“Shared mobility is a great alternative for the first mile, last mile or all the way”

Interview with Jeroen Schutter - Shared Mobility programme manager for the City of Amsterdam

Jeroen, how did you get involved in shared mobility?
“There are some interesting developments in the city right now. On the one hand, it’s getting increasingly crowded, with more people inhabiting the same surface area. They all have vehicles parked in the street, but also want their neighbourhoods to look nice and tidy. On the other hand, we’re starting to rethink our sacred cow – the car – because we want clean air. The Shared Mobility programme brings both sides together, and that was my reason for assuming the programme management in early 2020. We’re pioneers in a growth market, so we need to keep our eyes open to both the pros and the cons. Shared mobility is a great alternative for the first mile, last mile or all the way.”

What’s on the shared mobility agenda for the period ahead?
“A lot. Share bikes will be distributed to designated kerbside spaces at large public transport stations over the course of the summer, in phases. Here, we’ll be evaluating over the coming years whether there’s an added value to offering this as something of an extended OV bike concept. We’re also expanding the number of local hubs – ‘BuurtHubs’ – reserved for electric share vehicles only, and we’re about to pilot a fleet for healthcare workers.”

To what extent will we see this in Zuidas?
“Three BuurtHubs with a range of shared modalities are opening shortly, two on De Boelelaan and one on Parnassusweg. These hubs were created in consultation with local residents. From September, they can be used via Amaze, a simple app we’re already piloting now. In addition to a journey planner, the Amaze app offers an overview of different shared mobility providers plus public transport. In September, employers in Zuidas will have an opportunity to try out the app in the Zuidas Mobility Experience and so gain insight into the mobility behaviour of their workforce and how to encourage and incentivize them to switch to more sustainable behaviours. Keep an eye out for that!”

What are the opportunities for shared mobility?
“The development of MaaS, Mobility as a Service, is a huge opportunity for easy access to shared mobility. For large employers, shared transport is a key aspect of shaping more flexible mobility policies, simply because it’s a good business case. With shared mobility you don’t need as many parking spaces and your organization’s carbon emissions go down. If employers want to learn more about shared transport, I can recommend the whitepaper by Breikers. They guide, inspire and inform organizations in the transition to smart, sustainable mobility.”