Car sharing service expanded in Jena

A whole series of new car sharing parking spaces are currently being set up in the city of Jena. Unlike in the past, public parking spaces are also being used for this purpose. This has apparently led to irritation among some residents and queries from the city council.

Legal and political foundations

Due to the Federal Car-Sharing Act and the amendment to the Thuringian Road Act, it has only been possible to use public parking spaces for car-sharing since 2022. The city council has committed itself to the car sharing system in a whole series of resolutions (e.g. climate action plan, mobility guidelines, etc.). The city of Jena supports these modern forms of mobility as a supplement to the environmental network.

In recent weeks, 37 new car sharing parking spaces have been set up at 17 locations in Jena on this basis. Four of the parking spaces are or will be equipped with electric charging stations.

Fixed station for every vehicle

Prior to this, the city council carried out a public procurement procedure, as a result of which special usage agreements were concluded with the car sharing company teilAuto, which is already based in Jena, for an initial maximum period of eight years. This means that the existing model of "station-based car sharing" will continue to take priority in Jena: Each vehicle has a fixed "station", identifiable by signage and lane markings, from which it is picked up and to which it is also returned. So-called "free-floating systems", in which the vehicles can be parked anywhere in the public parking area, are not relevant for cities the size of Jena, at least not at present.

Background

The basic idea behind car sharing is to reduce the number of private cars, for example by eliminating the second car per household. Contrary to the current fears of many residents, this should even free up parking spaces in the medium term. Scientific studies have shown that one car sharing vehicle can replace ten (in larger cities even more) private cars.

Locations

• Am Volksbad, bus station: 4 parking spaces, including 2 e-chargers
• Herderstr./Lutherstr.: 2 parking spaces
• Tatzendpromenade: 2 parking spaces
• Hermann-Löns-Str./Emma-Heintz-Str.: 2 parking spaces
• Talstr./Jahnplatz: 2 places
• Sophienstr./Bibliotheksweg: 2 plots
• Am Kieshügel/Munketal: 2 plots
• Clara-Zetkin-Str.: 3 plots
• Stoystr./August-Bebel-Str.: 2 plots
• Sophienstr./St.-Jakob-Str.: 2 plots
• Erich-Weinert-Str.: 2 plots
• Wenigenjenaer Platz/Breite Str.: 2 plots
• Am Volksbad, bus station: 2 pl.
• Jena Paradies station: 2 spaces
• Friedrich-Engels-Str.: 2 places
• W.-Seelenbinder-Str./Stauffenbergstr.: 2 pl.
• Binswangerstr.: 2 spaces, including 2 e-charging spaces