Tyrol: First carpools, then environmental lanes

With 41 percent, traffic is the largest producer of greenhouse gases in Tyrol. In order to significantly reduce traffic and the resulting emissions, the province will also increasingly focus on sustainable mobility in the future. Since the beginning of May, the province of Tyrol, and in particular the district of Schwaz, has wanted to set a good example and has called on its own civil servants to use carpooling.  

Thanks to a pilot project in cooperation with the car-sharing app "ummadum", 80 civil servants in the district administration can use a car-sharing exchange to find a suitable car pool for their way to work. Transport Minister Ingrid Felipe sees great potential for savings in private motorised transport. About 61 percent of all journeys in Tyrol are still made by car. However, on average only 1.2 people sit in a car on working days. The provincial administration now sees the "ummadum" project as the perfect opportunity to start the mobility change directly with the employees. Car occupancy rates will increase, trips will be avoided and emissions will be saved, Felipe explains.  

The project also provides for an incentive system. The environmentally friendly and climate-friendly mobility behaviour of the staff will be rewarded by collecting mobility points. For each kilometre travelled with a carpool, the participants will receive a mobility bonus via the app. This will be converted into a credit and "can in turn be redeemed at regional retail partners such as Spar or Hervis," explains "ummadum" Managing Director Rene Schader. In this way, the policy and the app founded in 2017 not only want to contribute to more sustainable mobility, but also promote the regional economy in the district at the same time through the bonus system.  

Schwaz District Governor Michael Brandl also expresses his support for the pilot project. "I am pleased that we in Schwaz can offer 'ummadum' for our employees for the first time and thus reduce workplace-related private transport," says the district governor. "We can make a personal contribution to sustainable mobility and climate protection through the carpools formed," he explains further. The initiative is in fact in line with the region's sustainability and climate strategy. With a so-called VVV approach, it aims to avoid, shift, improve and now also "share" transport in the future. In this way, the province will also be able to realise its vision of an energy-autonomous Tyrol by 2050.  

Different are the measures to reduce transport and emissions that Austria and Tyrol have already undertaken. However, in order to be able to continue reducing greenhouse gases, more intensive efforts are needed, such as the reduction of individual transport promoted by the Ummadum project. This could also be a first step towards compulsory stickers for passenger cars. So far, only lorries and vans have to show an environmental sticker in order to be allowed to enter the eight environmental zones already active in Austria.  

If the project proves successful, it could be extended to other departments and districts within the country. Adaptations of the road network can also be considered by the administrations concerned to support the trend of carpooling. For example, carpooling could also get its own lanes in Austria, as in France or soon on Mallorca. There could also be the possibility of sharing the environmental lanes with e-vehicles and public transport. 

It only remains to be seen whether Schwaz civil servants will take advantage of the opportunity and travel together on their daily way to work. In any case, such a project can only give hope and remind us that those who advance mobility policy can be the first to set a good example.