The province of Drenthe expects an extra contribution to be needed for the Public Transport Bureau Groningen Drenthe, which is responsible for bus transport. This would involve a maximum of 3.1 million euros.
Due to the corona crisis and the war in Ukraine, Qbuzz is expected to fall between 11 and 12.5 million euros this year. These extra costs are due to the higher fuel prices, high absenteeism due to illness and because more has been driven. In order to maintain the accessibility of the countryside and the city, a conscious decision was made to drive more than there was demand. Extra buses have also been deployed during the work on Julianaplein in Groningen.
The high absenteeism is due to the corona virus. Working from home is not an option for bus drivers. In addition, drivers drop out due to an increased workload because they took the shifts of sick colleagues.
From the deficit of 11 to 12 million euros, 7 to 9 million euros is requested from the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe and the city of Groningen. These three authorities form the day-to-day management of the Public Transport Bureau. For Drenthe this amounts to a maximum of 3.1 million euros.
The company will struggle with large deficits in the coming years, which will rise to 33 million euros. To accommodate this, the number of rides is being cut. Some lines will disappear, others will run less often.
But the fares for travelers are not going up. The province does not want that, and neither does the Public Transport Bureau. That wants to get travelers back on the bus after corona. And it is expected that this will not work with more expensive bus tickets.
The expectation is that the number of travelers before corona will be reached again in 2025. The government has a scheme to compensate for this. But that arrangement will not continue until 2025. That arrangement will end after this year. As a result, public transport will receive hundreds of millions of euros less in support.