The transport contract between the state of Berlin and the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) governs the remuneration for the ordered service. Reliability and punctuality are a very important part of this contract. If these are not met, penalties can be imposed. Nevertheless, for us, safety and our duty of care towards passengers and other road users always take top priority!
Whether there is a delay or an early departure in the BVG’s timetable, we will now explain why these may occur. Let’s get started:
Delays with the BVG
Delays are very rarely caused by us. Almost all of them result from external factors. A classic example, which almost every passenger has experienced, is when a door cannot close because the doorway is blocked. In the blink of an eye, the first 30 seconds of delay are on the clock. As already mentioned, the safety and duty of care towards all our passengers and all other road users is always our top priority, closely followed by punctuality. Despite all efforts, it is unfortunately external factors that are most often the cause and mess up our timetables. In general, the following reasons lead to delays:
- planned and unplanned roadworks
- diversions
- planned and unplanned demonstrations
- turnaround times
- toilet breaks
- new drivers still lacking routine
- weather conditions
- selling tickets
- boarding and disembarking assistance for passengers with reduced mobility
- providing information
- illegally parked cars/blocked bus lanes
- fewer traffic light privileges
- fewer bus lanes due to bike lanes
- etc.
Since delays on the timetable in many cases affect the entire route up to the last stop, a delay can carry all the way through to the start of a new schedule run. Much like a domino effect, a delay ripples through the entire daily schedule. Delayed journeys must be documented in the relevant specialist departments along with the reasons, as this is important for the transport contract as well as for general route planning. In certain cases, journey times are adjusted for roadworks or frequent delays. Additional journey time must be applied for with the Senate in a very labour-intensive process.
Early departures with the BVG
This is an issue that provokes great annoyance and often leads passengers to wonder if the drivers even know what time it is. That’s understandable, because what other than human error could be the reason for an early departure? Well, for example, the summer holidays. Due to the holidays, there are fewer passengers, so drivers are able to navigate the raods quicker. What does not happen, however, is that journey times are adjusted for the holiday period. Another reason is, for example, if there is a series of green traffic lights in a row, also known as a “green wave”. Other car drivers are delighted about this, but for our operating staff it can cause problems with the timetable. What can be done in such cases and in general when it comes to early departures? Our drivers are specifically trained to do the following: take a break at the next possible stop to make up time, drive with foresight, or provide longer and detailed information at the stop, among other things.
In summary, our driving staff are trained and monitored to adapt according to the situation. Technical aids support both the drivers and the operations supervision in continuously improving the quality of our punctuality and reliability. In the event of an early departure, the control centre receives a notification and gives the relevant driving staff a friendly reminder to observe the scheduled departure times.
Conclusion: Despite many obstacles, we continue to do our best to get you to your destination on time.
Delays and – even more so – early departures in the BVG’s timetable can really test your nerves, no doubt about it. But please bear in mind that it is not arbitrary; in most cases, there are valid reasons for both occurrences. Of course, you always have the option, as with all other concerns, to let us know via the chatbot or info@bvg.de. The following information is particularly important: line, stop, direction of travel, date, time and, of course, the reason for your message. As our customer service reviews every email, each concern is forwarded to and analysed by the responsible departments.