Previously, the city of Wolfsburg had commissioned WVG by direct award. This is to be continued. As the legal framework for the award procedure has also changed over the past ten years, the city, WVG and the Greater Braunschweig Regional Association (responsible for planning, organizing and ordering local public transport) are working on a solution.

"We also have a great interest in ensuring that WVG remains our more reliable public transport operator in Wolfsburg with regard to modern bus services," emphasizes Lord Mayor Dennis Weilmann. "I would like to expressly thank everyone involved for their constructive and goal-oriented cooperation. Joint solutions for needs-based public transport are an important aspect of sustainable mobility."

Stadtwerke Board Member and WVG Managing Director Dr. Frank Kästner added: "As part of the Stadtwerke Group, WVG and its employees are ready to continue offering modern, reliable and economical public transport."

Ralf Sygusch, Director of the regional association, explains: "It is important to us to find solutions that guarantee reliable, high-quality and affordable public transport in the city of Wolfsburg. The decision by the Regional Transport Committee politically supports and enables the intended direct award to WVG."

In order to continue to make direct awarding possible, the city of Wolfsburg will be given individual powers by the regional association to put its public bus services out to tender. The award procedure will start this summer with a Europe-wide preliminary announcement in order to then - after the specified waiting period of one year - make it possible to award the Wolfsburg bus network directly to WVG from mid-2025. After a six-month set-up and preparation period, the new award period should then take effect seamlessly with the current offer on January 1, 2026.

The current award documents refer to the status quo of bus services, but leave room for necessary and foreseeable changes - such as making the bus services more flexible, electrifying the bus fleet or offering on-demand services in the city area. Public transport in Wolfsburg will thus be future-proof for at least the next ten years. Both the city and the regional association will obtain resolutions on this in the relevant committees.