The Westerwolde Buurtbus, the only one in East Groningen, still meets a great need after more than 40 years. About 7000 passengers on an annual basis ride along.
“Fortunately, we currently also have enough volunteers who drive the bus,” says chairman Marco Bentz van den Berg of the Association Buurtbus Westerwolde. “Although due to the turnover, the need for new drivers is present. Sufficient volunteers are a precondition to keep going.”
Via Jipsingboertange
The Buurtbus runs back and forth between Sellingen and Stadskanaal, via Jipsingboertange, and was set up more than 40 years ago, at a time when public transport in Westerwolde was starting to become a bit more ‘poor’.
At that time it was the first and only local bus in East Groningen and it still is. ,,Soon after the start it became clear that the need was great”, says Bentz van den Berg. “Many pupils and students from Sellingen and the surrounding area who had to go to Stadskanaal or from there to Groningen made use of it. But also the elderly who wanted to do some shopping in Stadskanaal.”
Many students and students
In its heyday, the bus, which can accommodate 8 passengers, transported as many as 12,000 people a year. “The corona crisis has changed that,” says the chairman. “After that crisis, public transport has not had the bustle of before, that also applies to us. Apparently, the elderly in particular have opted for other modes of transport. But with those 7000 passengers, for a large part pupils and students, there is every reason to keep going, with enough volunteers.”
Wim Schuringa from Nieuwe Pekela, who earned his living as a driving school owner for many years, is one of those volunteers. For more than 10 years he regularly gets behind the wheel of the Buurtbus. “And always with pleasure. It is nice to contribute to this facility. Indeed, the number of passengers is now less than before ‘corona’.
2 euros for a ticket
The bus is also owned by the transport company Connexxion Taxi Services, says Bentz van den Berg. “We are subsidized by the Public Transport Agency Groningen-Drenthe. The 2 euros for a ticket that we ask for goes there too.”
With the success of the neighborhood bus in mind, the municipal administrators of Westerwolde are also trying to set up such a facility. A local bus between Bellingwolde and Vlagtwedde. Alderman Henk van der Goot also thinks that it can meet a great need. Bentz van den Berg: ,,If that local bus comes, it will be the second in Westerwolde, and also the second in East Groningen. After all these years, we are still unique in this region.”