Amsterdam Airport Schiphol aims to boost the number of employees cycling to work. Through a combination of interactive express cycling routes, a bike assistant, a trendy clothing line and a bike academy, the goinGDutch programme offers the ultimate commuting experience in busy urban areas. The first users are expected to hit the pedal in March 2020. 

Cyclists at heart

GoinGDutch is all about keeping cyclists’ interest and needs at heart. The bike assistant app helps cyclists plan their bike ride by offering tailor-made cycling advice suited to their needs on a particular day. The app, bicycle and traffic lights interact with each other during the bike ride helping cyclists to hit green waves.

ECF member Fietsersbond  spoke to Johan Winnubst, who is responsible for ground-breaking developments at the construction firm BAM, and Huub van der Linden, managing director of the ICT firm OrangeNXT. Together with Schiphol and Microsoft, they launched the project at the beginning of September.

'We want to contribute to a healthy environment for everyone at the airport. One way to help achieve this ambition is to encourage safe, active, quick and comfortable cycling to and from work, and goinGDutch is a great way to do this,' says Johan Winnubst.

Schiphol employs 66,000 people, 4,000 of whom cycle to work. 'This needs to grow to 7,000 by the end of next year and 10,000 by 2024,' explains Johan. 'The trains and roads are very busy, so every little thing that can lighten this load will help', adds Huub. 'We need to truly open up Schiphol to cyclists. At the water cooler, we need goinGDutch riders to spread the word as enthusiastically as possible to their colleagues who usually take the car or train. To ensure this positivity, we need to make goinGDutch extremely attractive to cyclists.'

Keeping this ambitious goal in mind, Schiphol strives to make the airport more accessible to cyclists via smart cycle paths, priority crossings for cyclists, bike parking with charging points and facilities such as showers. 

Combined Transport

Keen cyclists, Johan and Huub are noticeably enthusiastic about their plans. They also see massive potential in combining bicycles and trains. Huub lives in Eindhoven, travels to Schiphol by train, and believes that a combination of modes of different transport is the most logical transport solution to long commutes.

'My commute is much too far to cycle, but I often take the bike for shorter distances. There's no better way to start or finish your working day! 20,000 people live within 15km of Schiphol, which is an ideal distance for the bike or e-bike.'

Time-efficient

Health and vitality are not the only positive elements defining the GoinGDutch programme. 'Cycling to work isn't a viable time-saving option in Huub's case, for example', explains Johan. 'However, it does help you to manage your time better. For example, if you're always cycling, you don't need to spend as much time at the gym.' Huub adds 'You can also arrange to cycle to work with a specific co-worker, so you can have your first meeting during your commute! The community plays a key role in this regard.'

Inspiration

'goinGDutch was officially launched in September 2019 by Minister Stientje van Veldhoven', says Johan. ‘We're currently working hard to launch concepts and ideas, and there's a lot of work still to do. If you have any inspiring ideas for us, we'd love to hear from you!' You can find more information on the website www.goingdutch.bike.