“It is our goal to further reduce emissions of freight transport. This applies to all modes of transport, also to urban areas, which are increasingly affected by traffic congestion,” says Alexander Winter, CEO of DB Schenker in Austria and Southeast Europe.
In order to achieve this goal, the integrated logistics service provider has now started transporting freight bicycles in Salzburg’s city centre. The cargo bikes used can transport deliveries of up to 250 kilograms to the customer and are designed in such a way that a Euro pallet can also be transported without any problems. This means that larger shipments as well as small individual consignments can be delivered emission-free, safely and quickly through the city.
“We need solutions that sustainably reduce inner-city traffic. The use of cargo bikes in Salzburg’s city centre by DB Schenker is a promising approach that can make a significant contribution to relieving the strain on the inner-city area,” said Stefan Schnöll, State Councillor for Transport in the province of Salzburg, at the start of emission-free transport logistics in the city centre.
The collection depot for the cargo bikes is located directly next to the Salzburg Cathedral. From there, deliveries can be made centrally and directly to customers throughout the city. The delivery area is around three kilometres. The cargo bikes have a narrow and lockable box body, which on the one hand protects the goods from the weather and theft, and on the other hand enables them to travel through narrow streets and zones closed off by bollards.
“By using load bicycles, we want to reduce emissions on the one hand, but also have a traffic-calming effect in the city centres,” says Andreas Kerschner, DB Schenker branch manager in Salzburg. “In addition, the use of Cargo Bikes enables us to offer our customers a better and faster service, as we are no longer bound by time restrictions on entry and the parking problem is also reduced.”
Following the implementation of DB Schenker Cargo Bikes in Salzburg, the cities of Graz, Innsbruck and Vienna are also on the agenda. In addition, work is underway on a concept for delivery by freight bicycle in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. Further capitals in Southeastern Europe are in the pipeline.
DB Schenker is an international logistics services provider that employs more than 75,800 people at 2,000 locations. Schenker & Co AG in Vienna serves as the Cluster Head Office for South East Europe. DB Schenker currently has a workforce of more than 7,700 men and women at 80 locations in the Region’s 14 countries.
