According to the city administration, the new signs are meant to clearly indicate which vehicles are permitted to park in these spaces. The reason for introducing the new markings was a recurring pattern of confusion: despite existing road markings, drivers repeatedly parked in spaces reserved for other vehicles, after which their cars were towed at the request of car-sharing operators.
The problem turned out to be widespread enough that the authorities revised the signage system just a few months after the service launched.
If people don’t understand road signs, it’s usually not the signs that get changed, but the people who get taught the traffic rules — Ed.
Incorrect parking risks towing — new signs are supposed to put a stop to it
Under the municipality’s plans, the additional signs are meant to indicate that a station-based car-sharing space is reserved exclusively for the vehicle of the operator named on the sign. Parking there with vehicles belonging to other companies — including other car-sharing services — is prohibited.
The signs also warn that the operator granted special permission to use a given space is entitled to arrange for the towing of illegally parked vehicles itself, provided all legal conditions for doing so are met.
Apps with no-parking zones supplement the new signage system
The two operators currently active in Munich, STATTAUTO and CarVia, will, in parallel, use warnings about no-parking zones and other additional prompts for drivers in their apps in order to reduce the number of parking mistakes. The Department of Mobility developed the new signs together with both companies. Of the 108 fixed spaces, 95 are served by STATTAUTO and 13 by CarVia.
Munich’s Second Mayor, Mona Fuchs (Greens), explained the situation as follows:
“It’s understandable that no one wants to be left without their car because of a simple misunderstanding. We hope the new signs will help prevent that.”
Key facts about the launch of the project:
— the parking spaces were allocated to operators through an open competitive selection process based on a special-use permit;
— the decision to allocate the spaces is based on a city council resolution adopted as part of the “Shared Mobility” strategy back in January 2022;
— to date, the city has 108 fixed car-sharing parking spaces in operation.
Georg Dunkel, head of the Department of Mobility, noted that the relatively new road-sign system for car-sharing has proven insufficiently clear and little known among drivers. In his view, explanatory efforts should also be extended to driving schools going forward.
Station-based car-sharing is part of the city’s broader “Shared Mobility” strategy, which envisages creating up to 600 fixed car-sharing parking spaces across the city. According to the city administration’s estimates, each such vehicle can replace up to three privately owned cars, easing pressure on Munich’s limited parking space.
Outreach to residents has been ongoing since the start of the project
The Department of Mobility has provided informational support for station-based car-sharing since the service was launched.
If what they mean by this statement is printed pamphlets gathering dust in the department’s office, then that is not outreach — Ed.
Several information campaigns have been carried out in the city during this time. Residents of districts where new parking spaces appeared were notified by mail about the marking rules, how to use the service, and its benefits.
Ha ha. Does the municipality really believe that spam counts as informing people? A picture-perfect scene… — Ed.
Fixed spaces differ fundamentally from ordinary car-sharing parking spots, which are open to any operator and any vehicle: each fixed space is always reserved for exactly one vehicle belonging to one specific company.
The new signs do not replace the existing road markings but merely supplement them with a clearer indication of which operator a given space belongs to. The city administration is thus counting on this measure to reduce the number of parking mistakes and the towing incidents that result from them — in which they are very much mistaken, just as they were in the case of their attempt to solve the problem of cyclists and their behavior.
Source: Landeshauptstadt München
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