MKB-MühlenkreisBus

MKB-MühlenkreisBus GmbH is a German bus operating company based in Minden, in the eastern Westphalian district of Minden-Lübbecke, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mindener Kreisbahnen GmbH (MKB), the regional transport company from which it takes its name. The company was founded in 1991 when Mindener Kreisbahnen acquired a private bus operator and bundled its public passenger transport bus activities into a separate subsidiary. Since October 2008 the bus subsidiary has traded under the name MKB-MühlenkreisBus GmbH. The company provides public transport bus services (ÖPNV) in the Minden-Lübbecke district and extends into the neighbouring Landkreis Nienburg/Weser in Lower Saxony. It also operates the city bus network of Bad Oeynhausen with eight city bus lines and three school transport lines. MKB-MühlenkreisBus is a shareholder in OWL Verkehr GmbH and a cooperation partner of the Verkehrsservice Landkreis Nienburg/Weser, allowing it to operate within the WestfalenTarif fare association, where a single ticket covers bus, Stadtbahn and regional rail journeys across the network. Its fleet comprises more than 50 of its own buses, of which 13 use modern hybrid technology, supported by its own bus workshop. The company operates a large portfolio of regional, city, school and TaxiBus lines organised into line bundles, including the Lübbecke area (bundle A), Minden and surroundings (bundle C, with sub-bundles C2 and C4) and the Bad Oeynhausen city traffic (bundle D1, the Werre-Bus). It also runs a seasonal bus shuttle to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal in Porta Westfalica. In December 2009 the company took over around 20 bus lines in the Lübbecke area from Busverkehr Ostwestfalen GmbH. As a subsidiary of Mindener Kreisbahnen, MKB-MühlenkreisBus is part of a transport group whose roots lie in the historic railway of the Minden district. The bus business has been a mainstay of the parent company, serving lines along the old railway routes and beyond; the first line extending beyond the rail network was established in 1948 from Minden to Rinteln, and by 2002 the bus network totalled around 600 km. The company remains active in regional public transport in eastern Westphalia and adjacent Lower Saxony.

The bus operations of Mindener Kreisbahnen date back to the period after the Second World War, when the company began supplementing its railway services with bus lines. The first bus line extending beyond the railway network was established in 1948, running from Minden to Rinteln. Over the following decades the bus business grew into a mainstay of the Mindener Kreisbahnen group, serving routes along the old railway lines and additional routes beyond them. By 2002 the total length of the bus lines operated had reached around 600 km. MKB-MühlenkreisBus GmbH was founded in 1991, when Mindener Kreisbahnen acquired a private bus company and bundled its public passenger transport bus activities into a separate subsidiary. Mindener Kreisbahnen remained the sole shareholder. In October 2008 the bus subsidiary adopted its current name, MKB-MühlenkreisBus GmbH. In December 2009 the company took over approximately 20 bus lines in the Lübbecke area from Busverkehr Ostwestfalen GmbH, significantly expanding its network in the northern part of the Minden-Lübbecke district. Today the company operates an extensive network of regional, city, school and TaxiBus lines. Its services are organised into line bundles: bundle A covering Lübbecke and surroundings, bundle C covering Minden and surroundings (with sub-bundles C2 for Porta Westfalica regional traffic and C4 for regional traffic between Minden, Porta Westfalica, Petershagen, Lübbecke, Espelkamp and Hille), and bundle D1 for the Bad Oeynhausen city traffic, marketed as the Werre-Bus. The company also operates a seasonal bus shuttle to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal in Porta Westfalica, running on weekends and public holidays from the first weekend in April to the first weekend in November. As a shareholder in OWL Verkehr GmbH and a cooperation partner of the Verkehrsservice Landkreis Nienburg/Weser, MKB-MühlenkreisBus operates within the WestfalenTarif fare association, which allows passengers to use a single ticket across buses, Stadtbahn and regional trains. The company's fleet consists of more than 50 of its own buses, including 13 with hybrid technology, and it maintains its own bus workshop. Its vehicles are supplied by manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz and Setra (Daimler Buses), MAN and Solaris.

• 2009

  In December the company takes over around 20 bus lines in the Lübbecke area from Busverkehr Ostwestfalen GmbH.

• 2008

  In October the bus subsidiary adopts the name MKB-MühlenkreisBus GmbH.

• 2002

  Total length of bus lines reaches around 600 km.

• 1991

  MKB-MühlenkreisBus founded when Mindener Kreisbahnen acquires a private bus company and bundles bus activities into a subsidiary.

• 1948

  First bus line beyond the railway network established from Minden to Rinteln.

Regional public transport bus operator within the WestfalenTarif fare association, providing reliable and safe ÖPNV services as a subsidiary of Mindener Kreisbahnen.

• Regional bus lines (Linienbündel A, C)

  Regional bus services in the Minden-Lübbecke district and into Landkreis Nienburg/Weser.

• Stadtverkehr Bad Oeynhausen (Werre-Bus)

  Eight city bus lines (BO1–BO8) and three school transport lines in Bad Oeynhausen.

• TaxiBus services

  On-demand TaxiBus lines such as TaxiBus Petershagen and TaxiBus lines in the Lübbecke area.

• School transport

  School bus services for various schools and municipalities in the region.

• Kaiser-Wilhelm-Linie shuttle

  Seasonal bus shuttle (line 518) to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal in Porta Westfalica, operating weekends and public holidays from April to November.

• Occasional and special services

  Local or regional special trips using line buses when capacity is available.

• Bus advertising

  Advertising space on buses for commercial customers.

1. 1Nahverkehr - Die Mindener Kreisbahnen GmbH (MKB)mkb.de
2. 2MKB-MühlenkreisBus - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3MKB-Mühlenkreisbus - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org