2023 has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and moments that have shaped our organisation. Join us as we embark on a retrospective journey, month by month, in which we summarise the highlights of our growth and successes.
January
Île-de-France-Mobilités extends Partnership with Padam Mobility for 4 Years
The decided extension of the partnership with Île-de-France-Mobilités and the successful TAD IDFM service at the end of 2022 gave us a positive start to the new year. The On-Demand network we’ve been operating since 2019 is now the largest in the world. A success that we will expand further in the coming year with exciting projects.
Regional DRT Service of the German Transport Association VGI expands further
The VGI-Flexi Service, which we have been operating since June 2022 in collaboration with the Verkehrsverbund Großraum Ingolstadt, significantly increased its reach this year. In January, the third service area was already added to the app, marking the beginning of a sustainable success story for local On-Demand offerings.
February
WeCommute, powered by Padam Mobility, offers smart Commuting Solutions
In February, we announced our partnership with WeCommute, a provider of innovative transport solutions that help companies offer accessible, affordable, and convenient transportation. The specialist in smart commuting provides a flexible fleet of minibuses and buses powered by Padam Mobility’s intelligent, demand-responsive transport algorithms.
Ziad Khoury, co-founder of Padam Mobility, is leaving the company after nine years
A face that Padam Mobility will surely miss, yet gratitude for all that Ziad has achieved for the company prevails. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors and look forward to any future reunions!
March
UK Club Client in Birmingham
Our close collaboration and feedback from our customers are essential to us. In March, we organized a meeting with our customers in the UK to discuss wishes, critiques, and the future of On-Demand services. These meetings are valuable for both our customers and us to continue developing our product to best meet our customers’ needs.
April
Mobility Summit in Hanover, Germany
Our close collaboration and feedback from our customers are essential to us. In March, we organized a meeting with our customers in the UK to discuss wishes, critiques, and the future of On-Demand services. These meetings are valuable for both our customers and us to continue developing our product to best meet our customers’ needs.
May
Webinar: Accessing rural bus services – how can we ensure equity?
In this webinar, we explained how the innovative HertsLynx DDRT service, commissioned by Hertfordshire County Council, funded by the DfT Rural Mobility Fund and launched in 2021, is successfully serving a higher percentage of the population and enabling many more people to walk to the bus from hamlets and villages. Our Business Development Manager James West was joined by Alice Missler, Demand Responsive/Community Transport Team Leader at Hertfordshire County Council. Matthew Clark, Associate Director, New Mobility at Steer, hosted the webinar.
Rewatch the Webinar on YouTube
Padam Mobility presents new On-Demand Transport for the districts Schweinfurt and Kitzingen
In early May, a new On-Demand service named “callheinz” started in Germany. Callheinz is intended to complement the public transport offering in the region, meaning it cannot be booked when fixed-line services are offered simultaneously. The service has since expanded to another area, with the project’s testing phase scheduled for five years.
June
Flexible and eco-friendly demand transport offering “AktiVVo” starts in the district of Augsburg
Also in the district of Augsburg, a new On-Demand service was launched. Initially serving the regions of Holzwinkel and Altenmünster, Roth- and Zusamtal, the goal is to better supply rural regions with transport options and connect people more easily with existing public transportation.
5 million passenger trips completed in just four years
In June, we hit a fantastic record – 5 million journeys completed since 2019. This milestone has shown us how far Padam Mobility has come in recent years and the impact that on-demand mobility has had on the everyday lives of many passengers.
Webinar: Transport Planning and DRT with Xuefei Wang and Jack Holland
Careful planning and consultation before the introduction of a new On-Demand service are essential. There is no one-size-fits-all template for On-Demand services, and important parameters must be clarified before configuring a tailored service. In this webinar, organised by Landor Links, our transport consultant Xuefei Wang discussed with Chris Hillcoat from KPMG and Jack Holland from Padam Mobility how the creation of a new service area should be approached.
July
Product Improvement: Make your fixed lines and your DRT coexist easily with the blocking of DRT bookings and the display of fixed lines of your territory!
This feature highlights the public transport available in a given area and suggests alternative itineraries to DRT. In addition to the feature that blocks DRT bookings when public transport lines are available, this new feature gives users all the information they need about these lines! Check out our video and our guide on non-competition for more information.
Padam Mobility’s commitment to the development of autonomous On-Demand transportation is not new. In addition to active participation in the EU-funded AVENUE project and the existing ULTIMO project, Padam Mobility has been a member of PAVE Europe since July this year. PAVE Europe is a collaboration of various partners from the non-profit, business, and academic sectors, working to educate the public about the deployment of autonomous traffic and positively shape the future of this groundbreaking technology. We are excited to actively support this initiative.
