TMF launches “App through the Eifel” – the new carpooling portal for the Eifel district of Bitburg-Prüm

April 20, 2023

As a rural area, individual mobility in the Eifel district is still strongly linked to the car as the primary means of transport. In 2014, the Verbandsgemeinde Speicher and its working group on mobility in rural areas began to create alternative mobility services and set up a series of turquoise "ride-sharing benches". These ride-sharing benches and their (analogue) display boards allow residents, passers-by, and travelers, passing vehicles and their drivers to see their carpooling wishes and destinations. In this way, the now 32 benches are already making a contribution to sustainable mobility and social interaction in the Eifel district.

Ride-sharing enables more efficient use of private vehicles and fuels, and can thus directly contribute to improved sustainability in rural passenger transport. In addition to sustainability, social and societal aspects also play a major role.

In order to make and expand the range of passenger benches for the citizens of the Eifel district, a web application including a mobile version was developed, which digitally links ride providers and carpoolers. In particular, the application is intended to sustainably improve the predictability and flexibility of the ride-sharing concept and to establish it as a new ride-sharing platform in the Eifel district beyond the ride-sharing benches.

For example, within the app it is possible to organize rides from other places away from traditional ride-sharing benches, such as bus stops or ride-sharing parking lots. An intuitive user interface including a clear map display and routing function make the app easy to use even for the less technically experienced user - whether on the home computer or on the go on the smartphone. In this way, the application is intended to bring together carpooling providers and carpoolers in the Eifel district even more easily and reliably than before.

This digital implementation was made possible by the financial support of the Toyota Mobility Foundation, which has already been involved in the Eifel district in the past. The programming of the company DevLabor was accompanied by employees of VGV Speicher and the mobility working group founded there, the Bitburg-Prüm district administration and the Trier Region Transport Association. The operator of the "App through the Eifel" will be the district administration of the Eifel district of Bitburg-Prüm.

With the presentation of the application at the event "This is how climate protection works in the Eifel district" on April 20 from 4:45 p.m. in the Bitburg town hall, all citizens have the opportunity for the first time to register without much effort and to set up or use carpooling.

We are looking forward to many users and will continue to work to ensure that the "App through the Eifel" makes an important contribution to reducing traffic volume and thus to climate protection and offers added value in terms of mobility options in the Eifel district.

Further information on the application and handling will be published on the climate protection portal of the Eifel district (https://bitburg-pruem.klimaschutzportal.rlp.de).

About the Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) was established in August 2014 by the Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) to support the development of a more mobile society in which everyone can move freely. The Foundation underscores TMC’s on-going commitment to continuous improvement and respect for people. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise and technologies to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. TMF works in partnership with universities, governments, non-profits, research institutions and other organizations, creating programs are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address mobility issues around the world. 

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Toyota Mobility Foundation

E-mail: info@toyota-mf.org