We need a mobility revolution!

The problem: CO2 and inefficiency

More than 5 million passenger cars in Austria alone – equivalent to 0.6 cars per inhabitant regardless of age, driving ability or driver‘s license ownership – emit 17.13% of Austria‘s CO2 emissions [6] [2] [3]. However, in addition to the ever increasing number of passenger cars in Austria, the occupancy rate is also decreasing: in 2017, the average number of occupants in a vehicle was 1.15, which means that vehicles carry fewer and fewer people – usually even only one person – and still take up space and resources [4].

Figure: Occupancy rate of cars over time and number of kilometers driven

Source: VCÖ – Mobility with Future

Public transport

The classic alternative to your own car is public transport, such as buses or trains. Especially in recent years, the public transport network has been greatly expanded to increase the attractiveness of this sustainable mode of transportation. In addition, various tariffs are offered for commuters and frequent travelers, such as annual passes and semester tickets. Since public transport in metropolitan areas can already be used very flexibly and is financially very attractive, it represents a real alternative to undivided private transport.

In rural regions, however, the range of services is not yet developed enough in many places to meet the requirements of flexible and convenient public transport. This flexible need for mobility is intensified by current developments such as flexible working hours and home offices, and is often not covered for all interest groups by public transport in rural areas, which is primarily designed for school transport.

Carpooling

Carpooling services, as well as carpooling in general, are an option to cover everyday and recurring routes in a cost-effective and quick way. To share the commute to and from work with colleagues, different providers offer ride-sharing services as part of the commute. These regular ride share services cover only part of the mobility needs, but in addition to the financial and environmental incentives, they can also reduce the need for a second car in the household. For businesses, corporate ride share programs also offer social and financial benefits, such as increased cohesion and reduced parking costs.

Shaped by the digital age, there is a wide range of ride-sharing services and apps available on the market, such as Carployee, Foahstmit, Ummadum or Hey Way. This (local) fragmentation of the various solutions leads to segregated groups of users and, as a consequence, to a smaller number of routes offered. Other providers, such as BlaBlaCar with its focus on long-distance routes, can be a supplement for routes not covered by public transport.

In addition to digital ride-sharing services, there are also offers for analog and spontaneous ride-sharing, such as the “Mitfahrbankerl“ offered by the Freistadt energy district. They are intended to replace classic car hitchhiking and offer a flexible way to ride along.

Car-Sharing

Almost exclusively, the question of environmental impact in the area of mobility considers fuel consumption and the emissions caused by it. However, in addition to the problem of low occupancy rates and the resulting high climate impact, there is another factor: vehicle production itself. A vehicle causes greenhouse gas emissions to the extent of several tens of thousands of kilometers driven already during production, without ever having been driven a kilometer [7].

Car-Sharing offers a good alternative to buying one‘s own vehicle, in that a passenger car can be rented flexibly for the required duration. Car-Sharing is an optimal complement to public transport, because when an individual vehicle is needed (e.g., to travel to leisure activities that are not open to the public), different types of vehicles can also be rented flexibly over time.

There is also a high degree of fragmentation among Car-Sharing providers and a confusing information situation for customers due to the different payment methods and availability. There are both private providers, such as on the Getaround platform, and public providers, such as ÖBB Rail&Drive, TIM or MühlFerdl. These also have different objectives, such as local supplement to public transport and/or replacement of the second car or tourism-focused offers as a supplement to public travel. Basically, two types of Car-Sharing are distinguished: station-based and free-floating Car-Sharing. The difference is that in station-based car sharing, several fixed stations are defined by the provider where the vehicles can be both picked up and dropped off, whereas in free-floating car sharing, the vehicle can be parked anywhere within a zone. The station-based approach is most widespread only in some metropolitan areas is free-floating car sharing offered.

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Author

Sabrina Wagner, BSc

Software Developer