VRS configuration

On target for the future

The transport association Rhein-Sieg (VRS) GmbH was founded in 1986 as a joint company of the Municipal Transport Companies of the Rhein-Sieg region and the Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railways AG) to administer the new responsibilities of the group. In the course of the rationalisation of the ÖPNV (local public transport) the group became a so-called Task Management Company on 1 January 1996.

The company was owned by the rural and urban districts as well as the administration union VRS.

With the aim of creating a legally sound restructure of the future combination of  local task managers, the administration union, the transport companies and the joint transport group, the transport association Rhein-Sieg then became a 100% subsidiary of the VRS on 1 January 2004.

The owner of the association company is consequently the administration union VRS.

The VRS GmbH and its responsibilities

Since the foundation of the VRS GmbH in 1987 the association company coordinates all comprehensive company activities within the VRS region. One of the central configuration elements is the association tariff. The VRS GmbH takes on a number of planning, coordination and service tasks for the transport companies and the task managers of the region.

• Association tariff: Adjustment and further development of the association tariff in consideration of the requirements related to the sub-segment and target groups (Example: SchülerTicket (Pupils' Ticket).
• Sales: Adjustment and further development of a sales system fitted to different customer needs (Example: Customer compatible electronic ticket).
• Marketing/Market research: Carrying out of market research related to target groups and the sub-segment and implementation in adequate marketing strategies.
• Communication: Implementation of comprehensive company  advertising, sales promotion and public relations for the entire group. Compilation of passenger information that is valid for all regions.
• Distribution of revenues: Adequate profit distribution to all transport companies using the association tariff.
  

• Tenders of SPNV (regional rail transport) services: Implementation of Europe-wide tenders in the SPNV (Example: Tenders of all diesel routes in the VRS area).
• Mobility management: Set up of central timetable and tariff information as first component of a comprehensive future transport information system.
• Coordination of regional and local transport offers: Coordination of the adjustment processes between the concerns of the regional SPNV (regional rail transport) and the local ÖPNV (public local transport) and between the task managers and the transport companies.
• SPNV management: Planning, organisation and control (quality control) of the regional rail transport (SPNV) in the entire region.