In March, Michael Lindemann took his well-deserved retirement and Frank Breuer took over as Managing Director of Stölting Trainservice GmbH. In the same month, he and his team acquired RSVG Rhein-Sieg-Verkehrsgesellschaft as a new customer. The teams are responsible for checking tickets on buses and at transport hubs. What at first sounds like a harmless job is anything but in today's world. Anyone who works in public transport knows that the job of ticket inspector requires strong nerves, special character traits and professional training.
Tough everyday life, little understanding
A classic „tickets please“ can turn into a life-threatening situation in seconds - as happened in Rhineland-Palatinate at the beginning of the year. Foresight, calmness and resilience are indispensable qualities that are essential for your own safety and the protection of other passengers.
The teams report a generally tense atmosphere, a harsh tone, a lack of respect and an increased willingness to engage in conflict. In public transport in particular, frustration and aggression are shown towards people who are just doing their job.
Trained employees are essential for safety in public transport. Decisions have to be made and measures taken within seconds. This requires foresighted thinking, a sure instinct and a confident demeanour.
Fairness and cooperation prevail
If you do not have a ticket, you will have to pay an increased fare or a fare supplement of currently 60 euros and may then continue your journey to the desired destination. Passengers are only disembarked in special cases, e.g. if their personal details are established in conjunction with the police and they are unable or unwilling to identify themselves. Inspectors have been acting in this way since the 1970s. Many justify the increasingly aggressive behaviour with rising fuel prices, the cost of tickets, the unpunctuality of buses, trains and trams and the lack of help from the state. Some passengers simply ignore the fact that ticket inspectors have not made these rules and are equally affected by them. However, the majority of passengers react fairly and are cooperative.
Stölting relies on double staffing in teams of two for more safety and protection
The Trainservice teams receive regular training. Communication, self-protection and behaviour in conflict situations. Prevention instead of reaction. With a certificate of competence in accordance with §34a GewO and 6 months of training as a public transport security and service officer, the teams travel in pairs or in teams of two and carry a bodycam and self-defence equipment with them as a preventative measure. These include handcuffs and an EKA baton, short and extendable. Depending on customer requirements, we also carry stab protection and marking waistcoats, cut-resistant gloves and animal defence gel.
Joint priority checks with the police and transport companies in particular show how important these requirements are. The job is demanding and this is precisely why we are proud of our teams. You not only ensure compliance with the regulations, but also concretely ensure safety, protection and order in public spaces.
We congratulate them on the new contract and keep our fingers crossed for the employees of Trainservice that the assignments always run as professionally as in previous years. We take our hats off to all those who show attitude every day, are courageous, stand up for protection and always represent the values of the Stölting Service Group.
WE MAKE. TRAINSERVICE.
