Carrier RegioRijder. Photo for illustration.ANP/Hollandse Hoogte/Harold Versteeg
RegioRijder, which is responsible for Wmo and student transport in eight municipalities, has found a new coordinator in RMC and Qarin. From 1 January 2023, these two companies are responsible for directing the joint target group transport system of the municipalities of Beverwijk, Bloemendaal, Haarlem, Haarlemmermeer, Heemskerk, Heemstede , Velsen and Zandvoort.
According to the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, RMC Amsterdam/Qarin scored the highest on the set quality criteria. “The registration shows that Qarin sees the importance of a traveler advisory function and sees opportunities in combining demand-dependent transport and group transport,” says the municipality. “Qarin contributes innovative ideas about this and the business operations are set up accordingly.”
The transport will be carried out by two of the current carriers, namely Munckhof and Atax-de Vries, an SME from Hillegom. “Both companies had the best tender and are firmly anchored in the working area,” explains Haarlemmermeer.
During the award, quality was considered for 30 percent and for 11 percent to the price. Sustainability also played an important role. During the tender, for example, the focus was on a vehicle fleet that was as sustainable as possible. “By 1 August 2023 at the latest, all passenger cars and low-emission taxi buses must be zero-emissions,” says Haarlemmermeer. A longer period has been given for high taxi and wheelchair buses due to regulations and delivery. “By January 1 2027 these must also be completely zero-emission.” The companies concerned can look forward to a bonus, provided they succeed in achieving these objectives.
Measures This year, the management from the municipalities involved will focus on bringing and maintaining the level of services in the current system and the implementation of the new system. According to the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, this is also desperately needed, because RegioRijder is still struggling with various measures as a result of major driver shortages.
“More than a year ago, measures were taken in Wmo transport to maintain the level of services in both Wmo transport and student transport,” explains Haarlemmermeer. “This is due to the major driver shortages, especially in student transport. The increase in these shortages at the start of the new school year, in September 05, has led the control center to actively encourage Wmo travelers have to ask to travel outside the peak times of student transport.” Priority rides, such as trips to weddings, funerals and hospitals, were excluded.
According to Haarlemmermeer, the capacity shortage is still caused by the use of Wmo drivers in student transport. Nevertheless, the municipality states that RegioRijder is back on the right track. “As a temporary measure, coaches have been deployed, so that in May 2023 the booking time in Wmo transport can be reduced to one hour in advance . A next step that can possibly be taken after that is to lift the booking freeze in the afternoon rush hour. However, the speed with which the measures can be scaled down remains dependent on the available capacity in transport.”
Continuity Despite the driver shortages and the associated measures, most travelers are satisfied with the transport. For example, RegioRijder currently receives a formal complaint about 0.3 percent of all journeys. The annual customer satisfaction survey started in April. The results are expected in the summer. Partly thanks to these changes, Haarlemmermeer looks forward to the results of the customer satisfaction survey with confidence. “With these changes coming, RegioRijder is committed to as much continuity as possible with as many familiar faces as possible and the same drivers. Every change must lead to an improvement, which ultimately benefits everyone”, concludes the North Holland municipality.
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