Omnibus-Verkehr Aalen

Omnibus-Verkehr Aalen Dipl.-Ing. Rau GmbH + Co. KG, commonly known as OVA, is a privately held German bus transport company based in Aalen in Baden-Württemberg. It operates the city bus network of Aalen as well as overland routes around Bopfingen and the wider Ostalbkreis region. The company traces its origins to 21 May 1927, when an omnibus line was established from Unterkochen via Aalen to Wasseralfingen. After the original operating company went bankrupt in 1931, Max Rau took over the line, and his family has run the business ever since. Today OVA is a family-owned enterprise, with the Rau family still involved in management. OVA's core business is scheduled public transport. According to the German Wikipedia, the company operates 40 bus routes within the Aalen city area and 9 routes in the Bopfingen area. Its buses serve the local transport areas of Aalen, Essingen, Bartholomä, Bopfingen, Kirchheim am Ries and Unterschneidheim, as confirmed by the official website. The company provides real-time timetable data and a journey planner, and it is a founding member of OstalbMobil, the tariff cooperation for the entire Ostalbkreis established in 2007. Beyond line services, OVA has a long tradition of excursion and coach travel. Since 1952 it has offered excursion trips, and in 1989 it founded the subsidiary OVA+REISEN GmbH to expand its bus travel offerings. The official website promotes travel catalogues, group trips, bus rental and a travel agency, and the company maintains a presence on Facebook and Instagram. OVA is particularly known for its double-decker buses. With double-deckers introduced in 1966, OVA possessed what were then the largest line buses in Europe, and Aalen was for decades one of only three German cities — alongside Berlin and Lübeck — where many double-deckers were used in scheduled service. In 1996 the manufacturer Neoplan developed the "Typ Aalen" (N 4026/3 L) together with OVA, of which eleven units were delivered; these double-deckers are 13.7 metres long and have 102 seats. Since May 2011 the first of the new "Typ Aalen 2" double-deckers, developed by OVA in cooperation with Viseon, have been in service, with 95 seats and a 400 hp six-cylinder MAN engine. The fleet also includes Mercedes-Benz Citaro low-floor buses (since 2000), Scania OmniLink buses (since 2007, including 13.7 m three-axle vehicles licensed for 115 passengers), a CapaCity articulated bus (since 2009), and two right-hand-drive vintage buses: a 1968 Bristol Lodekka and a 1956 Saurer 2SC coach. OVA remains a regional, family-run transport brand with deep roots in Aalen and the Ostalbkreis, combining municipal-style city bus operations with a travel and coach business.

The history of Omnibus-Verkehr Aalen begins on 21 May 1927, when an omnibus line was established from Unterkochen via Aalen to Wasseralfingen. The original operating company went bankrupt in 1931, and Max Rau took over the operation of the line. After the end of the Second World War and Rau's death in 1945, his family resumed the omnibus service with two buses out of a former fleet of nine. The route network was subsequently expanded, and from 1952 the company also offered excursion trips. In 1961 Friedel Rau, son of Max Rau, took over the management of the business. He was chairman of the WBO from 1972 to 1997, chairman of the GBK from 1974 to 1986, and president of the BDO from 1981 to 1995. In 1966 OVA introduced double-decker buses, at the time the largest line buses in Europe. For decades Aalen was one of only three German cities — alongside Berlin and Lübeck — where many double-deckers were used in scheduled service. After taking over the firms Kauffmann and Götz and their routes, OVA established its second operating depot in Bopfingen in 1977. In 1984 the Lauchheim–Lippach line was added there through the takeover of the firm Weizmann & Schick. In 1989 the company founded the subsidiary OVA+REISEN GmbH, further expanding its bus travel offerings. Also in 1989, Ulrich Rau, son of Friedel and Henriette Rau, joined the company; since 2005 he has been a member of the WBO board as a representative for public transport. Ulrich's brother Peter Rau joined the company in 2000. In 1996 the manufacturer Neoplan developed the "Typ Aalen" (N 4026/3 L) double-decker together with OVA; eleven units were delivered. These double-deckers are 13.7 metres long and have 102 seats. In 2000 OVA began procuring standard low-floor buses, the Mercedes-Benz Citaro, and in 2007 it added twelve Scania OmniLink buses, seven of them three-axle vehicles 13.7 m long licensed for 115 passengers. In 2007 OVA was a founding member of OstalbMobil, the tariff cooperation for the whole Ostalbkreis. In 2009 a CapaCity articulated bus joined the fleet. Since May 2011 the first of the new "Typ Aalen 2" double-deckers, developed by OVA in cooperation with Viseon, have been in service; they have 95 seats and a 400 hp six-cylinder MAN engine. The OVA fleet also includes two vintage right-hand-drive buses that are not used in scheduled service: a red 1968 Bristol Lodekka double-decker and a 1956 Saurer 2SC coach with an electric folding sunroof and roof-edge glazing. Today OVA continues to operate the Aalen city bus network and regional routes, alongside its OVA+REISEN travel business.

• 2011

  First "Typ Aalen 2" double-deckers, developed with Viseon, enter service in May.

• 2009

  A CapaCity articulated bus joins the fleet.

• 2007

  OVA is a founding member of OstalbMobil; Scania OmniLink buses added.

• 2005

  Ulrich Rau becomes WBO board member for public transport.

• 2000

  Peter Rau joins the company; procurement of Mercedes-Benz Citaro low-floor buses begins.

• 1996

  Neoplan and OVA develop the "Typ Aalen" (N 4026/3 L) double-decker; eleven delivered.

• 1989

  OVA+REISEN GmbH founded; Ulrich Rau joins the company.

• 1984

  Lauchheim–Lippach line added through takeover of Weizmann & Schick.

• 1977

  Second depot established in Bopfingen after takeover of Kauffmann and Götz.

• 1966

  Introduction of double-decker buses, then the largest line buses in Europe.

• 1961

  Friedel Rau takes over management.

• 1952

  Company begins offering excursion trips.

• 1945

  Max Rau dies; family resumes service with two of nine buses after the war.

• 1931

  Original operating company goes bankrupt; Max Rau takes over the line.

• 1927

  Omnibus line established from Unterkochen via Aalen to Wasseralfingen on 21 May.

Regional, family-owned public transport and coach travel operator known for its double-decker buses.

• Aalen city bus network

  40 bus routes within the Aalen city area.

• Bopfingen regional routes

  9 bus routes in the Bopfingen area.

• OVA+REISEN travel programmes

  Coach travel, group trips, bus rental and travel agency services.

• Typ Aalen double-decker (N 4026/3 L)

  13.7 m double-decker with 102 seats, developed with Neoplan in 1996; eleven delivered.

• Typ Aalen 2 double-decker

  Developed with Viseon, in service since May 2011; 95 seats and a 400 hp MAN six-cylinder engine.

1. 1Startseite - OVA Aalenova.de
2. 2Omnibus-Verkehr Aalen – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Omnibus-Verkehr Aalen – Wikidatawikidata.org