New campaign for F'kes to ride along

It is fast and durable. And it can be done anywhere. But it's extra nice to do it at the elevator columns F'kes ride along: hitchhike. Brainport Bereikbaar will start a new campaign at the end of April to once again draw attention to this pleasant way of driving together. Project leader Eline Swinkels tells more about it.

F'kes ride along is one of the ways in which Brainport Bereikbaar encourages riding together. Why?

'If you drive together, it will save at least one car on the road. And hitchhiking is a very accessible way to ride together: it does not require extensive agreements. Of course it offers even more advantages. As a hitchhiker you have no parking or petrol costs and you do not have to look for a parking spot. It is often a lot faster than public transport and usually drops you off closer to your final destination. You also get to know new people and have a different chat. This of course also applies to the person giving the lift. Moreover, it can mean something to someone else. Yet people are often hesitant to hitchhike or give a lift. Especially from a safety point of view. Of F'kes ride along we lower that threshold.'

How does F'kes ride along make hitchhiking easier?

'The lift columns of F'kes ride along are a recognizable point in a core. They are located in a place where people can get in safely and they are well lit. At the lift column you can indicate where you want to go and then wait on a bench until someone gives you a lift. And the nice thing is that they are close to you. So you may know the hitchhiker or lift giver. Or someone close to him or her.'

Why are you going to run another activation campaign soon?

'Last year we installed six lift columns in De Kempen. We then gave it the necessary attention and quickly saw its use increase. Unfortunately, it turned out that the solar panels on the columns could not keep the battery running in this dark winter. Fortunately, we have now found a good solution for this together with the four Kempen municipalities. The columns are now fully operational again. In addition, the nice weather is coming and people want to go out more often. Even when the sun is shining, it is less of a problem to wait a few minutes for your lift. A great moment to promote the concept again.'

How are you going to do that?

'With a social media campaign. We have created an Instagram account, recorded videos and we will approach people in the Kempen specifically online. We also try to increase involvement in the cores. We do this by working together with residents, associations and, for example, community centers to expand the number of lift points. This all contributes to making lifts a more normal mode of transport. Sharing experiences also helps. For example, people who have used the lift column do not experience any unsafe feeling at all and now know that it is a pleasant and pleasant way to travel.'

How do you know that?

'We keep track of how many buttons on the lift columns are pressed. To obtain even more data, we will also use surveys and user tests on a larger scale. I would certainly like to share the results as soon as they arrive!'

Would you like to know more about F'kes? Visit fkesmeeRiding.nl or contact Eline. Fama Volat is developing the campaign for F'kes to ride with the aim of getting residents from the Kempen to embrace the hitchhiking mentality and make use of it.