Meet the BUS2BUS Advisory Board: Maximilian Rohs

What will the infrastructure for tomorrow's mobility look like? What will tomorrow's mobility infrastructure look like? This is the question Maximilian Rohs, Director Public Transport Leader at PwC Germany, is addressing. As a member of the BUS2BUS Advisory Board, he is committed to strengthening the role of buses as the key to sustainable mobility transformation through innovative approaches to decarbonization, digitalization, and automation, as well as economically viable solutions.

1. In your opinion, which developments are currently having the greatest impact on the bus and mobility industry?

The situation in the mobility industry has probably rarely been more exciting than it is today – but it has also rarely been more tense. The technological advances of recent years are creating entirely new opportunities for designing sustainable, customer-oriented, seamless mobility services, in terms of space, time, and digital technology. On the one hand, we are therefore facing profound changes in the value chain in the area of public mobility services. The electrification of powertrains is transforming bus companies from vehicle operators to system operators. Even more significantly, highly automated driving is expected to change the entire production chain and at the same time open up great potential on the supply side. And last but not least, the D-Ticket will give a significant boost to the digitization of the customer interface, albeit with some delay. On the other hand, the economic situation in the public transport sector is extremely tense. In particular, the structural cost increases of recent years and a downward trend in productivity in a very labor-intensive business, coupled with a dramatic situation in public budgets and shifting political priorities, is currently leading to debates about service cuts and a growing backlog of restructuring. This must be counteracted – jointly by the public transport sector, politicians, social partners, and industry.

2. What role does sustainability play in your work environment and what opportunities do you see for the industry?

Sustainability is the order of the day. However, it is important to differentiate here. Over the last ten years, the political focus has been predominantly on environmental sustainability – which is absolutely to be welcomed in view of global climate change. As a result, public transport has taken on a central role as a climate-friendly mobility solution when it comes to further developing our mobility system. Money played only a minor role in this. Today, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that economic sustainability is also a key aspect of a sustainable public mobility system.

Only efficient public transport will be able to deliver climate-related benefits across the board and at a density suitable for everyday use on roads and railways in the long term. Technology will play a key role in this by digitizing the value chain, consistently collecting mobility data and using it to service design and increasingly highly automated transport can be set up and expanded flexibly and in line with demand. However, it is also important not to forget the groundwork that needs to be done in the background – for example, by structurally adapting the entire public transport organization to today's conditions. And last but not least, another aspect of sustainability that is all the more important in the current climate must not be forgotten: social sustainability. After all, buses in particular ensure participation and access to services even in rural, sparsely populated areas – and it is precisely here that there is certainly still great potential for the future.

3. What are your expectations for BUS2BUS 2026 – which topics should the industry focus on discussing there?

BUS2BUS is the perfect place to drive forward the transformation processes outlined above. This is where all the relevant players come together and can see for themselves what future-oriented, innovative mobility solutions look like and what possibilities are now available. In this way, the performance of public transport, and buses in particular, as the backbone of future mobility is showcased – this is very important given the current political discussions. At the same time, the diverse conference program on the pressing issues facing the public transport industry not only provides inspiration, but also, through intensive exchange, provides important impetus for the urgently needed change in mobility! Accordingly, in my view, the focus of the content is on the harmony between innovation, economic efficiency, the environment, customer focus, and public services.

4. Is there an experience with the bus that has remained particularly memorable for you?

The bus played a formative role for me even in my childhood – on the way to school, where you met your friends early in the day and had a lot of fun together, sometimes even finishing your homework at the last minute. Above all, however, our regular bus driver Bernd from the Wilde bus company in Bochum is still fondly remembered to this day. He always sent us to the “Bude” on Fridays to get a mixed bag of sweets for five euros, which we then devoured together with him at the front of the bus – and we all felt a little proud, like little heroes of the road. This memory shows one thing: the people who work with such passion in public transport every day not only do an extremely important job, but are also the true ambassadors of sustainable mobility.

5. If you didn't work in the mobility industry, what field could you see yourself working in instead?

Since I am very fortunate to work in mobility, a field that has fascinated me since my youth, I don't even want to think about it. However, I came very close to ending up in at least another field within mobility: air transport. During my studies, I was able to gain experience at airlines, airports, and Airbus, and my path was pretty much mapped out. Looking back, I have to say that I'm very happy to have stayed “grounded” —because public transportation is a fascinating and extremely diverse field with lots of great people who enjoy driving things forward.

6. In your role at PwC, you support numerous infrastructure projects. Where do you currently see the greatest leverage for better integrating public and private investment in sustainable bus mobility?

There is certainly no blanket answer to this question, as the issue is complex in detail. Nevertheless, I am convinced that an efficient, modern, and comprehensive mobility offering - such as the one we developed for the VDV with the involvement of the entire industry in the Germany 2040 offering—can only be achieved by pooling all resources. And this definitely includes private commitment and capital, because this is precisely what enables rapid scaling, for example. Specifically, this could involve both the development and operation of autonomous mobility services, where public-private partnerships are a good option, and innovative off-balance financing models for the procurement and operation of infrastructure and vehicles for electric bus systems. If both the public sector and entrepreneurship contribute their strengths, I am convinced that strong public transport will shape mobility in the future even more than is the case today.