company to apply and win the contract. The city emphasizes that the new allocation has nothing to do with the cancellation of the bus routes and that the use of OVB was an emergency solution.
Offenbach: Long-standing bus company was terminated in 2022
In an initial inquiry from our newspaper, the city wrote that no other companies had applied after the long-standing service provider “withdrew”. “We were terminated by the city, that wasn’t a withdrawal,” says Nico Bauer from Rita’s travel service. The new tender was not very attractive for commercial service providers; for example, it would stipulate that all seats should be equipped with safety precautions or that the bus company must provide the necessary companions for the children. In the 2024 tender, great emphasis was placed on electric drives, which only the municipal transport companies have, is criticized. The city emphasizes that this is due to EU law and city council resolutions, but that the question of drive is not decisive.
Parents have criticized the fact that, in contrast to the travel company's buses, the OVB buses do not have seat belts on all seats – although this is no longer necessary since a change in the law: “If school transport is exempt, there is no need to wear a seat belt,” writes the city. The necessary accompaniment for the students during the trips is “purchased” by the city from the disability assistance or the Malteser. If these companions are unable to attend due to illness, the trips must be canceled completely.
OVB buses cannot turn into the schoolyard of Offenbacher Fröbelschule
“It was much better regulated at the previous company,” says a father of a former student who wishes to remain anonymous. “It seems to me that the city only thought about the buses and not the children,” he says. Regarding the lack of information for parents in the event of bus cancellations, the city writes that they would like to participate in an online platform run by the Ministry of Culture, but they do not receive access to this.
There is also sharp criticism that the OVB buses have not yet been able to reach the school via the schoolyard and that a route via the MAN parking lot is now being negotiated. The problem is that there is not enough space in the schoolyard – the buses have to back up briefly in order to be able to turn around – but this is not permitted without a guide. “It is unbelievable that in a newly built school it was not planned where the children could get in and out of the transport vehicles safely,” says Günther-Jansky.
The reactions to the letter were mixed: While the Left and Ofa were very committed, the CDU and the Greens did not respond at all, says the advisory board chairman. Before the next school committee meeting, the parents want to talk to politicians.
By Frank Sommer
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