Demand-responsive buses in MV: Increasingly popular and increasingly expensive - Mecklenburg's On-Demand Buses See Record Ridership in Rural Areas

On-demand bus services are growing fast across Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. More passengers than ever are using these flexible routes, especially in rural areas. The state has also boosted funding to expand coverage and meet rising demand.

The number of people using on-demand buses jumped sharply in 2025. Statewide passenger figures reached around 370,000, with some districts seeing dramatic increases. Vorpommern-Rügen, for example, reported a tenfold rise in ridership after launching its VVR-Surfer service in June 2024.

Northwest Mecklenburg saw passenger numbers more than double, climbing from 41,311 in 2024 to 86,473 in 2025. In Rostock district, figures rose from 27,531 to 63,953 in the same period. The service there began in March 2024.

Four districts now offer full on-demand coverage, while Vorpommern-Rügen has reached 78% as of November 2025. Despite progress, some areas struggle with capacity. In Ludwigslust-Parchim, 19% of requests were rejected last year due to shortages of vehicles or drivers. Rostock and Vorpommern-Greifswald faced even higher rejection rates, at 26% and 23% respectively.

The state government wants to create a statewide, hourly service that covers even the most remote locations. Funding has already increased, rising from €13 million in 2023 to just over €14.1 million in 2025. Local expert Stefan Lösel predicts demand will keep growing, with his district alone potentially handling 25,000 daily requests in the future.

The expansion of on-demand buses has led to more passengers and wider coverage. However, some districts still face challenges in meeting demand due to limited resources. With continued funding and planning, the service aims to provide reliable transport across all rural areas.