Slim collaborating: the Neighborhood Bus

Links: Wasilis Psathas. Photo: Peter Lange

Interview with Wasilis Psathas, Combiwel Neighborhood Work Nieuw West

By collaborating closely and utilizing existing resources differently, you can contribute to the solution of a social problem. The Neighborhood Bus is such a solution for a social problem: loneliness in the neighborhood. The plan: let’s use the buses from Cordaan that are not in use during the day to transport elderly people with mobility issues to activities in the neighborhood.

During the Kracht van West 2026, Wasilis spoke about this collaboration.

What partners did you need to execute this idea?

“For the Neighborhood Bus, various partners were needed, as no single organization could realize this alone. Support came from the National Program New West to make the initiative possible. Cordaan provided the vans and drivers. Combiwel Neighborhood Work contributed knowledge of the neighborhood, residents, and important locations. Additionally, the municipality of Amsterdam and the Transport Region Amsterdam were involved.”

“Each party brought something different: resources, people, funding, transportation knowledge, or neighborhood knowledge. It was precisely this combination that made it possible.”

How did you make contact and how did you get the partners on board?

“It actually started with a shared problem: for some residents, mobility is a barrier to participating in the neighborhood. There are various activities and meeting places, but if people cannot get there independently, they gain little from it.”

“At the same time, we saw an opportunity. Cordaan had vans that were idle for a number of hours between trips for daytime activities. The drivers were already there. Thus, the idea emerged: can we use something that already exists more intelligently to tackle another social problem?”

“To get partners on board, it is important that you do not only think from your own interest. You also need to consider what the collaboration brings to the other party and what each party can contribute. For Cordaan, this meant that the existing vans could be utilized better and drivers could work more hours. For us, it meant that residents could more easily reach activities and meeting places.”

“My network and knowledge of the neighborhood played an important role in this. I knew which locations were important, where residents gathered, and where mobility posed a problem. From that knowledge, I could connect different parties and see how we could come to a solution together.”

“The residents were also actively involved in the development of the project from the beginning. We asked them at various stages to think along. First about the places where the bus should stop and what the route should look like. Later, they contributed ideas about the campaign and how we could best reach other residents. Even with changes in the routes, we continually engaged in discussions with residents.”

“In this way, we developed the project not only for residents but especially with them. Their experiences, wishes, and ideas were important to ensure that the bus actually met the needs of the neighborhood.”

Which bears did you encounter on the way?

“A good idea doesn’t necessarily mean it works right away. Many practical questions arose: Who is responsible? Who pays for what? Which route is feasible? Where will the stops be? What does the timetable look like? And how do we ensure that residents know the bus exists?”

“An important challenge still remains the reach. The bus is running, but the number of passengers can grow further. That’s unfortunate, but at the same time very educational.”

“For example, we first looked at whether the route and the times were feasible in practice. After that, communication could be further developed. We also listen to residents. For instance, when travelers indicated that they would like to go to Tuincentrum Osdorp, we looked into whether we could add an extra stop there.”

“This also shows that collaborating and innovating doesn’t mean you know everything precisely in advance. You start, see what happens, and adjust.”

How did it ultimately succeed in getting the Neighborhood Bus to operate?

“Especially because the different parties not only kept talking about the idea, but all contributed something concrete.”

“There was already a lot present: vans, drivers, knowledge of the neighborhood, locations where residents wanted to go, and parties that wanted to support the initiative. So we didn’t have to build something new from scratch.”

“We connected those existing components and started trying. The Osdorppleinlijn now runs at fixed times and along places like Osdorperhof, Osdorpplein, Stadsboerderij Osdorp, Leo Polak Huis, the mosque on Ookmeerweg, The Beach, and Meervaart.”

“This makes the bus more than just transportation from A to B. That’s why I sometimes call it the activity bus: it makes it possible to, for example, have coffee somewhere, then have lunch, and then go to an activity.”

“For me, the innovation is not in the van itself. The innovation lies in connecting an existing means to a social problem and organizing different parties around it.”

What do you think are the success factors?

For me, there are a few important success factors in this project:

• Starting with a real issue in the neighborhood. Residents want to participate, but transportation can be a barrier.
• Looking creatively at what already exists. The vans were stationary for part of the day. Instead of immediately acquiring something new, we looked at how we could utilize existing resources differently.
• Partners connect who can all contribute something different. Not one organization needs to be able to do everything.
• Also see the importance of the other party. Good collaboration arises when there is added value for multiple parties.
• Use knowledge of the neighborhood. You need to know where residents live, where they like to go, and which places are important.
• Dare to start and learn. Not everything needs to be perfect beforehand. The current occupancy, for example, shows that we need to investigate even better how to reach residents and what they need.
• Listen and adjust. The route and the concept are not sacred. If residents need something different, you must be able to adapt.
• Keeping a social goal in mind. Ultimately, it’s not about driving a bus. It’s about accessibility, participation, meeting, and social connection.