One year of mobility management at Fachhochschule Dortmund is coming to an end. The project from the University Development Plan (HEP) has initiated and implemented a lot, collected and evaluated data. What happens now?
"Twelve months is not a long time," emphasizes Moritz Niermann, who worked together with Anna-Maria Reinartz as Mobility Manager at the UAS. But if you take a look at the team's project list, you quickly realize that a lot has been achieved in these twelve months. Starting with the bicycle check-ups in spring, the new bicycle service station at Max-Ophüls-Platz and the bicycle course for international students, through to the lunchtime bicycle tour between the FH campuses and the large mobility survey. Mobility Management also supported the new regulations for the reimbursement of local transport tickets used for work purposes and helped to make the process as simple as possible.
"Our focus was very much on cycling," says Moritz Niermann. On the one hand, concrete measures can be implemented more quickly at the locations when it comes to cycling. On the other hand, there is also a corresponding need in this area. More than 12 percent of university members who took part in the mobility survey come to the UAS by bike almost every day. Almost 22 percent use their bike at least regularly to get to work.
FH is a commuter university
Students mainly use public transport, while employees mostly use their own cars. "This also has a lot to do with the distances," emphasizes Moritz Niermann. "Only 15 percent of respondents live a maximum of five kilometers (as the crow flies) from the UAS and are therefore within very good cycling distance." A further 22 percent commute between five and ten kilometers every day. The majority of respondents live within a radius of 20 to 50 kilometers, while around 11 percent even have a commute of more than 50 kilometers. "We are a commuter university," summarizes Moritz Niermann.
This is why the wishes expressed by employees and students in the mobility survey differ widely - depending on their personal situation. The general accessibility of the university by public transport is a particular issue at the Max-Ophüls-Platz and Josef-von-Fraunhofer-Straße locations. "We only have limited influence on this," emphasizes Sebastian Kreimer, Sustainability Manager at Fachhochschule Dortmund. He explains: "We are a member of the City of Dortmund's Climate Advisory Board and raise these issues there." The charging infrastructure for e-cars on campus also concerns those surveyed. There are currently still legal hurdles in the way. However, there are constructive discussions on this, says Sebastian Kreimer.
Aiming for certification as a bicycle-friendly employer
That leaves the issue of cycling. Safe and weather-protected bicycle parking facilities were by far the most frequently mentioned wish in the mobility survey. While the Sonnenstraße campus is already well equipped, there is an urgent need for action on Emil-Figge-Straße and the Max-Ophüls-Platz campus. The situation there should improve in the near future. The mobility managers have been instrumental in driving forward the plans for covered parking facilities. The plan to have the UAS certified as a "bicycle-friendly employer" by the German Cyclists' Federation (ADFC) is another. "That way, we won't lose sight of the issue," emphasizes Sebastian Kreimer. If showers and changing rooms are available at the locations, it may even be enough to earn the ADFC Gold badge.
In future, Fachhochschule Dortmund will have to manage without a full-time mobility manager. The project was limited to one year. "Moritz Niermann and Anna-Maria Reinartz did a great job setting up the project," praises Sebastian Kreimer. The CSR Office now wants to build on this together with committed students and employees. The mobility working group is to be continued as a central body for dialog and brainstorming.