Bus operator Hermes still has fewer passengers in Eindhoven than before corona. The company says it is at 80 to 85 per cent of the number of passengers compared to 2019.
The corona pandemic had a huge impact on the public transport company, when the number of travellers at some point fell to just 10 per cent of the then usual number. But some three years after the pandemic gripped Eindhoven, the company has still not fully recovered.
According to Hermes, this is partly because more people are working from home. More people are also said to start using a (second) car or an electric bike since the pandemic, the carrier believes. According to Hermes, it is therefore highly doubtful whether these people will travel by public transport again in the future.
‘Less often’
Although the timetable was scaled down considerably during the pandemic, the number of bus stops and lines ‘hardly’ decreased. Hermes would not give precise figures on this. However, the company does say that the scaling down of the timetable mainly translates into lines being run less frequently
Staff shortage
Scaling up depends on passenger growth, Hermes says. But another factor is that Hermes is still facing a staff shortage, prompted by the tightness in the regional labour market. Recruitment campaigns, recruitment days, recruitment agencies and cooperation between municipalities, have not yet provided a solution in that regard, the carrier says.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Martijn
Of course this is expected. Why would someone pay for less frequent Schedules and walking when you can get a Tier bike at an affordable price and convenience ? It’s a very little price to pay for convenience
I agree, I’m sure the rentable e-bikes and mopeds are a big factor in this. I used to travel by bus a lot for small distances but I definitely prefer renting a bike now precisely for that reason, you can end your journey at your destination in stead of several streets away.
Eindhoven public transport is one of the most expensive in the world. Reduce the price, passengers will increase.