Postbus shuttle wins award for sustainable rural transport in Carinthia

ORF reports that Carinthia is expanding practical, lower-emission transport options as it addresses climate change, with the Postbus Shuttle receiving the VCÖ Mobility Award.

Transport is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions and a major driver of climate change. Carinthia has experienced its hottest summer since records began, with high temperatures starting in May and June, the most days of extreme heat and many tropical nights. The coming autumn is also expected to be very hot.

Meteorologists say human-caused climate change has made each heatwave more intense and more likely. Such events are linked to global warming and can only be explained by human-made greenhouse gas emissions, including those produced by burning fossil fuels.

Shuttle fills gaps in rural transport

Austria aims to become climate-neutral by 2040. The Postbus Shuttle is one of the measures intended to improve everyday mobility while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

The service is designed for people who live far from a railway station or regular bus stop. It is integrated into the Carinthian transport network, meaning that season tickets and ClimateTickets are also valid on the shuttle. Passengers pay an additional two-euro charge per journey.

The service now operates in nine regions and 38 municipalities, with more than 3,100 stops. It is intended to close gaps in rural areas where regular public transport is not sufficient, including the first or last part of journeys between homes and bus or railway services.

Some 36,000 people used the Postbus Shuttle last year, more than half as many again as in the previous year. Passenger numbers have continued to rise this year, partly because of the opening of the Koralmbahn railway line, according to Tibro Jermendy of Postbus AG.

Carinthia has set a target of making the service available in 100 municipalities. Jermendy said the aim was to connect as many municipalities as possible through a system that offers sustainable and accessible mobility and encourages people to leave their cars at home.

VCÖ representative Klara Maria Schenk said the service was particularly important for older people and people with physical disabilities, including for trips to the doctor or visits to family members.

Two other projects receive recognition

The Rad-Schulcheck project by Radlobby and Climate Alliance Carinthia also received recognition as an exemplary project in the VCÖ Mobility Award. The organisations assessed the bicycle-friendliness of 101 schools for pupils from the fifth school level onwards and developed recommendations for schools and municipalities.

Walking or cycling to school gives children and teenagers regular physical exercise and helps them learn how to behave safely in traffic, Schenk said.

The Bahnticket equals Strandbadticket initiative was also recognised. The Koralmbahn has improved public transport access to the Klopeiner See, southern Carinthia and Lavanttal region. The initiative promoted that improvement by allowing a valid train ticket to serve as admission to 14 outdoor swimming areas in southern Carinthia.