From May 16 to 18, 2025, the first Transdev Mobility Hackathon took place at the Leonardo campus of the University of Münster. The event was organized by the Innovation and New Markets team in collaboration with Operations Planning and HR at Transdev – part of the Rethmann Group and the second-largest rail and bus company in Germany. 19 students from over 13 countries worked together to develop practical solutions for optimizing school bus routes.  

The goal was to develop route planning that is cost-efficient, regulation-compliant, and reflective of real-world conditions. Using real data, creative ideas, and operational requirements, participants developed impressive prototypes, interactive tools, and smart timetables aimed at making school transportation more efficient and sustainable. 

The software solutions included interactive maps, optimization algorithms, KPI dashboards, budget and resource calculations, as well as live cloud-based demonstrations. Beyond the innovative outcomes, the hackathon offered ample opportunities for networking and exchanging ideas with industry professionals. Some students have already expressed interest in internships or thesis collaborations with Transdev. The winning team received a prize of €1,500. 

The hackathon vividly demonstrated how young talents, real-world data, and operational challenges can come together to create innovative mobility solutions.  

Transdev is a project partner of the European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS). Together, they have launched the Future Mobility Lab – a project that enables students, faculty, and practitioners to contribute to shaping the future of mobility. 

Further information on the Future Mobility Lab can be found here.