Reinventing bike transportation on public buses

As a provider of public transport in the bike-friendly city of Innsbruck, Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe und Stubaitalbahn GmbH (IVB) faces a major challenge due to the increasing number of sports enthusiasts, such as mountain bikers. The same applies to the Verkehrsverbund Tirol (VVT), which transports commuters, recreational athletes, and tourists to various (excursion) destinations, including bicycles. As public transport becomes more attractive, the number of passengers in inner-city and regional transport is increasing rapidly, and it is becoming increasingly important to enable short intervals between services and to create space for all passengers. To ensure this, an efficient solution must be implemented for both shuttle lines for leisure activities and lines for commuters, enabling all types of bicycles to be loaded and unloaded quickly.

Various rear carrier solutions are currently in use:
The IVB has static rear carriers mounted on the J line. Due to the rapid technological boom in e-bikes and downhill bikes and the associated increase in the number of recreational athletes, this solution is reaching its limits. The current solution is a rigid welded steel device for up to 4 bikes with a U-hook-shaped holder for the front wheel at the top and a guide at the bottom of the bike carrier. Two V-shaped brackets at the top and bottom secure the bikes against swinging (see challenge image). The loading process requires passengers to lift the bike to a height of approximately 2.1 meters until the rim of the front wheel is in the holder. The rear wheel must then be placed in the guide and the bike secured by a rubber expander on the rear wheel. With the current solution, the weight of the sports equipment and the height of the holder (approx. 2.1 meters) pose major challenges for many passengers. Especially when transporting e-bikes and downhill bikes, it is almost impossible for many passengers to secure the bike on the rear carrier on their own and as quickly as possible. Due to the tight schedule and the busy surroundings of inner-city traffic, it regularly happens that drivers overlook passengers with bicycles and these passengers attempt to load their bicycles unnoticed, either failing to do so or the driver continuing their journey during the loading process.

At VVT, various rear carrier models are currently in use. There are already solutions in place that use gas pressure springs to simplify the process of hanging the bikes. The arm with the bike mount is pulled down, the front wheel is hooked in, and by pushing lightly on the saddle, the bike is lifted up almost by itself. However, the various models are not intuitive to use and require several steps, which means that securing and fully mounting the wheels takes a lot of time. Currently, drivers are asked to assist with loading and unloading in 90% of cases – the goal would be to keep drivers out of this process so that they can remain in their driver's seat. An explanatory video on how to use the most commonly used rear carrier model at VVT can be viewed here: https://www.vvt.at/mobilitaet/rad
Due to steeper sections of the route (gradients of 15%–17% are not uncommon), a certain mounting height of the rear carrier is required to prevent the bikes from dragging on the road at the rear.

There is therefore room for improvement in the design of the rear carrier, moving from static suspension to dynamic support for loading and unloading bicycles with intuitive usability, taking into account technical limitations and critical factors in public transport (e.g., cycle time, driver instructions, safety, etc.).
The currently known solutions are too labor-intensive or too difficult to operate to be seamlessly integrated into public transport bus services.

The new bike rack should be easy and intuitive to use thanks to a supportive technical system or supportive design of the rear rack. This will ensure that every passenger can use the system safely and easily. The aim is to significantly improve transport options for bicycles of all kinds, regardless of the age and physical condition of passengers using public transport, and to help increase the share of sustainable forms of transport in the overall volume of traffic. The convenient integration of bicycle transport makes the use of environmentally friendly public transport more attractive, thus making an important contribution to promoting sustainable mobility. In addition, a reporting system for the driver should be considered in order to relieve the burden on the driving personnel and to specifically expand the field of attention to the loading and unloading process.

The solution we are looking for should also be highly recyclable in terms of the materials used. The bike rack should be designed so that parts can be easily replaced and it can be recycled as completely as possible at the end of its service life. This underscores our commitment to environmental responsibility and resource conservation and must therefore be taken into account in the solutions submitted.
Overall, the new bike rack stands for innovation, sustainability, and user-friendliness—setting new standards in the field of intermodal mobility.

In summary, when loading/unloading, it is important that:

• It is easy and intuitive to understand (without the need for an explanatory video) and does not cause stress for customers and drivers.
• It requires only a few steps.
• It works regardless of physical conditions (physical strength, height, age, etc.).
• It can be done as quickly as possible.
• The driver receives a signal that the bike is securely mounted (no bottles, bags, or other equipment left on the bike) -> to be understood as an optional part of the challenge.
• The driver is aware that the bike is being loaded/unloaded at the rear (rear view cameras are not available everywhere and are currently obstructed by rear carriers in some cases)
• Secure attachment without damaging other bikes or your own bike
• Cost-effective to procure

Non-goals:

• Special bicycles such as cargo bikes, tricycles, recumbent bikes, and fat bikes do not need to be transportable
• Double-decker buses are not to be considered
• Articulated buses are not currently to be considered
• No trailers or similar solutions that require the use of an external device
• No superstructures using robot arms or similar devices that would exceed a reasonable budget

Take advantage of this opportunity to present your innovative approaches. Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe and Stubaitalbahn GmbH (IVB), together with Verkehrsverbund Tirol (VVT), are looking for specific products and concepts that can be implemented in the very near future and enable bicycles to be transported efficiently at the rear of buses.

Companies can submit their proposals using the online form by November 23, 2025:

Description:
Focus primarily on how your solution would contribute to the desired result. Describe the overall approach of your solution as well as the technical implementation and integration into everyday public transport.

The focus of the description should match the evaluation criteria and critical points for public transport. Please note that the technical approach behind the submitted solution should be presented as transparently as possible. In addition, both the derivation of the idea/product and the approach used behind the new solution should be presented in a clear and easily understandable manner. Use a visualization to show what your solution might look like in practice! Share a photo or sketch in PDF format to visualize your solution.

Points to be taken into account in public transport services:

• Easy, intuitive, and quick operation to maintain schedule and punctuality
• Route layout – inclines and narrow sections on the route
• Signal to driver during loading or unloading
• Passengers must be able to operate the carrier regardless of size, age, strength, etc.
• Maximum vehicle length including bodywork and bicycle at the rear should not exceed 13.5 meters (KflG – the vehicle length without bodywork is 12 meters)

If possible, provide convincing examples of use cases and references. Share your ideas regarding the course of the project (wishes, notes to the project managers). Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a visualization of the submitted solution, showing the product and its functionality.

Summary of Added Value:
Highlight your unique selling proposition and key advantages! What makes your solution particularly innovative? What sets you apart?

Confidential information (for the jury only):
Give us an idea of what your proposal means in terms of costs and effort. This will help the sponsors to design the procurement project within the right framework at an early stage. Please describe this information with reference to the project.
In this text field, you can enter additional information that you would like to share exclusively with the project managers. Alternatively, you can send a PDF by email to the challenge moderators.

In addition, a cover image is required. This is your visual flagship in the overview of submissions for this challenge.

Optionally, you may also attach files or graphics that complement, but not duplicate or replace, the texts in the form fields!

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Submissions as a consortium are possible. Please be brief (guideline: maximum 10-12 presentation slides or 4-5 DIN A4 pages). This challenge is part of a market exploration. It is therefore not necessary to prepare specially developed drafts or feasibility studies for this occasion.

References:
If you already have a market-ready product, please include references or reference projects, including photos, with your submission.