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Interview: BUS2BUS goes digital

Interview with Kerstin Kube-Erkens, Senior Product Manager BUS2BUS, organised by Messe Berlin GmbH, for UTM:

    UTM: What kind of special content does this year’s BUS2BUS include? What highlights and key topics can participants and visitors expect?

At the digital special edition of BUS2BUS on 15 April everything will revolve around the bus as a sustainable transport solution. As an international platform provider and in light of COVID-19, we intend to digitally connect the key decision makers of the mobility industry. The objective of our event is toprovide initial impulses for the restar of the industry. To this end, we have developed a special concept that is intended to give our participants as much input as possible in the virtual space. Our concept is based on four event parts. BUS2Inspire will kick off with, among others, Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer and the renowned mobility futurologists Dr. Stefan Carsten and Tristan Horx as well as bdo President Karl Hülsmann. Afterwards, the International Bus Sustainability Award will be presented. I personally appreciate this award ceremony very much, as the award-winning concepts and product solutions show where the trend of the industry is heading. It is impressive to see how fast and focused this progress is. Afterwards, industry experts will analyse and discuss current challenges in three workshops at BUS2Explore. The topics will be: Tech-Boost: Technological acceleration and new standards?; Tech-Boost: No standstill in the mobility turnaround and Fresh Travel: Customer needs at the heart of innovations in bus tourism?” Speakers will include Volvo Buses, Hamburger Hochbahn AG, Valeo, MAN Trucks, Daimler Buses InnoLab and many more.

UTM: As an organiser, how do you cope with the current impediments caused by the Covid-19 pandemic?

We believe that any innovative progress needs a platform. Sustainable mobility is a topic that could hardly be more decisive. If you look at the climate targets set by the EU for 2030, mobility in general must address these challenges and has to develop more sustainable solutions. The bus is a quickly realisable and environmentally friendly mode of transport for this task. Due to the Corona pandemic, we are unfortunately unable to welcome thousands of international guests to Berlin to exchange ideas at BUS2BUS. Nevertheless, it is precisely this exchange that is needed. That is why we are organising our digital special edition. Participation is free of charge to give as many people as possible the chance to make mobility more sustainable with our guests in these difficult times. The time is ripe for change.

UTM: How is the Bus2Bus digital organised and how can visitors participate?

Those interested in mobility can register for the Special Edition via this link (Register link). It’s super quick and takes less than three minutes. The event will then take place as a livestream on 15 April starting at 10:00 am. Just click in. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions online and thus become an active part of the event. Of course, we will not be able to discuss all questions during the event. However, you will find contacts on our website in order to share possible ideas and to develop partnerships. In addition, BUS2Insights gives our visitors the opportunity to find out about some innovations online.

UTM: How does Bus2Bus position itself in the German and international environment, especially in comparison to other conferences and trade fairs in the bus industry?

A few years ago we saw a great need to give the bus industry an innovative platform for the questions of the future. We still see this need. The importance of this focus is once again confirmed by the climate discussion. As BUS2BUS, we see the bus as an indispensable solution for achieving climate goals quickly and effectively; its motorisation is becoming increasingly sustainable, it is immediately available and it is flexible and modular in its utilization. In other words, the bus is the solution of choice for equally flexible and modular transport and travel concepts. In addition, the accelerating digitalisation provides the necessary networking capabilities and ensures best-practice service.

We are highly motivated to continue working on this topic. The growing number of last events prove that our concept meets the market demand. We want to become more international in order to better support our fair visitors and exhibitors That is why we are also offering our BUS2BUS Special Edition with English translation. In April 2022, we hope to be able to finally welcome the bus industry again, right at the heart of Berlin.

© Messe Berlin
12.04.2021
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