GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING MOBILITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN COMPANIES

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1 GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING MOBILITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN COMPANIES The following information is intended to offer a quick introduction to the topic of mobility management in companies. It outlines the most important milestones in the process of establishing a mobility management system in a company and presents the range of arguments, measures and campaigns available to effectively promote mobility management strategies. The majority of these guidelines have been summarised for the EU GOAL project (within the LIFE programme). Content: What is company mobility management? Mobility management is basically a demand-oriented concept that focuses on passenger and freight transport and aims at the creation of new partnerships and the development of a package of measures that encourage and promote changes in attitude and behaviour with regard to environmentally friendly and socially acceptable (sustainable) mobility. These instruments are generally based on information, organisation and coordination and require intensive promotion. Mobility management therefore does not involve the planning and delivery of infrastructure, or at least does so only to a limited extent. Informational and publicity campaigns in the area of transport can influence people s awareness, their attitudes and their individual behaviour and thereby promote cycling, walking, and the use of public transport modes. The differences between mobility management measures and measures relating to infrastructure show very clearly why it makes sense to get involved in mobility management. Mobility management measures Benefits exceed costs Short implementation period Alterations easily possible Infrastructure measures Cost-intensive Long implementation period Alterations not easily possible Provides good support for infrastructure measures

2 Motivation: Why should a company be concerned about how its employees travel to and from the workplace? In most cases, at least one of the following motivations applies: Acute problems: the company faces a transport-related problem that needs to be solved, for example, a lack of parking spaces. Image: the company wants to improve its image by making a commitment to socially and environmentally compatible transport modes. The company may also intend to obtain an environmental certification. Social / health considerations: the company wants to take steps to enable employees to arrive at the workplace motivated, healthy, and free from stress. At least one of these motivations should be present to implement mobility management strategies within a company. Responsibility: Who should handle the company s mobility management issues? Regardless of which group brings up the issue of mobility management within the company the management or the staff representatives the other group will definitely need to be involved in the implementation process, even if it is only for the sake of acceptance. It is therefore recommended that both groups be involved in the process right from the beginning. Furthermore, in large organisations, setting up an internal working group has proved to be particularly successful. Such a working group should be made up of employees who are interested in mobility management and wish to take an active role, as well as representatives of all departments that are important to the analysis and implementation of mobilityrelated measures, such as Human Resources, Facility Management, Public Relations, etc. It must be ensured that sufficient time and resources (for the implementation of measures after the evaluation and planning stages have been completed) are made available to such working groups. In many cases, it has proven useful to involve external mobility advisers in the process (in particular to act as moderators, to provide special mobility-related input, and to keep the process on track). To facilitate the coordination of the individual measures, external organisations, such as transport company representatives, company physicians, or local authorities (transport officials, representatives of environmental agencies, etc.) can be contacted and invited to participate in the plan. Aims: What is to be achieved? Clear goal setting is important for orientation purposes and, in particular, for evaluating the success of the project after its completion. The clearer the aim(s) is (are) defined, the better. The aims should be set in the most quantitative manner possible. They should simultaneously be based on the problem analysis and be geared towards sustainable development. Goal setting can take place in two stages: 1.) General, provisional goal setting 2.) Concrete goal setting on the basis of a problem analysis (see next item) In either case, the setting of aims should be performed by the company management together with the staff representatives, so that neither group will impede the necessary activities and measures.

