Shared Mobility Division: A New Global Community Takes Shape in Istanbul
What does the future hold for shared mobility? Well, UITP brought intelligent minds together to explore the answer.
From 3-4 November, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality together with Metro Istanbul hosted the first-ever UITP Shared Mobility Division Meeting, marking a milestone in the global effort to integrate shared mobility into public transport systems.
Over two days, more than 100 participants from across the world gathered to exchange knowledge, debate strategies, and shape the future of shared mobility.
The event combined discussions, regional insights, and practical sessions on on-demand services, shared vehicles, and autonomous mobility.
Read on to discover the highlights of the event.
Day 1: setting the vision and exploring the trends
The opening remarks by then UITP President, Renée Amilcar, and Shared Mobility Division Chair, Endre Angelvik, set the tone: shared mobility is not a competitor to public transport but a vital complement, especially for last-mile connectivity and underserved areas.
Local hosts Barış Yıldırım and Dr. Pelin Alpkökin presented Istanbul’s dynamic mobility landscape, highlighting its 18 million functional population, 20 million daily motorised trips, and rapid metro expansion.
The Strategic Session emphasised three priorities:
- Integration is key – digital (open data, unified ticketing) and physical (mobility hubs).
- Behavioural change takes time – convenience and reliability matter most.
- Public-private partnerships are crucial – to enable stability and encourage innovation.
Regional insights showcased global diversity, including Global North-South divide and urban-rural distinctions, thus showing that transport is eminently local.
For example, Abu Dhabi is pushing for sustainable mobility with first/last mile solutions, Istanbul is progressing through cultural and regulatory challenges that include informal transport integration, and Europe is advancing in regulatory frameworks that drive service quality improvements in more mature and consolidated markets.
Dedicated sessions on on-demand mobility and shared vehicles were organised by the respective committees affiliated to the division and facilitated by their chairs, Mr Axel Drouadaine and Mr Angelo Meuleman.
They explored operational realities, cost efficiency and the role of cities in enabling infrastructure and regulation. Automation holds transformative potential in on-demand mobility to enable dynamic, efficient and integrated public transport ecosystems.
Lessons learnt were pulled together thanks to the participation of chairs of other relevant UITP committees, with input from Victoria Markewitz (Combined Mobility), Jonas Wigger (Automated Mobility Working Group), Busra Buran (Paratransit Working Group) and Ozgur Soy (Eurasia Division).
The key takeaway from day one? Shared mobility is evolving worldwide, but the common goal remains: creating seamless, sustainable urban mobility ecosystems through collaboration and integration.
Day 2: from ideas to action
The second day, facilitated by Vice-Chair Sascha Meyer, focused on increasing interactions and strengthening the community through round-table discussions and brokerage sessions. Highlights included:
- Five presentations inviting the audience to identify bottlenecks and solutions for scaling shared mobility, covering regulation and governance, impact measurement, and challenges and opportunities of autonomous vehicles.
- Nine pitches during the brokerage session showcasing cutting-edge solutions, from leveraging taxis for demand-responsive transport to AI-driven autonomous driving stacks and car-sharing technology integration.
The day also featured field visits across beautiful Istanbul and a flash meeting of the On-demand Mobility Committee.
Key Takeaways
- Shared mobility is a strategic enabler for sustainable, inclusive urban transport.
- Integration, regulation, and collaboration are critical for scaling.
- The Shared Mobility Division will act as a global community and knowledge hub, promoting shared mobility, encouraging collaboration and spreading best practices.
Looking ahead to the future
The meeting concluded with a clear message: a new global community is born. UITP will continue supporting members in shaping shared mobility as an integral part of public transport. The next Shared Mobility Division meeting is scheduled for 2027.
Want to be part of this journey?
Join the UITP Shared Mobility Division and help build a future where shared mobility and public transport work hand in hand to create better cities. For more information, contact the manager of the division: Lidia Signor, Head of Multimodal Mobility Unit, Knowledge & Innovation Department, UITP at [email protected] .
