Sustainably on the move - how Karlsruhe is rethinking mobility
Mobility in and around Karlsruhe is his specialty. We spoke to Prof. Dr. Alexander Pischon about the ideas, technologies and ongoing projects that could shape mobility within the city in the future.
Prof. Dr. Alexander Pischon has been Chairman of the Management Board of Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe GmbH (VBK), Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft mbH (AVG) and Karlsruher Schieneninfrastruktur-Gesellschaft mbH (KASIG) since 2014. He is also the sole managing director of Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund GmbH (KVV) and managing director of Karlsruher Versorgungs-, Verkehrs- und Hafen GmbH (KVVH). He is also a member of the executive committee of the VDV industry association, where he has been Chairman of the Baden-Württemberg VDV regional group since 2018. He has also been a member of the Policy Board of the international industry association UITP since 2014.
karlsruhe.digtial (k.d): You deal with mobility in all its forms and possibilities. What does the mobility of the future look like?
Alexander Pischon (AP): The future of mobility is multimodal. We are working on this every day in Karlsruhe. Of course, it is also clear that the future of mobility depends on many factors. These include the question of the type of drive and, above all, the development and implementation of autonomous driving. For reasons of sustainability, however, car-sharing and on-demand services will also need to be further expanded.
Rail in particular will play a major role in the future. Rail is indispensable when it comes to more environmentally friendly transportation options and reducing the burden on road traffic. Clever and digital solutions will then link the various transport options – as is already the case in Karlsruhe today – and find the fastest, most convenient and most cost-effective way for users to reach their destination. With our KVV.regiomove app, we are already making the future available to our passengers today in a suitable form for every pocket.
k.d: For all those who don’t know what Smart City Karlsruhe means – what does it mean?
AP: Karlsruhe is a nationally and internationally renowned IT and science location. A smart city uses digitalization to improve the quality of life, promote sustainability and increase the efficiency of city operations. This includes intelligent traffic management systems, smart government and our Regiomove app, the multimodal mobility solution for your pocket.
k.d: Why is Karlsruhe of all places so well suited as a testing ground for smart mobility initiatives?
AP: Karlsruhe’s topography and its renowned teaching, learning and research institutions make it the ideal testing ground for smart mobility initiatives. As Managing Director of the Karlsruhe transport companies, I greatly appreciate the exchange and cooperation with the mobility experts from the many academic institutions here in Karlsruhe. Especially as the political objectives in this city are progressive and ambitious. Ultimately, it is about nothing less than transforming the city into a more liveable and sustainable place for its residents.
k.d: You’ve already mentioned it: one approach to this transformation is Regiomove. What is behind this concept?
AP: Regiomove is a multimodal ecosystem consisting of a digital platform that connects different means of transportation in the region. The aim is to connect public and private mobility providers and offer users a seamless mobility and service chain. With the KVV.regiomove app, users can plan, book and pay for their journey in real time by combining different modes of transport such as buses, trains, bicycles and car-sharing services. This provides a flexible and environmentally friendly alternative to owning a car.
k.d: What are the biggest challenges for public transport at the moment?
AP: The biggest challenge currently facing public transport in Germany, apart from the long-term funding commitment, is the shortage of skilled workers. We need streetcar and bus drivers in our vehicles and tradespeople in our workshops. By 2030, around 80,000 employees (“baby boomers”) in the entire industry will retire – and the bus and rail companies have a particularly high proportion of boomers, as the industry has hardly been able to recruit any new talent for years due to political austerity measures. The transport transition will require the recruitment of 110,000 new employees in Germany by 2030. VBK and AVG will also need to recruit 150 new employees in the coming year.
k.d: How can Karlsruhe residents get actively involved in smart mobility projects?
AP: I can only recommend the citizens of Karlsruhe to download and use our KVV.regiomove app on their end devices. You can use it to plan your journeys from door to door using different modes of transport. This is almost unique in Germany. What’s more, using the on-demand MyShuttle service, which can be booked spontaneously via the regiomove app, is already a smart way of getting around. In future research projects, we expect to see active ride-sharing options again, as we have already offered several times in recent years with the autonomous, electric, on-demand EVA shuttles in Karlsruhe’s Dammerstock district.
k.d.: What is your vision for mobility in Karlsruhe in the next ten years? What is currently holding you back and what do you need to realize this vision?
AP: My vision for mobility in Karlsruhe over the next ten years is that we get the shortage of skilled workers under control and that every train runs on time again. Even if the overall political situation is proving to be very difficult, I think it’s good that the state of Baden-Württemberg is sticking to its target of doubling passenger numbers by 2030 in order to achieve the necessary climate targets. We want to help achieve this goal with our team and our modern, electric vehicles. Of course, the further development towards more multimodal use of public transport and thus less private transport is a goal that we are pursuing with our Karlsruhe transport companies in order to achieve climate neutrality in transport. We owe this to future generations. In addition, we are preparing the ground for the mobility of tomorrow with the “autonomous driving” test field; autonomous, safe driving on rail and road will be a decisive step on this path.
k.d: At the moment, when we hear public transport, we mainly think of road and rail. What significance will air transportation have in the future?
AP: Nowadays, the air is of great importance on long-distance routes and, from an ecological point of view, unfortunately also on short journeys. The extent to which airspace is conquered by vehicles of any kind in inner-city traffic depends largely on the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of the respective means of transport. You can already travel by helicopter in large cities and conurbations. But you will have to dig deep into your wallet.
k.d: You are now also an honorary professor at KIT. How did this come about? How do you rate the communication with the students? Do you benefit from it?
AP: I received my honorary professorship last year after having lectured at KIT for eight years. I had to provide evidence of this and was appointed by a KIT committee on the basis of two external reviews. I teach there on the topics of organization, procurement and financing in public transport in Germany. It’s a Master’s lecture in which around 40 students take part every summer semester. Communication with the students is very good. We go on two to three excursions per semester, which also allows us to get to know each other better. I am able to recruit a few students after their exams who then work with us as student trainees or on a permanent basis in the major projects. I think we benefit from this collaboration on both sides. I can give the students a practical insight and at the same time promote our interesting jobs at VBK, AVG, TTK and KVV.
k.d: How do you rate the success of the underground tram?
AP: My summary of the Karlsruhe underground tram is very positive. Moving our streetcars underground has relieved the pressure on Kaiserstraße in the long term. We are now much faster and more reliable in the city center, especially from an operational point of view. Up to 70 streetcars per hour now pass through the southern branch from Kaiserstrasse towards the main station and back during peak times.
The pedestrian zone can now gradually be transformed into an attractive promenade with a high quality of stay. With the seven stops, Karlsruhe has created brightly lit and appealing mobility zones in the urban jungle. The VBK received the UITP Design Award for its outstanding lighting concept, among other prestigious architectural prizes. Karlsruhe 2023 thus prevailed against the mega cities of Hong Kong and Vienna as well as Network Rail UK. The Karlsruhe underground tram is also the model for the Salzburg S-Link project, where the Salzburg local line is to be extended from the main station to Hallein. Part of the line is also to run underground. Austrian experts recently visited us for this purpose.
k.d: You were an event partner for the Colourful Night of Digitalization – why are you involved/how did this cooperation come about?
AP: For us as Karlsruhe transport companies, it is important to be present at such events in the city. Events like the Colourful Night of Digitalization are always a wonderful way to promote us and our services. The use of public transport was free of charge for visitors to the Colourful Night of Digitalization in Wabe 100. The same also applied to the use of KVV.nextbike.
Thank you very much for the interview.