PubliCar Uzwil
Testing a mobility concept to reduce CO₂ emissions

Bühler AG in Uzwil founded Mobilitätsallianz Ostschweiz (Eastern Switzerland Mobility Alliance) together with the Canton of St. Gallen, the municipality of Uzwil and the OSTWIND fare network. The goal of this flagship project is to reduce emissions generated by commuter mobility by 30% by 2025 and to create incentives for employees to sustainably adapt their mobility behaviour.

As a major employer in the Uzwil region, Bühler is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint by 60% by 2030. The new mobility concept, which was launched on 1 September 2024, is premised on an AI-based data analysis conducted by 42hacks and aims to provide 80% of employees with a good public transport alternative to driving.

Several measures have been introduced as part of the mobility concept to encourage the use of public transport and reduce emissions. These include an attractive public transport package for employees, the introduction of rental scooters/bikes, as well as discounts on bikes and e-bikes. A core part of this was also the launch of a door-to-door bus service, which picks up employees from within a radius of up to 8 kilometres and takes them home at the end of the working day. These initiatives are designed to ensure employee flexibility, enhance public transport services and promote sustainable company mobility.

Demand increased steadily during the pilot phase. In the last month of operation (December), demand more than doubled compared to the first month, with 49 passengers per day.

A total of 2,213 people used the service during its four-month operating period. Journeys between 6 to 7 a.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. were the most popular, while the vehicles were used only to and from Gupfenstrasse and for Bühler employees. Demand was around 5 passengers an hour at these times.

During off-peak times, demand was lower at 1 to 2 passengers per hour. With respect to the operating times of the two vehicles, demand in December stood at around 1.8 passengers per hour of use.

In principle, the area around Uzwil and the Bühler headquarters is already very well served by the existing public transport services. However, testing of an on-demand, mixed-usage service for employees in the vicinity of the Bühler headquarters, and at off-peak times for passengers from the municipalities, proved instructive and unique in this form.

With a total demand of 2,213 people in the period from 2 September to 20 December 2024, the set demand target was missed. Demand is therefore too low to achieve a minimum cost coverage ratio of 10%.

For follow-up projects, there should be a detailed examination of whether such services can be jointly financed by the participating companies, the municipalities and the cantons so that a useful addition to the existing public transport network can be made and private transport use can be reduced. Taking into account developments in the field of automated driving, such services could play an increasingly important role in the future.