3 Analysis: What is the current situation, and what potential is there for change? As a first step, the current mobility situation is evaluated and analysed. The results of this assessment are used as a basis for the setting of concrete aims, as well as for the development of measures and campaigns. The method of assessment is determined by the size of the organisation and the time and resources available. For smaller companies, this analysis can be performed by meeting with the responsible officials within the company or by means of observation. For larger organisations, this is a chance to perform a more extensive assessment (including a survey of the employees preferred modes of transport). The following areas should be analysed: Methods of transport chosen by staff: How do the employees travel to and from the workplace? How well-informed are the employees about alternatives to the mode of transport they use primarily? (costs, travel time, connections, etc.) What are the employees attitudes towards potential mobility management measures? General conditions relating to the organisation of the company: Are there extra social benefits? (e.g. commuting allowances, job tickets, company agreements, etc.) Is there a parking management system? (who can park where, criteria, controls, etc.) Is bicycle storage available? (amount, quality and location of storage areas, shower facilities, etc.) Are there company bicycles and staff cars? How is information disseminated within the company? (company newsletter, intranet, etc.) Company accessibility: Accessibility by car transport problem analysis (road network, parking space around the company s premises, etc.) Accessibility by public transport problem analysis (distance of stops n from company entrance, quality of service, operating times, frequency of service, etc.) Accessibility by bicycle problem analysis (bicycle path network, safety, access routes, etc.) Accessibility by foot: problem analysis (pathways, safety, access to site, etc.) Internal company information channels: What internal company media are available, and how are they used? Who can publish what? What lead times are involved?

4 On the basis of this assessment, an estimate of the potential for change (from travelling alone by car to walking, using public transport, cycling, or to combined forms of transport, such as park & ride, bike & ride or car-pooling) can be made. For walking, distance and safety obviously play a decisive role. For distances of less than 3 km, it can be assumed that the route can be covered by non-motorised modes of transport, e.g. by bicycle. For longer distances, public transport and combined forms of transport are the most likely options, and here, the focus should be on the amount of travel time. For distances of around 5 km, a reasonable time estimate can be set for the use of alternative forms of transport. For example, if it takes an employee 10 minutes longer to travel to work by public transport than by car, public transport can be considered a reasonable alternative for that person. This area leaves room for action (e.g. if a parking access system with certain criteria were to be set up) when it comes to the implementation of measures (see next item). Measures and campaigns: What should be done, and how should it be done? Measures and campaigns have two different purposes: 1. Changing the behaviour of employees who drive to work alone by car despite having alternative modes of transport available. 2. Encouragement for employees who already travel to the workplace using environmentally and socially compatible modes of transport (reinforcement of the desired, exemplary behaviour setting a good - example). When developing measures and campaigns, a series of strategic considerations should be taken into account. In most cases, an integrated system is preferred over the implementation of individual measures. The reasons for the measures and campaigns should be explained. The implementation process needs to be kept transparent. Aims and measures should be formulated in a positive way. The development and presentation of the measures should show the advantages of alternative -methods of transport (as compared to the car). Arguments promoting alternative transport choices should concentrate on the strong points (for example, safety for public transport or flexibility for cycling). Focus on push and pull measures: In practice, this means promoting the desired alternative modes of transport (creating incentives), while at the same time not promoting or establishing restrictions with regard to the undesirable mode of transport. This requires great subtlety and caution so as not to run into widespread opposition. Example: When introducing a parking management system with access criteria and supervision, the allocation of parking spaces must be completely transparent and apply to all users, and it must also be pointed out that each employee who now has to pay a parking fee will receive a fixed parking space in return. In addition, it has proven useful to earmark the money collected via parking fees for the promotion of alternative modes of transport, as this encourages the acceptance of the people concerned by the measure.

5 Possible measures (not an exhaustive list): Non-motorised transport (walking and cycling): Elimination of dangerous spots in the immediate vicinity of the company premises Creation of theft-proof, covered bicycle storage facilities close to entrances Improvement of access to the company site (pedestrians and cyclists are more sensitive to detours!) Provision of changing and showering facilities Acquisition of company bicycles Implementation of promotional incentives, such as a breakfast for cyclists, bicycle safety and service - checks, competitions, etc. Initiation of a fitness promotion programme: Travelling to work instead of sweating in the gym Public transport: Free tickets for public transport (job tickets) or special commuting allowances for employees who use public transport Special offers: one month of free transport to work (testing new behaviour) Improving the company s accessibility (stops closer to entrance(s), increased frequency of service, etc.) Distribution of customised information to the employees (either packages with personal timetables, etc. or counselling days held at the company) Car transport Parking management (allocation by criteria and/or supervision) Promotion of car pools Car sharing (particularly for business trips) Of course, there is a range of other possibilities in the areas of business trips, customer mobility and freight transport. A more extensive and detailed listing of possible measures can be found at: This website also contains information on European showcase companies and their mobility management activities, as well as a catalogue of quick solutions for common mobility problems. The website was developed as part of the TOOLBOX project (sponsored by EU funding within the SAVE programme) by a consortium of European mobility management experts and is available in five languages:

