Ensuring safe transport together

Rotterdam is committed to safe public transport during corona times. Parties such as the RET, the Municipality of Rotterdam and Rotterdam Ahoy are helping.

Life is slowly starting up again and Rotterdam is working hard to make public transport as safe and accessible as possible. City transport operator RET, for example, has joined forces with various shared transport companies to relieve the pressure on public transport at busy points. Rotterdam Ahoy is now a temporary hub where you can park cheaply and continue your journey on a shared bicycle or scooter. Buzz010 has started its school excursions again and is giving away the first five hundred bus rides for free.

Safe in public transport

The RET has been running with a maximum occupancy of 40 percent since 1 June. It is, therefore, possible to keep sufficient distance and to comply with the corona measures. The advice is still to travel mainly by car, on foot or by bicycle and if you have no other transport option, to avoid rush hour. This is to distribute the available space in public transport as fairly as possible.

Shared transport from metro, train and tram stations

The city must, however, remain accessible and public transport must be available to people who cannot travel otherwise. To not overload busy points, city transport operator RET joined forces with various shared transport companies. Go Sharing, Donkey Republic, felyx and Check offer additional shared bicycles, e-bikes and electric scooters at tram, metro and train stations. Extra space has been made for these in the parking facilities.

Less crowded in public transport

Stimulating travel by shared transport will relieve public transport on busy routes. It’s also pleasant for public transport passengers because a face mask is not necessary when using bicycles and scooters. At major metro stations, on digital screens and social media, public transport passengers are made aware of the possibility of switching to shared transport. In the RET Real Time App, they can see where which transport is available.

Affordable parking at Rotterdam Ahoy

Additional shared bicycles and scooters will also be available at Zuidplein metro station. This ties in with ParkNBike at Rotterdam Ahoy. The event location has made its parking lot available as a temporary hub. Travellers can park their car here for € 4 per day and continue their journey by bicycle or e-scooter.

On an excursion with Buzz010

Buzz010 is also helping out. The organisation arranges bus transport for excursions for schools in Rotterdam. This makes learning outside the classroom easier for teachers to organise and they don’t have to use public transport with a large group of students. Buzz010 always offers this service, but its extra pleasant in corona times.

Five hundred free bus rides

In the past few months, the schools were closed and many excursions were cancelled. Now that it’s possible again, Buzz010 would like to stimulate school trips with the class and is giving away five hundred free bus rides. The promotion applies to schools affiliated with Buzz010. The bus ride must be booked and take place before 31 December 2020. Read more about the initiative and the corona measures of Buzz010 at www.buzz010.nl.

Text: Renee Schouwenburg
Foto credits: Together in Transit, Iris van den Broek, Buzz010