In many rural areas, mobility still means one thing: owning a car. But across Europe, municipalities are starting to challenge that logic and are killing the “car-ownership in the name of mobility” mindset. In Rural Rides Against the Machine, we explore how local governments and communities work together to bring shared cars and bikes to the countryside. From intermunicipal cooperation models to small grassroots initiatives, this session highlights practical strategies that make shared mobility viable beyond the city. On stage, our lineup will share concrete results, lessons learned and inspiring examples of rural regions proving that mobility doesn’t have to be built in the name of the car.
Setlist
Mixing the perfect Shared Mobility Cocktail: Flanders as a quasi-natural experiment - Ewout Depauw
Shared mobility almost never comes with clean experiments. Contexts clash, variables shift, and firm conclusions are rare. Flanders breaks that pattern. With shared mobility rolled out across multiple regions under comparable conditions, it becomes a rare real world quasi natural experiment. Using data, sharp visuals and concrete regional examples, we show how policy choices, infrastructure and behaviour collide, reinforce or cancel each other out, and why some shared mobility cocktails work brilliantly while others simply do not.
Critical success factors of carsharing in peri-urban areas - Florian Supe
In our fishbowl discussion, we will talk about “critical success factors of carsharing in peri-urban areas”. Amongst other topics, we will exchange our views on the definition and KPIs of “success” of a carsharing system outside of cities, on the influence that regional governance approaches and financial incentives can have on a system, and on how to find and bind the scarce target groups that are willing to change their mobility habits in car dominated peri-urban areas.
From car habit to shared mobility reality: How Lantis supports municipalities in making the shift - Franziska Kupfer
Across the Antwerp Transport Region, municipalities are proving that shared mobility can work far beyond the urban core. In this talk, Franziska Kupfer shows how Lantis helps local governments introduce shared bikes and cars in suburban and rural areas.
With the rollout of the Donkey Republic bike system, a framework-contract for shared cars, and hands‑on communication support and workshops, the Transport Region provides a practical pathway from ambition to implementation.
Expect concrete lessons and honest insights into what it takes for small and mid‑sized municipalities to challenge the “everyone needs their own car” mindset — and build shared mobility that truly fits their communities.
Tine Pillaert
Netwerk Duurzame Mobiliteit demonstrates how shared mobility plays a central role in two LEADER projects in Belgium. They show how public transport can connect with other forms of sustainable mobility and how mobility solutions were developed within these projects. Discover the participatory methods they tested and the key takeaways the Citizen Dialog Kit, live street interviews, and participatory workshops. They share concrete examples and ideas for wayfinding and functional cycling routes linked to shared mobility hubs and public transport, including lessons learned and challenges experienced along the way.
