This document discusses transport poverty and how shared mobility could help address it. It notes that public transportation is often expensive and inadequate, particularly in rural areas, while private vehicles are also too costly. Shared mobility services like car sharing and bike sharing could provide affordable transportation, but several obstacles need to be addressed first, such as upfront costs, digital barriers, and ensuring compensation in the event of accidents or theft. The document proposes some potential solutions such as subsidized fares, linking services to existing social programs, expanding options outside cities, and establishing mobility hubs.

1. Shared Mobility
The thin line between
inclusion and exclusion
SHARED MOBILITY ROCKS, March 21st 2018, Aalst

2. Transport Poverty
Public Transport
De Lijn (bus): higher prices, less service
NMBS (train): expensive, high-threshold
Car:
Purchase of car: too expensive
No driving licence
Bicycle
Purchase of bicycle: too expensive, especially for
families with children
Bicycles are often stolen
Unsafe traffic

3. Transport Poverty: violation of
fundamental rights
7 out of 10 people in poverty find it hard to get a job
because of mobility issues (ref. Mobikansen)
Zarren/Kortemark: Half a day to reach the hospital by
public transport
Antwerp: bus lines cut or shortened – social isolation
Heist-op-den-Berg: activity/event: impossible to get back
home by public transport
Ghent/Antwerp: Limited mobility for younger people –
work, friends, leisure

4. Shared Mobility: Opportunities
No purchase of car/bicycle necessary
Flexible, especially in cities
Car: no expensive insurance
Only pay for transport: limited fixed costs
No private storage necessary for car or bicycle
Not stigmatizing: no seperate transport circuit for people
with low income
POTENTIALLY low-threshold

5. Shared Mobility: Obstacles
Zarren/Kortemark:
Transport Poverty is a big challenge
Hardly any public transport
Transport for people with limited mobility: limited and
expensive
Lack of public services in the neighbourhood
Local group provides transport itself from and to activities
Possible solution: car sharing
Few people with driving licence
Weekly budget €50 - €70
Relatively high costs: kilometer allowance, subscription,
guarantee, …
Fear of unexpected expenses (e.g. in case of accident)
Digital framework: big challenge (smartphone, app, credit card,
cost overview)

6. Shared Mobility: Obstacles
Ghent/Antwerp:
Younger people face limited mobility
Public transport becoming more expensive
No car
High rate of bicycle thefts
Unsafe traffic situation: Ghent ↔ Antwerp
Main way of getting around: on foot (limited range)
Possible solution: bicycle sharing
Weekly budget €50 - €70
Villo/Velo: High subscription fare. Blue-bike: more
affordable
Limited to bigger cities
Stolen? Who’s responsible?
Digital framework: big challenge (smartphone, app,
credit card)

7. Shared Mobility: Possible Solutions
Car sharing
Most affordable: private car sharing (Dégage, Cozy Car,
…)
Social fare for subscription/km-allowance
Investigate possibility to get a driving license by car
sharing?
Guarantee in case of accidents:
By (local) authorities?
Solidarity mechanism? Contribution to social deposit
for compensation in case of accidents?
Digital thresholds
Link with existing systems
Uitpas
Alternative for payment by credit card
Introduce car sharing outside city center

8. Shared Mobility: Possible Solutions
Bicycle sharing
Social fare voor subscription/km-allowance
Digital thresholds
Link with existing systems
Uitpas
Alternative for payment by credit card
Introduce system outside city center
E-bikes? Wider range
E-rikshaw: for people with limited mobility?
Mobipunten: Mobility hubs