Online services make things easy ... unless you don't own a smartphone

Norbert Weimar and Dietmar Enders are helping the elderly, who, without a smartphone or computer, may struggle to access some services. Photo: Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa

Seniors in the German town of Taunusstein were initially hesitant when the council presented them with a new bus service that users book online.

On the surface, everything about the service, named Emil, seemed promising: A bus with flexible travel times that users could book by app or online.