Supporting mobility managers

Summary

Company mobility managers assist employees in planning work-related trips, encouraging them to reduce their dependence on the car.

Implementing sustainable mobility

In 1998, the Ronchi Decree introduced the requirement for all companies and local authorities with more than 300 employees in a local unit, or with more than 800 employees allocated to several branch offices, to establish the post of mobility manager.

In 2003, the municipality of Rome implemented a policy encouraging the use of collective transport systems, not only for companies and their employees, but also for organisations and areas generating significant amounts of traffic, such as shopping centres and large hospitals. The City Council entrusted all activities related to sustainable mobility to ATAC, the public transport operator in Rome, which acts as a coordinator between the political level (national and local), private and public transport companies, and company management.

The aim of this measure was to achieve a modal shift through new forms of vehicle use and to raise awareness of home-to-work trip plan alternatives using integrated mobility management tools.

Progress

The initial task was to raise awareness among citizens and stakeholders of traffic congestion problems and sustainable mobility solutions. This was achieved via publicity events, brochure dissemination, the posting of web information, and advertising campaigns in various media.

The mobility managers encouraged company employees to rationalise their commuting choices, established car-pooling crews, and provided information on using public transportation. They were supported by ATAC to draw up home-to-work trip plans and were involved in organising special events and information days.

Mobility managers also had access to the internal ATAC website, where they could submit best practice examples, participate in thematic forums, access databases, and download presentations and information.

On the basis of surveys and evaluations, company and area bus lines were set up and a pilot car-pooling scheme was launched, operating for trips to the university, hospital and Ministry of Public Health for 750 users. Car sharing was also introduced in March 2005, involving 200 users, 10 cars and four car parks.

Employees of companies with a mobility manager were eligible for a discount on the purchase of public transport season tickets.

Outcomes

During the project period, 180 mobility managers were appointed, home-to-work plans were drawn up for 5,000 people/day, and several information days for mobility managers were organised.

The aim remains to increase the level of vehicle occupancy for home-to-work trips, and to this end the municipality made the decision to provide funding to help companies with fewer than 300 employees to create home-to-work trip plans.