SMARTA 

Rural public transport services in Europe are under stress, due to a combination of factors including aus- terity measures, depopulation and ageing popula- tions. The reality is that many rural areas throughout Europe do not have the range of mobility services and connections that are required by the people who live and work there.

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The SMARTAs project presents a very exciting opportu- nity to conceptualize, identify and pilot ‘smart trans- port services’ in rural areas. The project consortium proposes to gain a deep understanding of the nature and the evolution of mobility needs for diverse rural populations and to assess how sustainable, shared mobility systems can help enhance their mobility and travel experiences. This will be achieved through:

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• Identifying current and emerging good practice across the EU Member States

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• The deployment of real-life services, connect- ed as part of an open and multimodal network, where innovative digital solutions and shared mobility services will be tested and evaluated for various user groups

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• The acquired knowledge, results, lessons learned and recommendations will be shared and dis- cussed with identified relevant stakeholders, and will be actively disseminated. The aim is to increase take-up of both good practice and of innovations.

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