An Inter- and Transdisciplinary Approach to Developing and Testing a New Sustainable Mobility System

Abstract

Sustainability research is frequently tasked with the development of concrete solutions that can be directly applied to socio-environmental problems as such this paper presents and discusses an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to developing and testing a mobility-on-demand-system in a “real world laboratory” set up in Schorndorf, Germany. This paper addresses the following questions: (1) How can stakeholders be involved in the research and development process and become co-designers? (2) What are the suitable ways of supporting and facilitating interdisciplinary exchange and joint work at different places? The main contribution of this paper is the description of a methodological approach. It thereby reflects on the process of inter- and transdisciplinary work in the development phase and pilot operation. In addition, a joint working document, a so called “Specification Book”, is utilized to facilitate teamwork and enable the exchange of scientific knowledge within the team. The experiences in the project are also reflected upon and specific recommendations are determined. The paper further reflects on the possibilities and challenges of the methodology and provides recommendations for its application. The originality of the paper lies in its description and reflection of a method that goes beyond the participation of users in the design phase of the project.

Global Citizens – Global Jet Setters? The Relation Between Global Identity, Sufficiency Orientation, Travelling, and a Socio-Ecological Transformation of the Mobility System

“… Kanger et al (2020) thus suggest to stimulate and accelerate niches, for example, through research and development funding schemes, creating innovation platforms, or market-based policy instruments. In line with this suggestion, online portals for citizen participation, in which people are asked to share their ideas for a future mobility system, or workshops in which citizens are actively involved in the development of mobility concepts could guide a transition process (e.g., Gebhardt et al, 2019 ). Moreover, apps for car and bike sharing ( Cellina et al, 2019 ) or the free availability of cargo bikes ( Becker and Rudolf, 2018 ) could be useful instruments to engage people in using alternative low-carbon modes for mobility.…”

Usage and User Characteristics—Insights from MOIA, Europe’s Largest Ridepooling Service

“…Under the terms 'demand-responsive transport' (DRT), 'microtransit', or 'paratransit', flexible booking and routing schemes have been deployed specifically in rural and underserved This article focuses on an empirical survey that was conducted in light of the project and presents selected results for users and usage of MOIA ridepooling, mainly for the Hamburg case. Understanding travel behavior with regard to new mobility concepts is key to identify willingness as well as obstacles to use these services [13,14]. To complement the existing research on ridepooling, we will present results from the survey, ad- In order to understand who MOIA ridepooling users are, and how ridepooling influences individual travel patterns as well as the urban transportation system, MOIA is cooperating with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) on a two-year accompanying research project to analyze the implications of ridepooling.…”

“…This article focuses on an empirical survey that was conducted in light of the project and presents selected results for users and usage of MOIA ridepooling, mainly for the Hamburg case. Understanding travel behavior with regard to new mobility concepts is key to identify willingness as well as obstacles to use these services [13,14]. To complement the existing research on ridepooling, we will present results from the survey, addressing the following research questions: The paper is structured as follows: first, we review findings from previous studies on ridepooling and subsequently identify research gaps.…”

Small and Light Electric Vehicles: An Analysis of Feasible Transport Impacts and Opportunities for Improved Urban Land Use

“…Providing high frequency PT in order to increase its attractiveness is not an adequate solution for areas and times with low passenger numbers, as it would be financially and ecologically inefficient due to low or zero occupancy rates. On-demand bus systems [61] are not suitable for sustainable solutions because it is almost impossible to bundle journeys when low passenger numbers are combined with dispersed origin and destination points. In these cases, LEVs could provide sustainable individual mobility.…”