Bike-sharing scheme launched for students and staff

With a campaign day under the slogan “Share your bike, share your ride”, Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences has launched its bike-sharing scheme as part of the “CaMoRoT” research project. This acronym stands for “Campus Mobility Rosenheim Traunstein” and encompasses various measures aimed at reducing private car use and, consequently, CO₂ emissions. The focus is primarily on cycling.

At the start of the year, new bicycle parking spaces were created at central locations on the Rosenheim campus, some of which offer weather-protected parking thanks to canopies. Since the beginning of May, a bike-sharing service has also been available between the railway station and the Rosenheim campus to cover the so-called ‘last mile’. Students and staff at Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences can, after booking in advance via an app and for a small fee, use a bicycle to travel from the station to the university or vice versa. A carpooling platform is expected to go live in early July, allowing university members to easily connect with others for carpooling to the campus.

As part of the “CaMoRoT” research project, surveys were first conducted to identify the specific wishes and requirements of students and staff regarding their travel to campus. “This enabled us, above all, to design the bike-sharing scheme in such a way that it fills a gap that previously existed, and now as many people as possible are switching to travelling by train because the last mile is also covered,” explains project team member Astrid Niederberger from the Chiemgau Campus in Traunstein. The aim is to further strengthen the focus on sustainability at the university and to contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.

“I actually have an old bike at Rosenheim station, but it needs a lot of care and maintenance. As I usually cycle to work, I’m now going to switch to bike-sharing, as this will save me the hassle of maintenance. I also find the car-sharing platform very interesting, especially in the winter months or when you have more to transport,” says mobility ambassador Bettina Moser. Her colleague Andreas Uhlig adds: “The ‘city of short distances’, where cycling is the norm, thrives on proximity: homes, workplaces, amenities, leisure and educational venues must be accessible without a car. The CaMoRoT mobility measures make an important contribution to this.”

During the event, the mobility initiatives were presented at an information stand. There was also a morning bike ride from the university to the railway station and back, after which the participants were officially welcomed by the university management. “Sustainability and climate protection are of great importance to TH Rosenheim. We are delighted that, through the CaMoRoT project, we can make a tangible contribution to reducing urban traffic,” said Vice-President Professor Dr Uwe Strohbeck. He added that he himself enjoys cycling and tries to avoid driving as much as possible.