Enhancing Accessibility in rural Cheshire West and Chester with DRT Service “itravel”
Since July this year, a new On-Demand service has been operating in Cheshire West and Chester. The new On-Demand service is an important step for the region, providing residents of remote areas better access to essential destinations and fixed main connections. The three-year pilot project is supported with £1.075 million from the Department for Transport’s Rural Mobility Fund.
August
Go2Gate is a minibus service exclusively for the Dedworth area that can be easily booked via an app to get to the airport. The buses pick passengers up near their homes, sometimes even right outside their front door, and drop them off outside Terminal 5, from where they can easily get to all parts of the airport on the free trains, the underground and the H30 bus. This service is a great asset in relieving traffic congestion around the airport and providing travellers and employees with a reliable and easy connection to the airport.
September
Padam Mobility launches “Buss on Demand’ for Swedish Public Transport Authority Västtrafik
With the new On-Demand service, Västtrafik, one of Sweden’s largest public transportation authorities, brings innovative mobility to Ulricehamn, Västra Götaland. The service focuses on connecting less populated areas around the medium-sized city of Ulricehamn, improving residents’ mobility and facilitating access to the city center. The first pilot phase of the project spans eight months and aims to examine the impact of the On-Demand service on the population’s mobility behaviour.
In collaboration with the community transport organizations FYT Bus on the Isle of Wight and Dial-a-Ride by Social Care in Action (SCiA) in Southampton, Solent Transport and its four local authority partners introduced a new mobile app for the Solent region to improve access to FYT and SCiA services.
Connect 2 MaaS Day in Zoetermeer
For the second time this year, the Connect 2 MaaS Day took place at the Siemens Office in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. It’s a format that our customers and partners highly appreciate. Leading MaaS providers come together, present best practices, discuss challenges, and demonstrate how the integration towards a comprehensive MaaS offering can be successful. The positive response motivates us to bring this format to the UK and Germany next year.
ULTIMO Project introduces its first Automated On-Demand-Service in Geneva powered by Padam Mobility 
The Swiss transportation authority “Transports Publics Genevois” (tpg) achieves a milestone with the ULTIMO project: in Geneva, they now offer an automated on-demand shuttle service through the regional on-demand app. The 38-hectare service area includes facilities such as a hospital and a kindergarten. Three autonomous, electrically operated vehicles are the focus of this innovative project to transport passengers to their desired destinations. Booking and handling of the trips are done through Padam Mobility’s AV technology.
October
Harper rides The Robin to Lydney with minibus service set to expand in the Forest
External source: The Forester
FOREST MP Mark Harper championed county minibus The Robin in Lydney this morning (Friday, October 20) with the service set to expand into the north of the district thanks to new funding.
County councillors hosted a visit from the Secretary of State for Transport at Lydney Dial-A-Ride, in which he spoke to passengers who regularly use the council-run on demand service.
Webinar: Best practice in Digital DRT and community transport
Community Transport is one of the essential elements for a functioning local transport service in many communities in the UK. Padam Mobility is committed to improving this element and making it simpler and more efficient through digital products. In the webinar, independent transport consultant Beate Kubitz and Louise Currie, CEO of the Community Transport Charity, discussed successful examples like the “The Robin” Service in Gloucestershire. The webinar was moderated by Victoria Armstrong, CEO of the Community Transport Association (CTA).
November
After the departure of Grégore Bonnat, co-founder and longtime CEO of Padam Mobility, Thibault Lécuyer-Weber is appointed as his successor. The whole team will miss Grégoire and is infinitely grateful for his tremendous dedication and efforts over the years. However, we are also excited to have found a new strong CEO in Thibault, who will facilitate the transition as seamlessly as possible. We look forward to starting a successful year together in 2024.
HertsLynx On-Demand-Service reaches 50,000 Passenger Trips Mark 
The HertsLynx Service, launched at the end of 2021, is a perfect example of the impact of On-Demand services on public transportation offerings in rural areas. Some villages served by the service consist of only 30-40 houses. Before the introduction of the On-Demand service, it was challenging to reach people living in these very rural areas with fixed lines; around 40,000 potential passengers lived up to a 15-minute walk from a bus stop. Customer surveys have shown that the service is gladly used by a large portion of the population, regardless of age. We are excited to continue this success story in the next year.
December
A Year of Growth, Resilience, and Gratitude. As we close the chapter on 2023, we are filled with gratitude for the journey we’ve undertaken. This year has been a testament to our resilience, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to excellence. Join us in looking forward to a promising future, built on the lessons learned and the successes achieved in the past twelve months.
Thank you for being a part of Padam Mobility’s 2023 story. Here’s to new beginnings and continued success in the coming year!
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