6 GERMAN ENGLISH ITALIAN FRENCH DUTCH Evaluation: How successful were the measures? What areas need improvement? An evaluation to gauge the success of the implemented measures is a very sensible idea and should be a part of every mobility management plan. However, it must be emphasised that the main focus of attention should be on the implementation of measures and campaigns and that an evaluation of the outcomes will often only be possible to a limited extent due to the financial and personnel resources available within a company s mobility management plan. An example: In most cases, it will not be possible to carry out a before and after survey on the staff s mobility behaviour (written or verbal) by interviewing every single employee. An evaluation should cover three areas: Assessment of results: The situation prior to the implementation of the mobility management measures is compared with the defined target situation. Have the measures achieved the desired effect? Assessment of benefits: Were the qualitative and quantitative benefits achieved? Assessment of processes: Retrospective analysis of the overall project process. What went well/badly? How did communication and cooperation work out? What is necessary to secure lasting implementation?

7 Lasting implementation: What is necessary to turn company mobility management from a temporary project into a long-lasting process? The most important prerequisite for lasting implementation is that there is at least one person within the company who integrates mobility management into his or her area of responsibility and duties. That person may be the person responsible for safety or for the environment. In some cases, mobility management is the responsibility of the human resources department or the works council. To ensure the lasting implementation of a mobility management plan, it is necessary to: keep the mobility management process constantly going; make sure that all information is up to date (e.g. in the case of changes in public transport timetables); maintain cooperation with third parties: keep the company management and staff representatives informed; and respond to the employees suggestions, proposals and wishes. Information and PR activities: Do good and talk about it! In this area, a distinction must be made between PR work to accompany the project and employee information, and information for the general public outside the company. One of the most important rules for internal communication is to inform employees as quickly as possible and in the most transparent way about future plans and projects so that no rumours or speculations will be started. The best times to distribute internal information and to start PR efforts are: at the beginning of the activities before a survey is carried out simultaneously with a survey in response to a survey, combined with an invitation to supply proposals for potential measures before the implementation of measures in response to the results of an evaluation What media can be considered for information and PR activities within companies? Informational events Notice boards Newsletters Intranet Company newspaper

8 Displays Surveys Competitions Company or departmental meetings What media can be considered for external PR activities? Press/media conferences (TV, radio, newspapers) Internet Open house day Displays Publications (e.g. annual report) Excursions The implementation of a health and fitness campaign as part of a company s mobility management strategy: During the GOAL project, combining the promotion of health and fitness with the opportunity to make the journey to work on foot proved very successful. The following is a short checklist of points to be considered. More information about the campaign is available at Argument for employees: 30 minutes of exercise per day significantly reduces the risk of heart disease. The physical activity DOES NOT need to be done in one chunk; cycling to and from work for 15 minutes each way is sufficient. In addition, one doesn t need to spend any extra time making these journeys, and they are also a good way to reduce body fat. Argument for employers: Healthy, fit employees are happier and more productive. For employees with average salaries of EUR 2,000 per month, one sick day costs the company approximately EUR (without taking into account that in many cases another employee has to do the work and might even have to be trained). Procedure: Each employee who takes part in the campaign sets a personal goal (example: cycling to work three times a week). At the beginning of the campaign, each participant takes a fitness test and has his/her body fat measured. After a minimum of 10 weeks, visible changes can already be observed and measured (second fitness test and body fat measurement). The employees are invited to monitor their progress over the course of the campaign by keeping a mobility and health diary. This makes it possible to easily and precisely evaluate the campaign (how often did the employee cycle, how many kilometres have been shifted from the car to the bicycle, experiences of each individual participant, etc.). The campaign should be accompanied by support from mobility and health experts. In addition to acting as moderators, they can hold workshops, pass on tips and tricks, and provide motivation. It is also recommended to ensure the cooperation of the company s physician.