Newsletter No. 2
June 2016

Welcome to the second issue of the MIND-SETS newsletter, your bi-annual look inside the minds, motives and preferences of transport users in Europe. We have finished the initial phase of coordinating knowledge and here we look at the project’s early results, first contextualizing the new European mobility and then looking at people’s travel decisions from an economic, psychological, sociological, visual-spatial and geographical perspective. We will see how generational differences interact with emerging trends, leading to new mobility mindsets. The results of two surveys done in 2015 will be presented: an online survey of transport planners and the Delphi survey and workshop in Barcelona. Finally, a brief recap of the MIND-SETS/COST workshop will be given.

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In this issue:

- Defining mobility in a changing world

- Neo-classical economics, imperfect choices and travel demand modelling
 
- Being mobile, being sustainable and being inclusive

- How ICTs, social networks and virtual spaces are transforming European mobility

- Looking into the future: generational differences and The New Mobility

- How useful are models and tools? Results from a survey of transport planners

- The results of the Delphi survey

- The MIND-SETS/COST workshop

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Defining mobility in a changing world

Mobility. A word that conjures up movement, that implies freedom, access and opportunity. In many ways, it is our mobility that defines us, that influences our relationships and determines the image people have of us. We talk about the level of our mobility – where we’ve been and where we’re going – to assert our status and begin a conversation.
Mobility in the modern age traverses both the physical world and the virtual one. Not only do we document our physical mobility in virtual spaces by posting our locations and pictures on Facebook (among other things), but we also create virtual networks, virtual spaces, virtual worlds on social networks that are then reinforced through physical, face-to-face contact – we text walking in the street and we navigate on our computers. The appetite for mobility in all of its dimensions seems to be endless.

Neo-classical economics, imperfect choices and travel demand modelling

According to neo-classical economics, people make rational decisions based on costs and benefits, and a monetary value can be ascribed to each aspect of the decision-making process. These social cost-benefit analyses and the models associated with them have long influenced projects and policy appraisal in transport. But are they really accurate in their assessments?

Being mobile, being sustainable and being inclusive

Our attitudes and decisions regarding mobility are very much influenced by our psychology, by our beliefs and by the values imbued by our social relationships and our communities. But it is a two-way street; our psychological state affects our mobility, but mobility also affects our psychology. Our well-being requires the fulfilment of three basic needs: autonomy, that is, the freedom to explore our environment, competence, or feeling in control, and relatedness, our sense of connection with others. Yet the satisfaction of these needs is difficult (if not impossible) if we cannot move where, when and how we want.

How ICTs, social networks and virtual spaces are transforming European mobility

It probably goes without saying that we can’t talk about the new mobility without talking about ICTs. As the locus of social groups has shifted from neighbourhoods and workplaces to ICT social networks, the division between work and leisure and between physical and virtual spaces are no longer clear. But the relationship between the virtual and physical worlds is complementary rather than zero-sum; virtual communication has not eliminated the need for face-to-face contact, but instead created a greater need for in-person meetings to reinforce relationships established virtually. Because of this, the rise in social networks and ICTs may lead to an increase in transportation needs and services.

Looking into the future: emerging trends, generational differences and The New Mobility

By examining the value sets of different generations, we can come up with new insights about mobility, particularly with regard to technical and service innovation and the impact of social and psychological forces on Europeans’ decisions and lifestyles. While the specific characteristics of each generation are influenced by other socio-cultural, psychological, biological and economic factors, we can still create a rough sketch of the various “types”.

How useful are models and tools? A survey of transport planners

To better understand how practitioners are using formal tools and where they need to be improved, a targeted survey was conducted online with 16 professionals working in transport from a variety of regions within the European Union.

The results of the Barcelona workshop/stakeholders’ consultation

The Barcelona workshop on automated, seamless, virtual and inclusive mobility was held over two days in October 2015 with the participation of 40 experts in mobility and transport planning, to analyse these four aspects in a MIND-SETS perspective.

Footprints of Future Mobility: The MIND-SETS/COST workshop

In cooperation with the COST action, MIND-SETS organized the joint MIND-SETS/COST workshop in Bucharest on May 17. This workshop was the first of a series of events that MIND-SETS intends to organise in order to increase interaction with its stakeholders.

Got something to share? Please send information about events, conferences, calls for applications and other announcements to mpesuit@isinnova.org

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 640401.