Questions and answers

The Citizen Bus is a community mobility service for people in Dettingen an der Erms. Its goal is to improve everyday mobility, particularly in areas where conventional public transport is only limitedly available.

The Citizen Bus complements existing bus routes and helps make it easier to reach important destinations such as doctors, shopping facilities, meeting points, or public institutions.

This service is open to everyone who wants to remain mobile in a flexible and straightforward manner. In particular, it benefits:

• Older people
• People without their own car
• People with limited mobility
• Young people
• Families
• Residents in poorly connected local areas

The BürgerBus is generally open to everyone.

The Citizen Bus is a complementary, community-oriented mobility solution. Unlike conventional route-based public transport, it offers greater flexibility and is more closely aligned with the actual needs of local residents.

Depending on the specific model, trips may be provided on demand or upon prior booking.

The BürgerBus is organized and operated by the Bürgerforum Buchhalde Dettingen gUG – with the support of the Gemeindeverwaltung Dettingen an der Erms.

This project is a community mobility service from Dettingen an der Erms for the residents of Dettingen an der Erms. The goal is to reliably, simply, and socially connect people in their daily lives.

The Bürgerforum Buchhalde Dettingen gUG is particularly committed to:

• organizing the BürgerBus service

• coordinating trips and processes

• recruiting and supporting volunteer drivers

• further developing sustainable mobility options

• collaborating with local partners and institutions

The Gemeindeverwaltung Dettingen an der Erms supports the project as an important municipal partner. Through this cooperation, the BürgerBus can be established and further developed as a long-term complementary mobility option for the citizens.

The BürgerBus also thrives on the engagement of many people locally:

• volunteer drivers

• supporters

• local businesses and partners

• engaged citizens

Together, this creates a modern, social, and sustainable mobility project for Dettingen an der Erms and the surrounding area.

Many people rely on flexible mobility in their daily lives. At the same time, conventional local public transport services in rural areas are often reduced or have limited operating hours.

The BürgerBus provides a practical supplement and strengthens:

• independence in everyday life
• participation in social life
• the local community
• sustainable local mobility

The BürgerBus aims to:

• Enable mobility for everyone
• Promote social participation
• Make everyday journeys easier
• Strengthen volunteer work
• Expand sustainable and community-based mobility

The person is always at the center of our efforts.

Yes. The BürgerBus is generally available to all residents of Dettingen. You can find information about the service areas, operating hours, and any booking rules in the respective sections of the website.

Yes. The BürgerBus helps to combine trips and reduce unnecessary private car use. This conserves resources and makes local mobility more sustainable.

At the same time, the project strengthens the local community and shortens travel distances.

No. The planned citizen bus will operate exclusively within Dettingen an der Erms. The goal is to improve the mobility of residents within the municipal area and to better connect important destinations such as residential areas, public facilities, shopping opportunities, and public transport stops.

Yes, in principle, private motor third-party liability insurance also applies to volunteer citizen call services when private vehicles are used free of charge and without a commercial character. However, since insurers may distinguish between occasional rides, organized transport services, and regular passenger transport, all members of the driving team should obtain written confirmation from their insurance company in advance. Additionally, supplementary coverages such as driver accident insurance, business travel comprehensive insurance, or association liability insurance are recommended.

You will find comprehensive information on this topic in the following document

Versicherungsleitfaden (3.2 MB)

The key sections in the document

• In the table on page 3, under “Damage to a private car used for traffic by the active member”, it explicitly states: “Motor third-party liability TK/VK” → This shows that the standard motor third-party liability insurance of the private vehicle is initially responsible.

• On page 5, it is explained: “Motor insurance covers personal and property damage caused by the use of a motor vehicle …”

• Particularly important is page 8 regarding the “Business Travel Vehicle Insurance”: It explicitly describes that volunteer trips with a private car are generally possible and that additional coverages are only sensible as a supplement.

• The guide also states: “This can be transferred to the volunteer sector and therefore also applies to the transport of persons with one’s own car within the framework of a citizen transport service.”

Nevertheless, our clear recommendation:

Please obtain a short written confirmation from your insurance company, for example:

“The use of my privately insured vehicle within the framework of a volunteer citizen transport service without commercial profit-making is covered under my motor third-party liability insurance.”

Anyone who would like to support our idea of a social mobility service is very welcome. We are particularly pleased to welcome people who would like to volunteer as drivers. However, help with organization, public relations, events, or other tasks related to the project is always welcome.

The easiest way to get involved is to send a short introduction by email to info@buefobus.de.

If you would like to become an active driver, you can also apply directly in the app under More › Join the driving team.

To encourage exchange and the further development of the project, we would like to hold regular meetings at the Bürgerforum Buchhalde. There, committed volunteers can get to know each other, share ideas, exchange experiences, and jointly shape the future of the citizen call service in Dettingen an der Erms.

No. The commitment to BüfoBus is intentionally flexible. You decide for yourself how often and to what extent you would like to contribute. There is no long-term obligation or a fixed minimum number of service hours.

Drivers can independently enter their available times and shifts in the system and adjust them at any time to suit their personal circumstances. This allows the volunteer work to be easily combined with family, work, leisure, or other commitments.

