Germany – Vehicle-counting machines – Donau-Iller-Nahverkehrsverbund-GmbH - Bordrechnergestütztes Automatisches-Fahrgastzählsystem (AFZS) - Cluster Tübingen+

The Donau-Iller-Nahverkehrsverbund-GmbH (DING) based in Ulm has coordinated public transport (ÖPNV) in the cities of Ulm and Neu-Ulm, as well as in the Alb-Donau district, Biberach district and Neu-Ulm district since 1 January 1998. Since 2024, DING has acted as an association of contracting authorities in the legal form of a GmbH with exclusively public shareholders and, on behalf of the Biberach district, coordinates an inter-municipal project to introduce automatic passenger counting systems (AFZS) for, in particular, the eleven districts and cities of the so-called "AFZS Cluster Tübingen+". The Tübingen+ Cluster includes all districts and cities of the Tübingen administrative region as well as the additional districts of Freudenstadt and Heidenheim. The aim of the project is the timely, area-wide introduction and operation of AFZS to collect passenger data according to the requirements of the State of Baden-Württemberg (Sections 15 ÖPNVG BW in conjunction with ÖPNV-VO) in a quality that is comparable throughout the state. The data is to be processed via a common, client-capable background system and transmitted centrally to the State. To this end, public law agreements have been concluded in accordance with Sections 1 and 25 GKZ, in which the districts and cities regulate their cooperation. Among other things, the Biberach district, as the "fulfilling/mandated district", assumes operational responsibility for the tenders, as well as the establishment and operation of the regional background system (RHGS) and has commissioned the AFZS service centre at DING with the majority of the associated tasks. The affected districts and cities of the Tübingen+ Cluster have agreed to carry out the tendering and awarding of the vehicle-side components as well as the background system within the framework of 3 lots by means of an occasionally joint award procedure in the sense of Section 4 VgV. The procurement and introduction of the AFZS is carried out in accordance with the funding guidelines of the State of Baden-Württemberg, in particular within the framework of the LGVFG and the AFZS funding programme.