Leading Transport and Research Organizations Establish the 1st Global Convening on Informal & Shared Mobility
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2026
BANGKOK, THAILAND – Tuktuks, matatus, jeepneys: Informal and shared mobility (ISM) serve as the primary mode of transport for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Despite this, no global forum has ever been dedicated to discussing and leveraging their essential role in global mobility. Leading organizations* have announced a milestone event to change that, bringing together the research, policy, and community voices that have long been missing from the global conversation on how cities move — a historic first for the sector. The 1st Global Convening on Informal & Shared Mobility (GLOCON) will take place October 26–28, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Bangkok is one of many cities where informal and shared mobility is indispensable to daily urban life, yet it has often remained at the margins of formal transport policy and planning,” said Apiwat Ratanawaraha, Associate Professor, Chulalongkorn University Transportation Institute (CUTI), “As a local partner and host institution, CUTI is proud to support GLOCON as a platform for rethinking how informal and shared mobility can contribute to more sustainable, inclusive, and just urban mobility futures.”
“The goal of GLOCON is to build a future where cities and rural areas meaningfully invest in and integrate informal and shared mobility as essential parts of their transportation systems,” said Henrik Nolmark, Executive Director of Volvo Research and Educational Foundations. “Transforming popular transport into a powerful catalyst for sustainable development and social justice requires strong data, shared knowledge, and collaboration. Through GLOCON, we are bringing together leading global research and creating space for informed dialogue that can shape the future of mobility.”
The groundbreaking convening is built on three core pillars:
- Shared Knowledge: Building a rigorous, interdisciplinary understanding of informal and shared mobility, with a specific focus on knowledge from and for the Global South for the first time ever.
- Shared Movement: Creating a rare space where labor, government, research, and community voices in popular transportation are equally at the table, working together toward people-centered mobility systems.
- Shared Transformation: Serving as a catalyst for fair and inclusive systems change where workers and small operators help shape the future of mobility rather than simply inherit it.
These pillars turn into action through a comprehensive program and research initiative:
- ISM Graduate Research Academy (October 23–24): An intensive, invitation-only mentorship program for graduate researchers, hosted by PRISM and CUTI.
- Main conference (October 26-28): Featuring plenary sessions, keynote addresses, panel discussions, and site visits in Bangkok.
- Independent Side Events (October 25 & 29): Focused roundtables, workshops, and receptions hosted by partners and sponsors.
- Joint Call for Papers (Submit by December 19): Selected academic submissions will be presented at the conference and considered for publication in a special joint issue across three leading journals: ATS, AFTRAN, and LATS.
The organizers also plan to unveil or sign the landmark ISM Global Declaration during the event, setting a foundational commitment to advancing equitable and sustainable informal transit worldwide.
To reserve a spot, submit research, or explore sponsorship opportunities, visit informalandsharedmobility.net or ticketstripe.com/glocon_2026
*See full list of co-organizers below.
About: The 1st Global Convening on Informal & Shared Mobility (GLOCON) takes place October 26–28, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand: the first global gathering dedicated to advancing knowledge, policy, and collaboration on informal and shared mobility systems.
GLOCON is presented by the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF), supported by the Clean Mobility Collective (CMC) and Kuehne Climate Center, and co-organized by Chulalongkorn University Transportation Institute (CUTI), Partnership for Research in Informal and Shared Mobility (PRISM), Global Network for Popular Transportation (GNPT), at Columbia Climate School, Shared-Use Mobility Center (SUMC), World Resources Institute (WRI) Ross Center for Cities, Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies (EASTS), Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC), and Trufi Association.
Contact: convening@informalandshared.net
ABOUT THE SHARED-USE MOBILITY CENTER (SUMC)
SUMC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public interest organization and international thought leader working to equip and connect change leaders advancing people-centered shared mobility systems to fight climate change, promote equity, and strengthen community. Learn more at www.sharedusemobilitycenter.org.