Those who would like to simply gather information without any commitment or get to know the project are also very welcome. Many volunteers start with individual shifts and later decide for themselves how actively they wish to engage.

Our drivers support people in Dettingen an der Erms with their mobility and take on journeys to doctor's appointments, shopping, visits, or other destinations within the municipal area.

Journeys are requested through our booking system and are then automatically announced to the drivers on duty via SMS and email. The driving team then decides whether they can take on the journey.

In addition to safe transport, kindness, willingness to help, reliability, and respectful treatment of passengers are central. In this way, our drivers make an important contribution to social participation and quality of life in our community.

For most volunteer roles, no special prior knowledge is required. The most important qualities are reliability, friendliness, and a willingness to help others.

Drivers must hold a valid Class B driver's license and have sufficient driving experience. Depending on the specific task and current project regulations, additional documentation may be required, such as a criminal record certificate or confirmation of certain health requirements. We provide all volunteers with training on our procedures and how to use the booking system. This allows people without technical experience to participate quickly and easily.

Yes, in principle, the use of your own vehicle is possible. Many citizen transport services and volunteer call services rely on the willingness of engaged drivers to use their private vehicles for volunteer trips.

However, the vehicle must be suitable for transporting our passengers. As we particularly aim to support older people, we place great emphasis on a safe, clean, and comfortable entry, as well as sufficient space for passengers and any accompanying aids, such as rollators or shopping bags.

In addition, the insurance requirements must be clarified, and the documentation we request must be provided. Therefore, before a vehicle is used, we individually inspect each vehicle and discuss the terms and conditions together with the drivers. This ensures that our passengers travel reliably, safely, and comfortably.

The commitment to the BüfoBus is fundamentally voluntary and unpaid. Our shared goal is to support people in Dettingen an der Erms and to promote social mobility.

If costs arise within the scope of the volunteer work, they can be reimbursed, provided this is legally and financially possible. For example, drivers using their private vehicles receive a mileage allowance to cover the incurred fuel and vehicle costs.

In addition, we regularly review the financial situation of the project. If sufficient donations or other funds are available, a volunteer allowance may be paid out at the end of the year within the limits of legal regulations. However, there is no entitlement to this, as the amount and possibility of such a payment depend on the financial development of the project.

Regardless of any possible financial recognition, the joy of helping and the contribution to the community are at the forefront for us.

New volunteers receive a personal introduction to their future role. We explain the key processes, answer questions, and present the various functions of our system.

Drivers are specifically trained in using the booking system, accepting trips, and communicating with passengers. We also explain the organizational framework, safety aspects, and the specific features of our citizen call service.

No one is "thrown into the deep end." Especially at the beginning, we are available at all times for questions and accompany new volunteers during their first assignments. Our goal is for all volunteers to feel secure and to be able to become part of the project with joy.

The safety and trust of our passengers are our top priority. Many people who use our citizen call service are seniors or individuals with limited mobility. Therefore, we want to ensure that drivers are suitable for this responsible task.

For this reason, submitting a certificate of good conduct is part of our recruitment process. The certificate of good conduct is used to identify any relevant criminal records, thereby ensuring the highest level of safety for passengers, relatives, and volunteers.

It is important to us that interested people are not unnecessarily discouraged by bureaucratic hurdles. Therefore, it is generally possible to first casually get a feel for the project and familiarize yourself with the procedures. However, submitting a certificate of good conduct is required for permanent work as a driver.

The certificate of good conduct should not be understood as a lack of trust in our helpers, but rather as an important component of our safety and trust concept. Thanks to our proof of volunteer status, the certificate of good conduct can be requested free of charge from the municipal administration.

With the BüfoBus, you do much more than simply provide rides. Through your commitment, you help people in your neighborhood who need support due to their age, health conditions, or limited mobility. Often, you make it possible for them to visit doctors, do their shopping, maintain social contacts, or participate in community life at all.

At the same time, you become part of a dedicated community that works together to make a difference in Dettingen an der Erms. Our citizen call service is built on mutual help, trust, and the desire to make life in our community a little better.

The high level of flexibility is also a special feature: you can decide for yourself when and how often you would like to contribute. You will immediately see the difference your involvement makes for other people – often, a single ride is enough to make someone’s daily life significantly easier.

Every route driven, every helping hand, and every minute invested helps to strengthen mobility, social participation, and a vibrant sense of community in Dettingen an der Erms.

No. In the long term, it is planned that the BüfoBus will operate with its own vehicle, specifically suitable for the citizen call service. This vehicle will be made available to the volunteer drivers for their assignments.

As the project is currently still being set up, no dedicated vehicle is available at present. During the planning and testing phase, it may occasionally happen that voluntary test trips are carried out using private vehicles. This is done strictly on a voluntary basis and only after prior agreement.

Our goal is clear: In regular operations, all trips should be carried out with the BüfoBus vehicle – no one should have to use their own car for the driving service on a permanent basis.

The Citizen Bus complements public local transport and ideally works together with existing transport services. It does not replace regular bus routes, but rather fills mobility gaps in everyday life.