I have found a viable source dealing with the feasibility analysis of the active2work (a2w) concept. It is also cited in my initial research kick-off document. Which is the report I have received as a starting point for the project I participated in 2 years ago. The source covers extensive research of different areas from a general mobility exploration to an economic evaluation of the concept. Especially chapter no. 3 “Involvierte AkteurInnen und Mindsets” (involved parties and mindsets) strikes my interest. For the sake of exploring the desirable impact of the concept a qualitative research in focus groups was conducted.

About active2work

The concept of active2work deals with the possibilities of commuting to work by one’s own force as a green alternative to the popular choice of driving a car within Austria. It tries to seek an answer to the status of time when commuting as well as the target audience for such a concept including it’s possible benefits to health and economic considerations for the Austrian population. (p. 8 Doiber, 2020)

Opinions of the target audience

21 representatives (9 representative from AK/WKO; 6 employers from Austrian companies; 6 employees of Austrian companies) from various fields were invited for a formal discussion on the topic. The goal of the conducted research was to explore acceptance and obstacles on various levels, such as economical or business related drivers in addition to social, financial, psychological and even feasible drivers from an individual’s point of view. (p. 54 Doiber, 2020)

Reasons for choosing a commuting option.

It is no secret that cars are predominant in rural areas. Motonormativity is a term used to describe car centered infrastructure as given. Therefore it is no surprise that the willingness to use public transport is directly correlated to it’s availability. (p. 55 Doiber, 2020)

Motivation to drive a bike

For the motivation to drive a bike the opinions vary widely. While health considerations are paramount some still empathize the possible risks of using bikes (e.g. longer distances, weather circumstances or general traffic dangers). (p. 55ff Doiber, 2020)

Companies takes on the legal concept of “Business Mobility Strategy”

Businesses would view the introduction of such a concept viable as soon as they could derive economical benefits from it. One possible enabler for this could be the state. (p. 58 Doiber, 2020)

Feasibility and obstacles of active2work

Once the overall infrastructure for bikes expands the acceptance towards using a bike will grow. Some major obstacles can be iterated right away, for example showers or expanding the amount of bicycle racks on the company grounds. Besides some obvious low hanging fruits however, the concept of active2work has been identified as biased towards jobs outside of the office, especially people working in shifts. Furthermore, the proposed concept doesn’t fully consider the different challenges between city and countryside life. Additionally the active2work approach has been named unfair towards workers with surpassing commuting distances. Last but not least, the risk of discriminating people with accessibility needs was pointed out as a major obstacle. (p. 63 Doiber, 2020)

Conclusion

Before skimming through this source I was already aware of the existing car-bias in Austria. However, I am happy to have found more sturdy facts on this topic. The way the focus group was conducted as well as the actual findings from this research are engaging and offered new revelations for me. I am especially satisfied that the danger of excluding workers with accessibility needs was mentioned, as this has been a major concern of mine from the very beginning when hearing about the active2work approach. With this I am not saying that I do not support the said concept, as it still seems tangible for a certain amount of workers. It simply shouldn’t be viewed as a one-size-fits-all solution.

References

(1) Doiber, M. (2020). active2work – Arbeits- und Mobilitätszeit neu gedacht: Machbarkeitsuntersuchung.