SPÖ and union challenge western Weinviertel bus tender

SPÖ Lower Austria and the vida union have criticised a tender for reorganising bus services in the western Weinviertel region, calling for binding social and quality standards. The NÖVOG regional transport company rejected the criticism, ORF reported.

The tender, known as “Weinviertel West”, covers regional buses and demand-responsive shared taxis. SPÖ Lower Austria leader Sven Hergovich and vida chairman Horst Pammer said social criteria had been given too little weight in the award process.

They called for tenders to guarantee year-round employment and require incoming operators to take on existing staff, including their accrued entitlements. They also demanded proper break facilities with toilets, drinking water and a protected common room, sufficient heat protection at drivers’ workstations and better protection against assaults.

Hergovich and Pammer also criticised the planned reduction in bus services during the summer months. They said lower service levels would make year-round employment for drivers more difficult. Their estimates suggest that around 100 to 150 drivers will be affected, with only about one-third able to work continuously throughout the year under the current service plan.

NÖVOG said compliance with labour law and collective bargaining agreements was a fixed requirement in its tenders and had to be guaranteed by every contractor. The company also referred to its responsibility towards passengers, about 30 contracted transport companies and taxpayers.

Under the planned service, buses would run daily at frequent intervals on heavily used routes. Separate school lines would operate only during the school year. Drivers assigned to school services would work in other parts of their companies, such as coach travel, during the summer months, NÖVOG said.

The reorganisation is to combine rail services, regional buses and demand-responsive shared taxis across about 70 municipalities with around 200,000 residents. It is planned to include about 150 regional buses on roughly 65 routes and around 21 shared taxis. The contract is initially to run for eight years, with a possible extension. Following delays in the procurement process, the new service is currently scheduled to start in 2027. Existing scheduled services are to continue until then.