Sharing cars, reinventing mobility for the benefit of society? This is the challenge that Angelo Meuleman has taken on since 2007 when he joined mpact, a mobility not-for-profit organisation based in Ghent, Belgium. At the time, no one thought that one day people would want to make their cars available to other people or lend their vehicles to neighbours. If the rise of the shared mobility giants has helped change the game, whether from a perspective of mainstreaming, business models or technological tools, the social issues are still crucial. This is where the DNA of an NGOs project like mpact comes in.
In this fascinating conversation, Angelo reminds us that sustainable mobility is more than a question of infrastructures or electric vehicles. It’s about quality of life and the ability to socialise, especially for marginalised groups. Angelo explains how his work reconciles “yellow and green vests”, and how he seeks to bring together concrete solutions that can be easily replicated at the local level, involving the public and private sectors, with large-scale, long-term political projects.
To him, the key question local policymakers must ask is, “How can we reduce the number of cars on our streets?” and make our cities more welcoming for everyone? – as the number will not reduce because of electric cars. “It will because of shared cars and cycling” and better mobility (and parking) regulations.
Tune in now to listen to this episode to discover how shared mobility rocks around the globe.
Angelo Meuleman is the director of the Belgian mobility non-profit organisation Mpact. Since its inception in 1975, Mpact has been revolutionizing shared mobility solutions through carpooling, car- and cargo bike sharing, on-demand transport services for the elderly, a children’s bike library, and more. Angelo’s journey with mpact began in 2007, and since then, he has been leading the charge in EU programs for shared transport and accessibility. With a keen focus on inclusive mobility, with projects such as Inclusion, G-Patra, SocialCar, SHARE-North, SMALL, and more, Angelo has been instrumental in promoting sustainable and accessible transportation solutions for all. As a Flemish Sustainable Transport Network board member, Angelo has been pushing for innovative solutions to create a more sustainable and accessible future. He’s also a co-founder of the Flemish Mobihub Association and the unconventional symposium Shared Mobility Rocks.
