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Hi, I am Tim

Tim Holthaus

Verkehrswirtschaftsingenieur

Since 2015, I have been working in transport research – always with a passion for turning complex data into meaningful insights. My focus lies on the processing of big and novel data sources (such as mobile network data, floating car data, etc.) for transportation planning and research. This includes data fusion and, whenever possible, record linkage. The goal: to better predict the factors influencing mobility while accounting for the full interplay between mobility options and the spatial distribution of origins and destinations.

My academic work has revolved around network planning, the functional classification of spaces, and urban logistics – particularly extending the concept of urban logistics to all relevant stakeholders. I also conducted large-scale analyses of public transport accessibility and its comparison with car accessibility, based on the EU-wide network model developed in my dissertation and parameterized with floating car data.

But I am not only defined by research. As a father, I’ve learned that logistics at home can sometimes be more challenging than urban logistics on paper. Beyond family life, I simply enjoy analysis – whether it’s mobility networks, open-source projects, or everyday puzzles. Curiosity keeps me going.

For detailed information about my work click here

Adaptability
Research Integrity
Team Collaboration
Informed Decision-Making
Problem Solving
Analytical Reasoning
Data Analysis
Quantitative Methods
Scientific Communication

Skills

Cloud Computing

Worked with most of the major clouds such as GCP, AWS, Azure etc.

Docker

Write most of the programs as dockerized container. Experienced with multi-stage, multi-arch build process.

Linux

Using as the main operating system. Capable of writing bash/shell scripts.

Git

Experienced with git-based development.

R

Advanced data analysis and visualization with R.

PostgreSQL / PostGIS

Strong experience in spatial and relational database management. Used for large-scale data processing, network analysis, and geospatial operations including topology handling.

Java

Know basic Java programming. Used for contest programming, problem solving and App-development.

Python

Working knowledge of Python for data analysis, routing applications, and backend development. Currently expanding toward advanced data science and web integration.

Apache Spark

High-level experience with distributed data processing. Exploring large-scale data workflows and performance optimization.

Rust

Know basic Rust programming. Used for contest programming and problem solving.

LaTeX

Experienced in scientific writing using LaTeX, particularly with the KOMA-Script scrbook and beamer class for structured documents.

Adaptability

Flexible in adapting to new methods, tools, and evolving research or project requirements.

Research Integrity

Committed to rigorous, transparent, and reproducible research practices.

Collaboration

Experienced in working effectively within interdisciplinary teams and project environments.

Decision-Making

Capable of making informed, data-driven decisions under uncertainty.

Problem Solving

Strong ability to structure and solve complex analytical and technical problems.

Analytical Reasoning

Advanced analytical thinking applied to data interpretation and model-based insights.

Data Analysis

Extensive experience in analyzing large datasets using R, SQL, and related tools.

Quantitative Methods

Application of statistical and quantitative methods for research and practical problem-solving.

Scientific Communication

Ability to clearly communicate complex results to both academic and non-technical audiences.

Job Stations

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antwortING – Beratende Ingenieure PartGmbB

October 2025 - March 2026

Cologne

antwortING – Beratende Ingenieure PartGmbB is an engineering consultancy that specializes in improving disaster prevention, offering practical solutions for fire services, emergency medical care and crisis management.

Lead Engineer for Mobility and Logistics

October 2025 - March 2026

Responsibilities:
  • Leading the transport, mobility, and spatial planning product segment.
  • Developing automated analytical pipelines for accessibility and criticality assessments in emergency and civil protection systems.
University of Wuppertal, Chair of Freight Transport Planning and Transport Logistics

August 2012 - June 2025

Wuppertal

The Chair of Freight Transport Planning and Transport Logistics at the University of Wuppertal focuses on planning and optimizing sustainable, efficient freight transport within broader transport and spatial systems.

