Car, ride and bike sharing giants sign up to Shared Mobility Principles – and one shares social impacts

The pace of technology-driven innovation from the private sector in shared transportation services, vehicles, and networks is rapid, accelerating, and filled with opportunity. At the same time, city streets are a finite and scarce resource.

These principles, produced by a working group of international NGOs led by Robin Chase, and including c40, ICLEI and World Resources Institute, are designed to guide urban decision-makers and stakeholders toward the best outcomes for all.

Ride-sharing startups like Uber and Lyft have been notorious for clashing with city leaders as they expand, writes Venture Beat, one US blog that was part of a shared interview given by Robin Chase. ‘Now, as many transportation startups are looking in the direction of autonomous technology, 15 of them have signed a joint mobility pledge, outlining for skeptical city leaders how they aim to create more livable, sustainable cities.

‘This isn’t the first time shared transportation service providers have banded together to ensure their vision leads the discussion on urban mobility. In December, Uber, Grab, and Ola joined the International Association of Public Transport, an organization with around 1,400 members that aims to unite key stakeholders from across the transportation spectrum,’ says Venture Beat.

In a related story, BlaBlaCar, Europe's leading car-share company, releases a social study on the impacts of carpooling. 'Moments of genuine exchanges outside of one’s close circles are rare, says BlaBlaCar. 'Carpooling creates a unique space, enabling exchanges between people who might have never met otherwise but who come together to share a ride. It removes barriers and creates social ties.

“Bringing People Together” is the largest study conducted to date on the social impacts of carpooling. Based on a survey of close to five thousand members run with research consultancy firm Le Bipe, the study looks at precisely what types of social interactions are enabled by BlaBlaCar.

The Shared Mobility Principles

 

1. WE PLAN OUR CITIES AND THEIR MOBILITY TOGETHER. 

The way our cities are built determines mobility needs and how they can be met. Development, urban design and public spaces, building and zoning regulations, parking requirements, and other land use policies shall incentivize compact, accessible, livable, and sustainable cities.

2. WE PRIORITIZE PEOPLE OVER VEHICLES.

The mobility of people and not vehicles shall be in the center of transportation planning and decision-making. Cities shall prioritize walking, cycling, public transport and other efficient shared mobility, as well as their interconnectivity. Cities shall discourage the use of cars, single-passenger taxis, and other oversized vehicles transporting one person. Shared vehicles include all those used for hire to transport people (mass transit, private shuttles, buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws, car and bike-sharing) and urban delivery vehicles.

3. WE SUPPORT THE SHARED AND EFFICIENT USE OF VEHICLES, LANES, CURBS, AND LAND. 

Transportation and land use planning and policies should minimize the street and parking space used per person and maximize the use of each vehicle. We discourage overbuilding and oversized vehicles and infrastructure, as well as the oversupply of parking.

4. WE ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS. 

Residents, workers, businesses, and other stakeholders may feel direct impacts on their lives, their investments and their economic livelihoods by the unfolding transition to shared, zero-emission, and ultimately autonomous vehicles. We commit to actively engage these groups in the decision-making process and support them as we move through this transition.

 

5. WE PROMOTE EQUITY. 

Physical, digital, and financial access to shared transport services are valuable public goods and need thoughtful design to ensure use is possible and affordable by all ages, genders, incomes, and abilities.

6. WE LEAD THE TRANSITION TOWARDS A ZERO-EMISSION FUTURE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. 

Public transportation and shared-use fleets will accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Electric vehicles shall ultimately be powered by renewable energy to maximize climate and air quality benefits.

7. WE SUPPORT FAIR USER FEES ACROSS ALL MODES. 

Every vehicle and mode should pay their fair share for road use, congestion, pollution, and use of curb space. The fair share shall take the operating, maintenance and social costs into account. The future of mobility in cities is multimodal and integrated. When vehicles are used, they should be right-sized, shared, and zero emission.

8. WE AIM FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS VIA OPEN DATA. 

The data infrastructure underpinning shared transport services must enable interoperability, competition and innovation, while ensuring privacy, security, and accountability.

9. WE WORK TOWARDS INTEGRATION AND SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY. 

All transportation services should be integrated and thoughtfully planned across operators, geographies, and complementary modes. Seamless trips should be facilitated via physical connections, interoperable payments, and combined information. Every opportunity should be taken to enhance connectivity of people and vehicles to wireless networks.

 

10. WE SUPPORT THAT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES (AVS) IN DENSE URBAN AREAS SHOULD BE OPERATED ONLY IN SHARED FLEETS. 

Due to the transformational potential of autonomous vehicle technology, it is critical that all AVs are part of shared fleets, well-regulated, and zero emission. Shared fleets can provide more affordable access to all, maximize public safety and emissions benefits, ensure that maintenance and software upgrades are managed by professionals, and actualize the promise of reductions in vehicles, parking, and congestion, in line with broader policy trends to reduce the use of personal cars in dense urban areas.