Collaborative Car Journey
Heidekreis Rural King Embraces Digital Commuter Portal
In a bid to address the challenges of commuting in rural areas and improve daily life for its citizens, the Heidekreis rural king has introduced a digital ride-sharing service. This service, known as the commuter portal, has the potential to revolutionize transportation in the regions, particularly for routes to metropolises like Hamburg and Hannover.
The commuter portal, initially commissioned by the counties of Harburg, Lüchow, Celle, and Lüneburg in 2006 to alleviate the burden on professionals commuting to Hamburg, has already found a home in the Heidekreis regions bank. Despite the challenges of organizing rides for rural areas and specific routes, such as visiting relatives or occasional shopping trips, the service is proving to be a viable alternative to traditional commuting methods.
Many companies in the regions bank have already adopted the commuter portal, with customized portals programmed to suit their specific needs. The project is self-sustaining, with no cost for commuters, and the average occupancy rate for cars on the portal is 1.3 persons, according to the portal's homepage.
However, the Landkreis Heidekreis does not intend to use the commuter portal as a partner with their own subdomain, citing that it would not provide additional value to users. Instead, they recommend carpooling as an alternative, with well-known providers like Mitfahrzentrale and BlaBlaCar also available.
The lack of reliable public transportation (ÖPNV) by train and bus makes daily life without a car challenging in the Heidekreis area. The area's high commuter density, with 36,405 commuters in the cities of Soltau, Walsrode, and Schneverdingen, underscores the need for alternative transportation solutions.
The investment required to acquire the license for the commuter portal varies depending on the county's requirements, ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 euros. Many counties and cities, including Rostock, have followed suit and programmed their own commuter portals since then.
The largest target group for the commuter portal is working professionals and those with regular appointments through volunteer work or sports clubs. The car is no longer the preferred choice for commuting due to traffic congestion, high costs, parking difficulties, and CO2 emissions.
Dalock, who describes the challenge of organizing rides for rural areas and specific routes as dramatic, believes that the commuter portal can be adapted to meet this challenge. The press office of the Landkreis Heidekreis also stated that using personnel and funds for a subdomain would not justify the use of personnel and funds.
In conclusion, the introduction of the digital commuter portal in the Heidekreis area is a significant step towards improving transportation and daily life for its citizens. Despite the initial investment, the self-sustaining nature of the project and the potential to adapt it to meet the challenges of rural areas make it a promising solution for the future.
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