Senior Lecturer/ Academic Councillor

June 2021 - June 2025

Responsibilities:
  • Conceptualizing, coordinating, and acquiring interdisciplinary research projects.
  • Collaborating closely with planning teams, research units, and external partners.
  • Designing and implementing analytical methods and models (e.g., accessibility analyses based on OSM and GTFS) to reduce methodological uncertainty through transparent and reproducible modeling.
  • Building reproducible data pipelines in Python, R, and PostgreSQL/PostGIS to support strategic decision-making.
  • Leading the methodological development of core analytical approaches (de facto lead role).
  • Evaluating and advancing existing guidelines and planning frameworks (e.g., network design and infrastructure planning principles).
  • Teaching and supervising academic theses.
Research Associate

January 2015 - June 2021

Responsibilities:
  • Coordinating and contributing to interdisciplinary research projects.
  • Collaborating closely with planning teams, research units, and external partners.
  • Designing and implementing analytical methods and models to reduce methodological uncertainty through transparent and reproducible modeling.
  • Building reproducible data pipelines in Python, R, and PostgreSQL/PostGIS to support strategic decision-making.
  • Evaluating and advancing existing guidelines and planning frameworks (e.g., network and design principles).
  • Teaching and supervising academic theses.
Research Assistant

August 2012 - January 2015

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ZeitOnline

May 2020 - Present

Hamburg

Consulting on spatial data analysis with a focus on accessibility and geospatial modeling for media applications.

Consultant

May 2020 - Present

Responsibilities:
  • Methodological consulting, particularly on the analysis and visualization of spatial data (e.g., hospital accessibility).
Freelancer

January 2018 - June 2021

Wuppertal

GIS-focused data analysis consulting with emphasis on mobility/transport, advising companies, public authorities, and media.

CEO

January 2018 - June 2021

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Recent Posts

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Teaching & Supervision

Courses Bergische Universität Wuppertal Computersimulationen des Fußverkehrs, ÖPNV- und Straßenverkehrs (Teil 5.18-a) Computer Simulation of Pedestrian, Public Transport and Road Traffic (Part 5.18-a) Period: 04/2022 – 04/2025 Role: Primary Instructor Responsibilities: Full responsibility for course design, teaching, and assessment Focus: Public transport and road traffic Grundlagen der Verkehrsmodellierung und Systemtheorie Fundamentals of Transport Modelling and Systems Theory Period: 10/2019 – 04/2023 Role: Co-Instructor Responsibilities: Co-responsible for course design, teaching, and examinations Netzgestaltung im Güterverkehr Network Design in Freight Transport

Monday, March 23, 2026 | 5 minutes Read
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Research Dissemination

Research Presentations 2024 Erreichbarkeit von Krankenhäusern Accessibility of hospitals SciCar 2024 – Joint workshop with Lars Koppers (SMC), Ulrich Lang (SWR) and Sven Lautenbach (HeiGIT & Heidelberg University) Dortmund, Germany · 27.09.2024 2023 Methodik und Ergebnisse der Multi-Source-Analysen – Teil: Erreichbarkeit und Pendeln Methodology and results of multi-source analyses – focus on accessibility and commuting Final conference of the project VerBindungen Berlin, Germany · 03.11.2023 VerBindungen: Pendlergewichtete Reisezeiten im mIV und ÖPV VerBindungen: commuter-weighted travel times in private and public transport Statistische Woche 2023 Dortmund, Germany · 11.09.2023

Monday, March 23, 2026 | 2 minutes Read
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Medial Publications/Work

2026 2025 Science Media Center (2025) Geburtshilfe in Deutschland – Fahrzeiten, Fallzahlen, Versorgungslevel: Calculation of travel times and distances based on the 100 m grid (GeoGrid) of the 2022 Census. 📅 04.12.2025 Selected media reactions: Quarks (Instagram) Ärzteblatt Apotheken Umschau Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit RP Online ZEIT Online (2025) Welcher Stadtteil passt zu mir?: Accessibility analysis & data consulting 2024 Science Media Center (2024) Schlaganfallversorgung in Deutschland – Interaktive Karten zu Stroke Units und Fahrzeiten: Calculation of travel times and distances based on the 100 m grid (GeoGrid) of the 2022 Census. 📅 20.11.2024

Monday, March 23, 2026 | 3 minutes Read
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Committees & Memberships

