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Shared mobility scooters are transforming mobility in Almere

The city of Almere took an important step towards sustainable and accessible mobility in January 2024 with the launch of an unmanned shared mobility scooter pool. This innovative project, developed in collaboration with Woonzorg Nederland and mobility aid supplier Medipoint, offers a solution to the mobility needs of vulnerable groups such as the elderly and residents of care facilities. The project not only marks a new approach to urban mobility but also provides a cost-effective and efficient solution to challenges that arose from previous reliance on volunteers. This success story demonstrates how the municipality of Almere, with the help of Shared Mobility Scooters, has improved residents' mobility while also meeting regulations on public safety. Municipalities across the Netherlands can follow this model to make their mobility services more inclusive and sustainable.

The problem

Almere faced the challenge of providing sustainable mobility for residents of care facilities, such as "De Rotonde" by Woonzorg Nederland. Shared mobility scooters supported by volunteers were previously the solution, but this system proved unsustainable due to rising costs and the unreliable availability of volunteers. Additionally, regulations, such as the Building Environment Decree (Bbl), require that mobility scooters do not block escape routes in buildings, which introduced new complications.

The solution

In January 2024, the unmanned shared mobility scooter pool was introduced as a solution to Almere's mobility challenges. In collaboration with the municipality, Woonzorg Nederland, and Medipoint, five shared scooters were placed in a dedicated storage space, eliminating the need for individual scooters to be provided through the Wmo, except when customization is required. This system offers free access to residents of De Rotonde, allowing them to easily activate a scooter with a personal user card after completing a driving skills training.

The Implementation

The project officially launched on January 11, 2024, with a kick-off event at De Rotonde, where the shared mobility scooters were enthusiastically welcomed by the residents and municipal representatives present. Thanks to the collaboration with Woonzorg Nederland and mobility aid supplier Medipoint, and the design of the storage space, the implementation was successfully completed in a short time. Residents with no prior experience using mobility scooters were offered driving skills training, after which they received a personal card to activate a scooter. Additionally, the system allows users to reserve scooters in advance, ensuring availability at their desired times.

The results

Since the implementation of the shared mobility scooter system in January 2024, the mobility of residents at De Rotonde has significantly improved. They now have the flexibility to explore the city and attend appointments without needing their own scooter or relying on volunteers. This system has not only increased user independence but has also reduced operational costs for the municipality by decreasing the number of individual scooters provided through the Wmo. With this innovative project, Almere has demonstrated that it is possible to make a significant impact on the mobility of vulnerable groups with limited resources. Other municipalities can follow this model to transform their own mobility services and make their cities more inclusive.

Conclusion

Shared mobility scooters are an efficient and inclusive solution for municipalities looking to improve the mobility of their residents. Almere has proven that it is possible to achieve maximum impact with minimal resources. Would you like to transform the mobility in your municipality as well? Contact us today and discover how you can implement the benefits of a shared mobility scooter pool. Together, we can give your municipality a mobility upgrade!