The aim of the project was to make a relevant contribution to an innovative, economically efficient and ecologically and socially compatible transport concept that relieves the burden on motorised road traffic.

The pilot project "CARRIVA - The Carpooling Club" was designed to reduce congestion on the roads in the greater Frankfurt area. The innovative project was designed specifically for the 60,000 employees at Frankfurt Airport and was supported by Deutsche Lufthansa AG and FRAPORT AG. The new carpooling club offered commuters the opportunity to flexibly form individual carpools. Every commuter was able to register and offer a lift themselves as well as hop on with others. The carpool was arranged via mobile phone using an innovative database concept. This service enabled participants to save travelling costs and nerves, reduce the burden on the environment and get to know new people from their professional and living environment.

The subject of the project was the introduction and practical testing of a carpooling model for employees at Frankfurt Airport. The model was based on the mobile phone-based arrangement of ad hoc car pools. Interested commuters at Frankfurt Airport could register via the Internet in a database with their mobile phone number and their daily route. If a carpool was desired, registered commuters could initiate a system request by mobile phone, which immediately led to a telephone connection with a suitable driver or passenger. The pick-up point and time could then be agreed bilaterally. The economic incentive for carpooling was that the driver received a share of the costs from the passenger. This financial transfer took place automatically when a carpool was successfully arranged. The increase in car utilisation led to ecological benefits in the form of reduced noise and pollutant emissions.

The formation of a carpooling community and the institutionalisation of the managing carpooling club as a self-organisation can have positive social effects.

The IZT was in charge of the scientific monitoring of this pilot project. The core task was to increase acceptance among potential users and pioneer users. To this end, the existing acceptance and motivation structures as well as the initial experiences of the users were analysed and used to optimise the overall system and further user acquisition.

The theoretical basis was formed by findings from acceptance and participation research. Qualitative and quantitative instruments of empirical social research were used to analyse acceptance of the project, e.g. guided interviews, questionnaires, lead user workshop. On this basis, a usage typology was created, which formed the basis for further analysis. As a result, an integrated roadmap was created.

Further tasks of the accompanying scientific research were to quantify the sustainability effects. To this end, resource and energy savings, emission avoidance, cost savings and technical and non-technical innovation effects were mapped and evaluated using life cycle assessment methods. Possible transfer options were also developed. Particularly promising mobility subsystems for the transfer, such as other large companies, central park & ride points in conurbations, other spatially centrally induced commuter flows, etc., were identified and their framework conditions effective for a successful transfer were described.

The scientific monitoring concluded with the development and application of a differentiated stabilisation and dissemination strategy. Various methods of publishing, processing and disseminating the findings were used. Scientific experts, decision-makers and multipliers as well as the general public were targeted.

The project was part of the "Mobility 21" funding initiative of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS).

More info

http://carriva.org/ On the publication of the research results: "Flexible Ridesharing", Springer Verlag, January 2013