Road and Transportation Research Association (FGSV) AK 1.2.10 – Big Data in Transport Planning (Big Data in der Verkehrsplanung) Website of AK 1.2.10 Member since 2022 AK 1.1.3 – Accessibility Planning (Erreichbarkeitsplanung) Website of AK 1.1.3 Member since 2021 AA 1.3 – Network Design (Netzgestaltung) Website of AA 1.3 Member since 2014 AA 1.6 – Public Transport (Öffentlicher Verkehr) Website of AA 1.6 Member since 2022 AK 1.6.12 – Urban Cable Cars (Urbane Seilbahnen) Website of AK 1.6.12 Leader since 2022

Monday, March 23, 2026 | 1 minute Read
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Academic Publications

Peer-Reviewed Publications (Referenzierte Publikationen) 2025 Analysis and stress-test of the spatial accessibility to German radiation oncology centers Analyse und Stresstest der räumlichen Erreichbarkeit deutscher Strahlentherapiezentren Straube, C.; Medenwald, D.; Mayregger, P.; Holthaus, T. Strahlentherapie und Onkologie DOI: 10.1007/s00066-025-02435-7 2024 Locations of LTL logistics service providers as urban consolidation centers – the Düsseldorf case and its transferability Standorte von Stückgutlogistikdienstleistern als urbane Konsolidierungszentren – Fallstudie Düsseldorf und Übertragbarkeit Thiemermann, A.; Holthaus, T.; Mayregger, P.; Leerkamp, B. Transportation Planning and Technology, 1–26 DOI: 10.1080/03081060.2024.2420272 2023 Example application of the guidelines for integrated network design in freight transport Beispielhafte Anwendung der Richtlinien für die integrierte Netzgestaltung für den Güterverkehr Thiemermann, A.; Holthaus, T. Straßenverkehrstechnik, 01/2023, Bonn DOI: 10.53184/SVT1-2023-1 Conference Proceedings (Konferenzberichte) 2025 Utilizing mobile phone data for mobility planning Nutzbarmachung von Mobilfunkdaten für die Mobilitätsplanung Leerkamp, B.; Groß, F.; Holthaus, T. In: Proff H. (eds) New Players in Mobility, 449–458, Springer Gabler DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-46485-1_28 2023 GIS-based transfer of Chinese consolidation strategies in parcel logistics using the case of Berlin Eine GIS-gestützte Übertragung chinesischer Bündelungsstrategien des KEP-Segments am Beispiel Berlins Schlott, M.; Holthaus, T.; Kuchhäuser, J. In: Proff H. (eds) Towards the New Normal in Mobility, 457–474, Springer Gabler DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-39438-7_27 2022 Identification of German road design classes in the OpenStreetMap network Identifikation deutscher Straßenentwurfsklassen im Straßennetz von OpenStreetMap Holthaus, T.; Thiemermann, A. AGIT – Journal for Applied Geoinformatics, 8, 93–105 DOI: 10.14627/537728010 2019 Urban freight transport concept for Basel Städtisches Güterverkehrskonzept Basel Wittenbrink, P.; Leerkamp, B.; Holthaus, T. In: Proff H. (eds) Mobilität in Zeiten der Veränderung, 351–369, Springer Gabler DOI: 10.1007/978-3-658-26107-8_27 Journal & Professional Articles (Fachaufsätze) 2024 Data deficits in publicly available planned timetable data in Germany Datendefizite frei zugänglicher SOLL-Fahrplandaten in Deutschland Holthaus, T.; Bruch, H.; Leerkamp, B. Internationales Verkehrswesen, 76(2), 76–81, expert verlag, Tübingen ISSN: 0020-9511 DOI: 10.24053/IV-2024-0032 2022 Health and density Gesundheit und Dichte Busch, R.; Holthaus, T.; Sabelfeld, R.; Wolfrath, S. Forum Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung, 05, 236–240 Article-URL

Monday, March 23, 2026 | 5 minutes Read
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Influence of the Planned Hospital Reform on Accessibility

Background Last year, Julius Tröger approached me and informed me about the ongoing discussion regarding the hospital reform in Germany. We already knew each other from a joint project for ZeitOnline, where we calculated the accessibility of vaccination centers for various scenarios.1 Yes, 2021 was a crazy year. Now… since the workflow for examining hospital accessibility is very similar, if not identical, it quickly became clear that we would collaborate again this time.

