Bicycle-Friendly Employer  [12.02.20]

In terms of cycling culture, a lot has happened at the University of Hohenheim in recent years. This is due to the University' mobility plan with short, medium, and long-term measures for better accessibility and greater climate friendliness. It is the first university in Baden-Württemberg to receive the silver certificate "Bicycle-friendly employer" for this commitment, an initiative of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) and the EU.

 

 

Those who come to work by bicycle do something for their own health and for the climate and at the same time save themselves traffic jams and the nerve-wracking search for a parking space. However, there are also numerous hurdles that make the changeover difficult. As part of its mobility plan, the University of Hohenheim has committed itself to achieving step-by-step improvements in order to make cycling attractive for more employees and students.

Incentive for further commitment

"In our to-do list we are guided in particular by the criteria of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club for the 'bicycle-friendly employer' audit. These include infrastructure measures and service offers as well as organizational and communication aspects. There is still a lot to do. At the same time, it can be felt that the commitment is bearing its first fruits. The ADFC seal is therefore a great incentive for us to continue," said Chancellor Katrin Scheffer, who received the certificate on Monday together with the volunteer bicycle representative and the mobility manager.

At the certificate presentation, Gudrun Zühlke, regional chairman of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club, praised the exemplary function of the university: "More and more companies are now taking advantage of the opportunities to position themselves as attractive employers by promoting a corporate cycling culture and participating in the ADFC audit. In doing so, they are showing that they care about employee health and the environment. In terms of universities, the University of Hohenheim in Baden-Württemberg is still a pioneer."

New parking spaces, shower facilities, and pedelec test fleet

The measures already implemented include the installation of new parking facilities with 400 parking spaces, the opening of bicycle rental stations (RegioRadStuttgart), the appointment of a volunteer bicycle representative, the provision of shower facilities, and information and activities related to bicycles.

The self-help workshop "Hohenheimer Radskeller" currently offers, for example, a free winter check for bicycles and will fit spikes at the purchase price if requested.

Last year's campaign in cooperation with the RadKULTUR Baden-Württemberg initiative was very well received. For four months, university members were able to try out how a pedelec proves its worth on their daily journey to the campus. In almost 800 test rides they covered a total of 18,798 km.

The Hohenheim bicycle representative received a lot of positive feedback. For Benjamin Gaibler, research assistant in the Department of Public Law, Finance and Tax Law, the campaign was even decisive for him to buy an e-bike himself:

"For some time now, I have been toying with the idea of cycling to work. For me, it is about 23 km from the Rems Valley, the journey time by car including the daily traffic jam at the Kappelberg tunnel is about 50 minutes," said Benjamin Gaibler.

"What I found particularly amazing was the speed with which the route can be covered. With the bicycle I only need about 1 hour (+- 2 min) per direction and am therefore only slightly longer than by car. If one takes into account the sporting activity twice a day, this is only a minimal additional expenditure of time for a good health effect."

Further bicycle measures planned

The ADFC seal is valid for three years. Until then, the University of Hohenheim intends to implement further cycling measures. Currently, preparations are underway for a central mobility station on campus with bicycle storage boxes, lockers, a repair station, and another station for rental bicycles. In addition, the University is working towards the rapid implementation of a campus-wide speed zone of 30 km/h.

 

Text: Leonhardmair / Translation: Neudorfer