We drive too much. And we do most of these trips alone. On average, only 1.14 people sit in the car during a trip in Austria. The Ministry of Climate wants to increase this level of occupancy – and is betting on car and travel sharing.
With 13 measures, car sharing and shared travel are promoted and expanded and demand and acceptance are strengthened. And so the occupancy level increased. This has several advantages: fewer cars and/or trips mean less CO2 emissions, less annoying noise and odors and less consumption of resources. There is more public space that is now blocked by cars. It also means that (co-)drivers spend less on fuel, etc. and perhaps also less hassle when looking for a parking space – depending on the measure. We saw some of these measures.
Measure #1 More money for sharing, less for private transport
In 2022, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems Research and Innovation ISI in Karlsruhe examined the potential of car sharing and ridesharing in Germany and identified financial incentives as the most important measure.
However, not just any taxes, but also mileage-dependent taxes such as CO2 taxes and fuel taxes on the one hand, and the waiver of incentives to purchase private vehicles on the other. And correctly. The price of CO2 should be significantly higher than the price currently under discussion. Otherwise, other correspondingly high fees would be required for the use of private cars.
They have greater effects than parking fees, tolls or the expansion of public transport. According to the BMK strategic document, the existing financing system must be analyzed, evaluated and optimized. What it should look like in concrete terms has yet to be determined.
Measure #2 Free and reserved parking spaces for car sharing
According to ISI, not as effective, but still an advantage: exclusive and free parking spaces for car sharing. This is also mentioned in the strategy document entitled “Creating a legal framework for sharing” and is not new, even in Austria.
In the city of Vienna, for example, “WienMobil cars” are available for collection from their dedicated parking spaces. At the end of the trip they will be parked there again. These are location-based offers.
With floating systems like “ELOOP” and “SHARE NOW”, cars are parked in public spaces and can be parked again in any legal public space in the shopping area after the trip is over – free of charge. It is important here that public transport is even more sustainable than car sharing. They are primarily intended to serve as a supplement where public transportation is no longer an option.
Measure #3 Carpool Lanes
Carpool lanes – also called carpool lanes in English-speaking countries – exist in some countries: there is one in the USA and Canada, but also in France, the Netherlands, Norway, Great Britain, Spain and even Austria – notably in Linz.
A car can only drive in these lanes if there is a certain number of passengers. Their goal is to encourage carpooling and reduce congestion. Research confirms that carpool lanes can certainly have this effect.
What is the potential of car sharing?
With these and other measures, the Ministry of Climate intends to: Create a safe framework for sharing – both legally and financially. Simplify access, expand offerings, increase demand and acceptance.
This will be implemented by 2025 and 40,000 private vehicles will be replaced. From 2025 to 2030, 235,000 tons of CO2eq will be saved. Carpooling is expected to add another 1,150,000 t of CO2eq.
Austria is expected to be climate neutral by 2040. We are still a long way from that. And the way we move is partly to blame.
Traffic as Austria’s problem child
Traffic is a problem child in Austria. Since 1990, emissions have increased sharply rather than decreasing. From 13.76 megatons of CO2eq in 1990 to 21.59 Mt CO2eq in 2021. The share of automobiles was 11.42 percent in 1990. In 2021, automobiles accounted for 15.16 percent and, with 11.76 Mt CO2eq, caused almost as much as all traffic in 1990.