The "flottes Gewerbe" campaign is starting in numerous cities in Germany

In many German cities, many company cars are on the road every day for short distances, which contributes to a deterioration of the urban climate. This is associated with considerable traffic searching for parking spaces, which in turn can become a burden on all road users in the urban area. Parking is one of the most critical issues in local politics in many cities - and one of the best levers to calm motorised traffic. If there is a lack of parking spaces at the destination or if they are chargeable, people start thinking about which transport vehicle they should use at the beginning of their journey. Here, cargo bikes and trailers can be an alternative.

Unlimited use for traders

In contrast to the private sector, however, cargo bike use in the commercial sector has so far been underrepresented. However, the possible uses are almost unlimited: A greengrocer who gets fresh goods from the wholesaler, a restaurateur who still needs a few wines or a craftsman who has to drive to several buildings - a cargo bike is quickly at hand, does not need any fuel and can be parked almost anywhere. Moreover, even car-free areas can be reached effortlessly with a cargo bike. In addition, parking on the pavement is allowed, as long as no pedestrians are obstructed. Some models can be loaded with goods weighing up to 350 kilograms and are thus suitable for a variety of goods or bulky items.

Germany-wide testing

It is often difficult for traders to decide which cargo bike model is the right one for their use. In addition, procurement and service offers are still underrepresented. This is where the "flottes Gewerbe" campaign - an initiative by cargobike.jetzt, the city of Karlsruhe and the state capital Stuttgart - comes in. The idea behind it is that companies can test the use of commercial cargo bikes in various cities across Germany and get advice. For this purpose, various e-load bikes as well as diverse trailers are available, which interested parties can use free of charge for a period of eight weeks. "The offer also includes service as well as maintenance, insurance and logistics," adds Thomas Herzog, Managing Director of VSC Bike GmbH - one of the companies providing cargo bikes for this campaign.  Specifically, VSC.Bike offers the model VS3 variant Ludwigshafen. With a length of 2.40 metres and a width of 61 centimetres, this cargo bike can carry around 210 kilograms - including the rider's own weight. The maximum load volume is 530 litres. A BAFA purchase premium of 25 percent of the purchase price (up to a maximum of 2,500 €) can be claimed for this cargo bike.

Demo-Events and Test-Parcours

The campaign "flottes Gewerbe" is promoted with public demo events and accompanying test courses. Here, numerous commercial cargo bikes can be test-driven and compared with each other. The campaign starts on 27 June in Ludwigsburg and ends on 1 July in Mainz. You can find all dates and test cities here.

Are you a business owner and would like to test cargo bikes as part of the "flottes Gewerbe" campaign? Then please contact the organisers directly   here.