Improved bus connections in St. Pölten: Parents can breathe a sigh of relief!

Improved bus connections in St. Pölten: Parents can breathe a sigh of relief!

The bus line 690 between St. Pölten and Türnitz is now being improved in order to better meet the needs of the students. This was announced by Udo Landbauer, the deputy governor. The reason for this change was a complaint from a mother who criticized the overcrowding of the buses during school. The new regulation stipulates that an additional bus is made available to bring the students to the schools in Lilienfeld in good time.

, however, it was shown that the start of this improvement was not without problems. A mother reported that a bus was overcrowded at the Traisenhof stop. Although the bus driver demanded that the children get in, the students had no place and instead decided to wait for the next bus. However, this new bus did not stop, which forced the children to take a “parent taxi” to school.

problematic incidents in the bus

The mother's criticism also refers to an incident in which a elementary school student made a mistake while driving. The student accidentally pressed the button too early, which annoyed the bus driver. He said insulting in the direction of the children and called these "stupid patients". This triggered outrage among the mother because her child was not directly affected, but she found the driver's behavior completely unacceptable. By the way, the student had apologized and explained that he was driving this route for the first time.

The NÖVOG, which has been responsible for regional bus traffic in Lower Austria since September 2024, was contacted with regard to the incident. Georg Huemer, the spokesman for the NÖVOG, explained that they make all efforts to enable reliable traffic. "We immediately contacted the bus company after taking the incident," continued Huemer. The responsible bus driver made a mistake when changing stops and was pointed out.

The improvements in the timetable of line 690, which are intended to optimize the utilization of the buses, are already in force. These measures aim to increase the capacities and ensure that the students will safely get to their schools. Nevertheless, there are times, especially at peak times in front of larger school locations in which it is not always possible to offer enough seats.

unacceptable behavior

Huemer also emphasizes that the behavior of the bus driver is unacceptable. "Such a choice of words is not acceptable!" He said. The driver is confronted and possible consequences are being considered because the passengers have to be treated politely. Sarbat further explained that the profession of bus driver is often associated with a high stress level, but this should not lead to rude behavior. It is a clear call to all transport companies that the security and respect for passengers come first.

In the region, the combination of flood problems and rail failures has recently led to increased pressure on bus line 690, which also made the situation more difficult. However, Huemer is optimistic that the situation has now stabilized again and that the new bus connections will enable the students a more smooth way to school. Further information on the incident and the planned improvements can be found in the updated report .