20 years of ViP Verkehrsbetrieb in Potsdam (2014)
YouTube name: SWPPotsdam.
Date: .
City: Potsdam (Germany).
Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam (ViP)
Operational
Potsdam tram line 93: Bahnhof Rehbrücke - Glienicker Brücke (ex 3 & C)
Operational
Potsdam low-floor articulated tram 437, manufacturer Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), type Variobahn, series 421-438, width 2.30 m, length 29.97 m, weight 39.0 t, manufactured 2011-2014, with 57 seats and 118 standing places, 8 engines, power output 45 kW, max speed 70 km/h.
Berlin Denkmalpflege-Verein Nahverkehr (DVN)
Open regularly
Berlin articulated tram 177 (ex Potsdam articulated tram 177), manufacturer VEB Waggonbau Gotha, type G4 65, signed line 5 Sonderfahrt.
The transport company and the name “ViP” have been around for a while; however, ViP Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam GmbH was founded and registered in its current corporate form on June 7, 1994.
More than 30 million passengers annually ride the trams and buses of Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam GmbH. The VIP, affectionately known by locals as such, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The company was founded in 1994 and has operated under its current legal structure since then. During this period, the articulated railcar continued to transport many Potsdam residents safely around the city. The historic tram is now used only for special trips, but its end as a daily transportation option in the 1990s also marked a new beginning—one that Karl Heinz Hahn witnessed. After reunification, local public transportation in Potsdam underwent significant changes and modernization. In the past, we only had worn or expired tracks. Modernizing the trams has focused on improving amenities. The VIP invested in new vehicles as early as the mid-1990s. In the company's engineering department, a new tram was being built. The Combino took shape in the fall of 1997. Production of the first series of Combino vehicles finally began. The low-floor trams received their distinctive Potsdam appearance, both inside and out. On October 15, 1998, the first of what was then 17 Combinos arrived in the city. However, the development of these vehicles and, not least, the expectations of Potsdam's passengers, led to further investments in modernizing the tram fleet in 2010.
The Vario was assembled at the Stadler company. In May 2011, the low-floor trams arrived. Today, 18 of these modern Vario trams are running in the city's capital. Among their passengers is Jörg Witte, a 54-year-old who works as a group leader. He commutes on the Vario and enjoys it. It offers a pleasant ride through Lisbon. It is a modern vehicle, air-conditioned, with a flat entrance surface. Entrances for people with disabilities, as well as for mothers and fathers with strollers, are provided. Personally, I prefer self-driving cars, even as a driver, because they represent the latest technology. The VIP vehicle fleet now includes not only 53 trams but also 54 larger ones. They transport people comfortably and, above all, in an environmentally friendly way along Potsdamer Straße. In recent years, new buses with innovative drive options, including hybrid models, have been tested. Environmental considerations have become a key factor in updating vehicle fleets. The widow must be ready for the future and thus stay focused on the newest technology. Yes, oil is a limited resource. We often forget this in daily life. Still, we need to prepare for alternative drive technologies. We currently operate a hybrid bus that runs on both diesel and electricity. We are also exploring the potential of fuel cell buses and all-electric large buses. However, it’s essential to take time to develop a clear strategic plan. On the one hand, we must monitor the new technologies that become available on the market.
On the other hand, we need to consider what we can do in Potsdam. The appropriate application area is the first years of the VIP in the mid-1990s, characterized by changes and modernization efforts. New lines were built in the city's newest residential areas, including Kirchsteigfeld. The connection to the tram network was established in 1998. Other plans and projects were located in the northern part of the city. The Bornstedter Feld, once a military training area, then the BUGA site, and later the city's most crucial development zone, was developed. In late summer 1999, construction began on the new VIP facility. Here in Potsdam Babelsberg, the depot of Verkehrsbetrieb Potsdam GmbH was built. In the spring of 2001, the company finally began operations here. Today, it employs more than 400 people. As a mobility service provider for the Brandenburg state capital, the company naturally considers the challenges of the years to come. Upcoming milestones include addressing the city’s growth, including population increases, as well as rising passenger numbers and ticket revenues. Of course, we need to ensure we provide quality for passengers. In other words, we must invest in drivers and vehicles in the future and also consider how we manage these investments. That will be the challenge. This challenge affects all municipal companies and is expected to continue over the next five to ten years. The future of the VIP also depends on training new, qualified employees. Currently, 29 apprentices are working and learning at the municipal utilities' training workshop, specializing in industrial and plant mechanics.
Bahnhof Rehbrücke → Glienicker Brücke → Platz der Einheit/Bildungsforum.