Climate crisis and the range of mobility: a new concept of public service
In an era in which environmental challenges hold us in a relentless embrace, the transformation of our perception of travel and mobility is emerging as a transcendent epic poem of our time.
In the constantly evolving landscape of sustainable mobility in Italy, the 7th National Report on Sharing Mobility, presented as part of the initiative of the National Observatory on Sharing Mobility, offers an interesting overview of the key data on vehicle sharing. This data shows a notable increase in the adoption of shared mobility services and highlights two distinct approaches: bike sharing and car sharing.
Bike sharing is emerging as a pillar of sustainable mobility in Italy, with impressive growth in 2022. The total number of rentals in bike sharing grew by 41% compared to 2021, reaching a total of around 49 million trips. This figure far exceeds the 2019 numbers, with a 77% increase. In addition, the number of kilometers traveled by Italians on shared bicycles came close to 200 million, recording a 46% increase compared to 2021.
Bike sharing offers numerous benefits, including the promotion of a healthier lifestyle and the reduction of traffic in cities. These services are becoming increasingly accessible, with a significant increase in the number of active services in Italian cities, rising from 190 in 2021 to 211 in 2022. Furthermore, the number of bicycles available to users rose from 89,000 to 113,000, helping to make this form of mobility even more convenient.
On the other hand, car sharing is undergoing a structural change. In 2022, around 6.1 million trips were made by car sharing, marking slight growth compared to 2021, +7%. This indicates a transformation in the business model of this service, which now targets different user segments than in the past.
The data on distance traveled shows a slight increase: from 7.4 km/rental in 2019 to 12.2 km/rental in 2022\. The average rental duration tripled, rising from 32 minutes/rental to 109 minutes/rental. However, there is a critical aspect to consider: the number of available vehicles decreased from 5,400 cars in 2021 to 4,600 cars in 2022. This reduction could trigger a vicious circle between scarcity of supply and reduced demand.
The shift to electric mobility is not just a note of quantitative change, but also a dance between core and adjacent sectors. The production of infrastructure and the recycling of batteries are moving toward new horizons. In the grand score of climate neutrality in 2050, the transport sector and urban mobility play a key role. The symphony of the connection between the trans-European corridors and urban mobility grows ever more powerful, and the relationship between the climate crisis and car use may not be immediate, but if listened to carefully, it can reveal surprising market insights.
The overall picture shows that, while on the one hand bike sharing is growing rapidly, contributing to greater sustainability, car sharing is facing challenges related to the supply of vehicles. However, as user habits evolve and environmental awareness grows, it is possible that car sharing may re-emerge in the future with new business models and solutions that intersect with public transport.
A new concept of public service is spreading, one that embraces fair sustainability, ensuring the same opportunities for everyone. In the dance of these changes, in which tmr has been moving its steps for over twenty years, the melody of sustainable mobility rises, transforming our understanding of the journey and opening new paths toward a greener, fairer and more ecological future.