Public Transport Planning
We support local authorities, districts and municipalities in all aspects of public transport planning – from updating local transport plans and preparing procurement procedures to introducing new mobility services. We bring years of project experience working with transport associations, contracting authorities and transport operators.
What sets us apart: we combine public transport planning expertise with in-depth knowledge of railway infrastructure and project management. Projects such as line reactivations or the development of new transit corridors are therefore not only supported from a transport planning perspective, but also from an infrastructure angle – from a single source, without additional coordination effort for the client.
We do not view public transport as an isolated planning subject, but as an integral part of sustainable regional mobility. Service planning, financing, procurement, communication and technical implementation are treated as interconnected tasks – and we support clients across all project phases.
Our services in public transport planning:
Local Transport Plans – Development and Update
The local transport plan is the central management tool of the contracting authority. It defines objectives, quality standards and measures for the further development of public transport and forms the legal basis for direct awards and competitive tendering. We support districts and municipalities from the initial stocktaking through to formal adoption by the district council – and have successfully completed this process for several districts.
Our services include:
- Stocktaking and analysis of spatial structure, demand and existing services
- Development of objectives, quality standards and action plans
- Cartographic and tabular preparation of planning documents
- Coordination with transport associations, operators and technical authorities
- Preparation and support of committee processes (district council, subcommittees)
- Public participation and coordination with interest groups
Integrated Mobility Concepts
Mobility in municipalities and regions cannot be shaped by conventional scheduled services alone. We develop integrated mobility concepts that link public transport with other offerings and create a long-term strategy for districts and cities – either as a standalone concept or as an extension of a local transport plan.
Our services include:
- Development of municipal and regional mobility strategies as an overall framework
- Integration of public transport, cycling, walking and new mobility services
- Concepts for mobility hubs and multimodal interchange points
- Assessment and integration of sharing services (bike sharing, car sharing, e-scooters)
- Park-and-ride and bike-and-ride concepts as supplements to public transport
- Commuter corridor and access concepts for business parks and employers
- Strategic integration into climate action and transport development plans
Service and Operations Planning
We develop service and operations concepts that take demand, economic viability and operational constraints into account in a consistent overall approach – based on the German Passenger Transport Act (PBefG), applicable state requirements and FGSV guidelines.
Our services include:
- Development of strategic service and network concepts
- Optimisation of route networks, timetables and frequency systems
- Preparation of operations concepts and vehicle scheduling
- Analysis of travel flows and demand using recognised methodologies
- Economic and operational calculations
Procurement and Tendering of Transport Services
The tendering of bus routes or direct award under Regulation (EC) 1370/2007 is one of the most complex and consequential tasks facing a contracting authority. Errors in preparation or procedure can lead to legal challenges, delays and significant additional costs. We support the entire process – from procurement strategy through to the signed contract.
Our services include:
- Development of procurement and financing strategy (direct award vs. competitive tender)
- Preparation of service specifications and draft contracts
- Preparation and conduct of procurement procedures under PBefG and VgV
- Evaluation of bids and support for award decisions
- Cost-benefit analyses and economic assessments
- Support for integrating public funding into the financing structure
School Transport
School transport is an independent, legally complex and budget-relevant responsibility for districts and municipalities. Education legislation, cost allocation, tendering obligations and integration with regular public transport all place high demands on planning and management.
Our services include:
- Analysis and optimisation of existing school transport services
- Integration of school transport into regular scheduled services
- Design of demand-responsive transport solutions in compliance with state legislation
- Preparation of tenders for school transport services
- Economic comparisons between different service models
Rail Reactivation and Feasibility Studies
The reactivation of disused railway lines is on the political agenda in many regions. Such projects require close coordination between operational planning, infrastructure assessment and economic analysis. As a consultancy with expertise in both public transport planning and railway infrastructure, we can provide end-to-end support for reactivation projects – from initial potential assessment to decision-ready documentation for the district council and funding bodies.
Our services include:
- Potential analyses and demand forecasts for reactivation corridors
- Feasibility studies including operational concepts and timetable planning
- Assessment of infrastructure requirements in coordination with our infrastructure team
- Cost-benefit analyses in accordance with the Standardised Assessment methodology
- Preparation of bus adaptation concepts as an integrated component of funding applications
- Funding advice (GVFG, state transport investment programmes)
- Preparation of decision papers for political bodies
Stop Concepts and Interchange Points
Stops, interchange points and park-and-ride facilities are the physical interface between the public transport offer and the passenger. We develop conceptual frameworks for the design, prioritisation and further development of this infrastructure – in close coordination with the operational concept.
Our services include:
- Stocktaking and assessment of stop infrastructure
- Concepts for interchange facilities, transfer hubs and park-and-ride
- Prioritisation of investment measures based on usage intensity and accessibility requirements
- Coordination with municipalities, road authorities and funding bodies
Transport Association Cooperation
Almost all contracting authorities operate within transport association structures. Coordination with the association – on local transport plans, fares, tendering and quality standards – is complex and requires detailed knowledge of internal structures, decision-making processes and historically established arrangements. We have extensive practical experience working with transport associations and understand the typical challenges of this collaboration firsthand.
Our services include:
- Professional support for coordination with the relevant transport association
- Assistance with association-related planning and procurement processes
- Coordination of fare and distribution topics within the association structure
- Assessment of association requirements in the context of local contracting authority interests
Flexible Services and New Mobility
On-demand services, dial-a-ride systems and shared mobility offerings close gaps that conventional scheduled services cannot cover cost-effectively. We support the design, tendering and integration of these services as permanent components of the public transport system.
Flexible and digital services:
- Design and introduction of dial-a-ride and on-demand systems
- Economic assessment and comparison of service models
- Preparation of tenders for flexible transport services
- Advice on integration into MaaS platforms and digital ticketing
New mobility and multimodal offerings:
- Concepts for integrating bike sharing, e-scooters and station-based car sharing
- Planning of mobility hubs as central nodes for new services
- Advice on autonomous shuttle pilot projects and testing environments
- Assessment of cooperation models between municipalities and private providers
Sustainable Drivetrain Concepts and Fleet Planning
The transition to low-emission drivetrains places new demands on vehicle scheduling, fleet procurement and tendering design. We support contracting authorities and transport operators in the conceptual preparation – based on the Clean Vehicles Directive (CVD) and the German Clean Vehicles Procurement Act.
Our services include:
- Vehicle scheduling concepts for low-emission and zero-emission vehicles
- Range and charging demand analyses as a planning basis
- Fleet and deployment planning for battery-electric and hybrid drivetrains
- Advice on vehicle procurement and tender preparation under the CVD
Event and Tourism Mobility
Major events, tourist destinations and seasonal leisure traffic place particular demands on planning, coordination and temporary service design. We develop demand-responsive transport concepts – coordinated with event organisers, tourism associations and neighbouring contracting authorities.
Our services include:
- Development of transport concepts for large-scale events (festivals, trade fairs, sporting events)
- Access concepts for tourist destinations and leisure facilities
- Seasonal services for recreational areas, wine regions, ski resorts and nature parks
- Coordination with organisers, tourism associations and neighbouring authorities
- Concepts combining public transport and leisure travel (e.g. hiking buses, bicycle carriage)
We bring together infrastructure, operations and financing. As a consultancy with expertise in railway infrastructure, project management and public transport planning, we can provide end-to-end support for projects such as line reactivations or new light rail corridors – from potential analysis through to implementation.
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