Saturday, May 4, 2024 | 5 minutes Read

Featured Posts

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Influence of the Planned Hospital Reform on Accessibility

Background Last year, Julius Tröger approached me and informed me about the ongoing discussion regarding the hospital reform in Germany. We already knew each other from a joint project for ZeitOnline, where we calculated the accessibility of vaccination centers for various scenarios.1 Yes, 2021 was a crazy year. Now… since the workflow for examining hospital accessibility is very similar, if not identical, it quickly became clear that we would collaborate again this time.

Saturday, May 4, 2024 | 5 minutes Read
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Function to determine German holidays in PostgreSQL-12

Background Big data must be enriched with other information so that observations and behavior can be analyzed exaltly. This also includes holidays because they have a strong influence on people’s behavior. So that the holidays do not have to be researched manually for each year, it is advisable to convert the logic behind the (German) holidays into a plpgsql function (see below – tested with PostgreSQL 12). PSQL-Function Holidays that are not defined by an exact date are dependent on Easter. The lower function returns the date for Easter Sunday for the desired year.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020 | 3 minutes Read
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Interactive Accessibility Analysis in Public Transport Using GTFS Data (Part-1)

Data-Driven Accessibility in Public Transport Planning As an initial example of data-driven accessibility analysis in public transport planning, this study presents an evaluation based on timetable data. The analysis relies on data provided in the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) format, supplied by the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg under a Creative Commons V3 license. Technical Background Using a spatial grid with a resolution of 100 × 100 meters, travel time isochrones are computed and visualized under defined parameters, such as departure or arrival time, and maximum walking distance. The computation of a single isochrone takes approximately one second, enabling efficient and systematic comparisons between existing (as-is) and planned (target) service scenarios. This analytic approach is particularly effective for identifying accessibility deficits in current timetables and supports evidence-based strategies for developing or updating local public transport plans.

Sunday, April 22, 2018 | 3 minutes Read

Projects

Publications and Lectures

Analysis and stress-test of the spatial accessibility to German radiation oncology centers
Strahlentherapie und Onkologie 24 July 2025
Christoph Straube Daniel Medenwald Tim Holthaus

This study evaluates geographic accessibility to radiation oncology centers across Germany using spatial analysis and simulation. It identifies regional disparities and vulnerabilities in healthcare infrastructure, proposing a stress-testing framework for resilience planning.

Radiation Oncology Accessibility Healthcare Planning Geospatial Analysis
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Locations of LTL-logistics service providers as urban consolidation centers – the Düsseldorf case and its possible transferability
Transportation Planning and Technology 28 October 2024
Andre Thiemermann Tim Holthaus Patrick Mayregger Bert Leerkamp

The paper analyzes how logistics service providers can function as urban consolidation centers (UCCs) using a Düsseldorf case study. It shows that existing logistics locations can enable sustainable urban freight transport without requiring inner-city space, supporting proximity logistics and better land-use planning.

Urban Logistics Freight Transport Sustainability City Planning
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Beispielhafte Anwendung der Richtlinien für die integrierte Netzgestaltung für den Güterverkehr
Straßenverkehrstechnik / FGSV publication 2023
Andre Thiemermann Tim Holthaus

This work demonstrates the application of integrated network design guidelines for freight transport, focusing on German road networks and planning methodologies using geospatial datasets.

Freight Transport Network Design Infrastructure Germany
Identifikation deutscher Straßenentwurfsklassen im Straßennetz von OpenStreetMap / Identification of German Road Design Classes in the OpenStreetMap Road Network
AGIT – Journal für Angewandte Geoinformatik 2022
Tim Holthaus Andre Thiemermann

This paper presents a method to classify German road design standards within OpenStreetMap data. It improves the usability of OSM for transport planning and accessibility analysis by enriching road network attributes.

OpenStreetMap Road Networks Transport Modeling
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