Faaborg-Midtfyn Kommune and Fynbus have secured a temporary solution so around 150 vulnerable children and special school pupils can return to school by flextrafik after operator LS Busser abruptly stopped driving.
Fynbus has been given a mandate to sign temporary contracts with the bus companies Bergholdt and Vikingbus on behalf of Faaborg-Midtfyn Kommune. DR reports that the decision followed an extraordinary meeting of the municipality’s Økonomi-, Erhvervs- og Turismeudvalg on Friday. The municipality announced the outcome in a press release.
The Funen-based operator LS Busser stopped its flextrafik driving with immediate effect on Wednesday. That left around 150 children and young people with special needs without transport to and from school on Thursday and Friday. Parents had to drive their children themselves or find other options.
According to the press release, the municipality expects that a few vehicles can start running from next week. Officials say work is continuing to hand the routes over to the new companies as quickly as possible, with a focus on quality. Parents are still being asked to arrange transport themselves in the meantime.
The municipality states that Bergholdt and Vikingbus can take over the special transport in Faaborg-Midtfyn until the summer. The press release does not say when flextrafik for the affected children and pupils is expected to be back at a normal level.
Company capital seized
LS Busser was declared subject to a bankruptcy petition on Thursday, according to DR. The company had already faced criticism over matters including safety conditions. Fyns Politi recently seized the company’s capital.
BT reported on September 2 that the seizure of operating capital left the company unable to cover wages and other expenses. The outlet linked that situation directly to the halt in all driving.
Fyens notes that LS Busser had taken over the routes after a contested tender process. Per the same reporting, the municipality is now bringing the previous operators back to run the service.
The affected routes serve pupils across Faaborg and the wider Midtfyn area. Flextrafik is the regional service used for individual and special-needs transport, coordinated by Fynbus.
The municipality has not published a timeline for when all vehicles will be in operation. It says the number of routes will increase gradually as the two companies take over. Faaborg-Midtfyn Kommune repeated that it still needs the support of parents during the transition.
Neither Bergholdt nor Vikingbus has issued a public statement on the temporary contracts, according to the reporting available. The scope of the arrangement runs until the summer.
