2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
In May 2012, students at Trier University of Applied Sciences founded the car sharing project Flinkster Campus with Deutsche Bahn and the support of Opel. There are now Flinkster at three universities.
It all started in the 2011 summer semester at the Trier University of Applied Sciences in the Intermedia Design course with the event "Carsharing 2020 - Networked sharing and media individualization. The future of inner-city mobility."
At this seminar, Professor Tom Hirt's students explored the question of how the younger generation wants to move in a time when owning a car is no longer the measure of all things. Young people, especially in big cities, only occasionally need a car to go to Ikea to go shopping or buy furniture. From this consideration David Lauer and Frederic Kokott came up with the idea for Flinkster Campus. The business idea of the two students was implemented together with the railway subsidiary DB Rent and the support of Opel. The Rüsselsheim-based car manufacturer is making three cars available in Trier: the electric car Ampera, the Astra and the Corsa.
In Trier, 7500 people use Flinkster Campus
The Flinkster Campus is very well received by the 7,500 students and employees at the Trier University of Applied Sciences, reports Tom Hirt. "It is a simple and inexpensive alternative to be mobile with a car." For example, the small car Corsa can be rented for an hourly rate of one euro, plus 20 cents per kilometer driven in fuel costs. Flinkster Campus also offers daily rates (20 euros) and a weekend rate (Friday 12 p.m. to Monday 9 a.m.) for 50 euros.
If you want to test the Ampera electric car in Trier, you have to pay two euros an hour or 40 euros per day or 100 euros on the weekend. When it comes to usage behavior, the students naturally look to the money. Accordingly, due to their limited budget, it is not surprising that when renting a vehicle they rely more on the cheaper Corsa than on the more expensive Ampera. Nevertheless, it is important that Opel also offers an electric car like the Ampera as part of the Flinkster Campus. "Because that's how our students can also experience electromobility."
Electric mobility projects
At the same time, Hirt is currently thinking with colleagues from the technology department about which joint projects can be initiated in connection with the Ampera in the field of electromobility. Incidentally, in Trier they are currently looking for new campus captains after Kokott and Lauer, who had previously held this job, are getting their bachelor's degrees.
These campus captains are available for questions about the Flinkster campus and for registration. The participants also receive the seal for the driver's license from them. Since the Flinkster Campus project was also thought of holistically by the students, there is also an app for the iPhone, iPad and iPad Touch.
In addition, the app can be used not only to book, reserve or cancel a trip, but also to inform fellow students whether there is a possibility to offer a lift. Of course, you can also use the app to post your experiences with Flinkster Campus on social networks. All of this goes down well with the students.
That is why Flinkster Campus is now also available at the universities in Furtwangen and Oestrich-Winkel, where Opel also provides cars such as the Combo van. And more universities are to follow. As DB Rent announced on request, they are very satisfied with the number of uses. Therefore, one is currently looking at the expansion of Flinkster Campus. For both Deutsche Bahn and Opel, Flinkster Campus offers a good opportunity to convey what it offers to young people. While a car manufacturer like Opel can introduce its models to potential customers, the railways can present their entire range of mobility services from car sharing to rail travel to bike rental - and that to a target group that demands precisely this offer. (AG / FM)
