Jumped as a tiger and landed as a bedside rug.

This is how ESWE Verkehr's overly ambitious plans to rise to become the comprehensive "mobility service provider" of the Hessian state capital can be described.

In fact, ESWE makes headlines at best as a scandalous bus company.

Not more but also not less.

Not only major projects such as the Citybahn have failed under the leadership of ESWE.

Even "little rolls" like the "Mein Rad" bicycle rental system are not in the best of hands.

If at least the core business, bus transport, flourished smoothly.

But it is becoming increasingly clear that the bold plan to become the first major city with completely emission-free local public transport within a few years is smoke and mirrors.

Unflinching self-analysis

ESWE is struggling to integrate the 120 ordered battery solo buses into its fleet and network with all sorts of contortions.

The city can be very happy that the articulated buses, which are even more important for city traffic because they are more powerful, are not yet available as battery-powered variants in the required quantities.

The new Managing Director of ESWE Verkehr, Jan Görnemann, frankly admits the deficits of the municipal bus company in refreshingly clear and open interviews.

The merciless self-analysis must now be followed by improvement.

A second depot must be built for ESWE as soon as possible.

The fact that the previous management had obviously put off this topic for a long time, although the necessity had been obvious for a long time, is more than just negligent.

Görnemann's task is also to finally draw conclusions from the failure of the Citybahn and the proposals of the municipal mobility model, which has raised the demand: "It's time to change".

But the motto "Keep it up" still applies in Wiesbaden.

The mission statement formulates the demand that public transport must make a better offer to the citizens: larger capacities, more lines, better intervals, better tariffs.

After all, the tariff is now actually attractive at nine euros for at least three months.

It will mean that even more people in Wiesbaden will find out for themselves that the bus system has reached its limits.

Batteries instead of diesel alone don't help.