50+ organizations agree to make shared mobility the first, best choice over private car use
CHICAGO – Today, at the 2022 National Shared Mobility Summit, some 50 public, private, and nonprofit organizations announced a major initiative to develop and advance the Shared Mobility Action Agenda so that by 2030, equitable, low-carbon shared mobility will be more convenient, more practical, more available, easier to use, and even more accessible and more affordable than driving a car.
“The gas price spike has – again – made many of us painfully aware of our overreliance on cars. While electrification is necessary, it’s not enough to solve our systemic mobility problems,” said Benjamin de la Peña, CEO of the Shared-Use Mobility Center. “The Agenda and Action Network intend to make shared mobility the first and best option over car ownership within the decade. We need to do this to fight climate change, make mobility more equitable, and to help households save money. This isn’t just another sign-on document. We’ve developed a to-do list to actually get it done.”
This is a pivotal moment for the future of transportation. Low-income households spend almost 40% of their income on transportation. The latest research shows that we’re running out of time to take bold action on the climate crisis. The number of people killed by drivers nationwide while simply walking increased almost 50% over the last decade, and more of the victims were older adults and people of color.
“Shared mobility strategies can deliver on the promise of safer roads, more equitable transportation, and the sustainable movement of people and goods – if done right. That’s why we’re here,” Marla Westervelt, vice president of policy at Coalition for Reimagined Mobility. “Coming together with an influential network of public, private and community advocates, we can collaborate and act to shape the transportation of tomorrow and address the current global energy security and climate crises.”
Over 50 public, private and non-profit organizations have already committed to advancing the Agenda, which supports all shared transportation options, from public transportation to ride-hail, from car-sharing to on-demand responsive microtransit, from shared bikes and scooters to paratransit. In advance of the release of version 1.0 of the Agenda later this summer, the immediate goal is to continue to grow the number of participating organizations and gain even more momentum.
“We can’t forget that shared mobility is not just about getting people onto or into some kind of shared vehicle,” said Vincent Valdes, executive director, president and CEO of Southwest Pennsylvania Commission. “Creating walkable spaces, reimagining how we plan our cities to reduce commutes and promoting outdoor spaces built for people – not cars – is all part of our shared mobility goals. We’re excited to see how we can apply lessons learned to our community and help others do the same.”
The International Energy Association finds that having more shared rides and using more public transportation and micromobility can reduce global oil consumption by as much as 800,000 barrels per day, which is nearly 300 million barrels per year, saving money and reducing harmful air pollutants.
“As the global leader in TransitTech, we believe in a world where everyone has access to efficient, affordable mobility. The cost of car ownership is higher than many families can afford, but far too often is the only way to access jobs, education, and healthcare. Technology to make transit flexible and shared can help all types of communities -from rural towns to big cities- increase economic opportunity for their residents while reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hind Ourahou, the Mobility Policy Principal at Via.
Another benefit of moving to shared mobility is communities can stop ceding valuable property to parking lots and highways and adding to existing maintenance deficits on miles and miles of land currently dedicated to moving and accommodating cars. The Agenda aims to ensure we maximize the benefits of making shared mobility more convenient than driving a car.
“The devil is always in the details,” said Kevin Chambers, founder and principal of Full Path Transit Technology. “There are so many ways that shared mobility can be done wrong. Getting so many organizations and individuals with different perspectives together to collaborate on the best paths forward will help ensure we make measurable advances on shared mobility. A priority for me has been making sure that the agenda includes the needs of rural and community-based mobility services.”
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The Shared Mobility 2030 Action Agenda is convened by the Shared-Use Mobility Center, an organization working to replace car-centric transportation with people-focused shared mobility to fight climate change, promote equity, and strengthen community. By connecting the public and private sectors, piloting programs, conducting new research, and providing policy and technical expertise to cities and regions, SUMC seeks to extend the benefits of shared mobility for all.
