Informal and Shared Mobility in Low and Middle Income Countries (ISM)
With its Informal and Shared Mobility program, VREF seeks to contribute to strengthening equity and sustainability in urban transport by supporting research that creates new knowledge among both scholars and various stakeholders who govern, design and/or develop informal and shared mobility.
In summary, the program is characterized by:
- a geographical focus on LMICs
- comparative studies between different urban contexts
- collaboration and exchange among researchers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) as well as in High- Income countries (HICs)
- interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge building, education and learning
Scientific profile
The scientific profile of the program is built around three thematic areas: Impact – Governance – Integration.
To facilitate sharing of knowledge and foster communities of learning, VREF organizes various activities for researchers and others interested in Informal and Shared Mobility, such as online Research Forums and in-person research workshops. Additionally, VREF has produced a number of special studies and think pieces to contribute to the international scientific discourse on Informal and Shared Mobility in Low- and Middle Income Countries.
PRISM – a new platform for research
In 2023 the ISM program initiated an International Research Program which is being carried out by PRISM – a global consortium led by Columbia University’s Climate School’s Center for Sustainable Urban Development and including four research centers in the US, South Africa, Colombia, and Thailand, along with leading researchers in Ghana and the UK, as well as four non-governmental organizations based in the US, China, India, and Costa Rica.
The consortium’s program, “An Equity, Ecosystems and Engaged Approach to Informal Transport and Shared Mobility,” offers a collaborative, grassroots approach to knowledge creation by establishing seven “living labs” in eight cities: Accra, Bangkok, Beijing, Bogotá, Cape Town, Kumasi, Mumbai, and Metro San José.
READ MORE ABOUT PRISM AND ENGAGE IN THEIR ACTIVITIES
- Informal and Shared Mobility in Low and Middle Income Countries – Roadmap for Program Implementation
Studies etc. carried out within the ISM program:
- Understanding Informal Transport in Africa: Labour impact Assessments as Tools to Improve Workers’ Conditions. Dave Spooner, GLI, ITF and VREF:
- Building Capacity on Informal Public Transport in African Cities: Government Officials’ Experiences. Herrie Schalekamp and Sophie-Anne Monplaisir, CODATU and VREF.
- Informal and Shared Mobility – Status, Challenges, and Opportunities in Southeast Asia. Saksith Chalermpong, Apiwat Ratanawaraha, Yosuke Uchiyama
- Joshi, Rutul, et al. (2023). “Informal and Shared Mobility: Status and Opportunities in India.”
- Abraham, Zaxx, et al. (2023). ”Who Counts What? What Counts Where? A Global Scan of Data Collection Efforts in Informal and Shared Mobility.” Produced in Collaboration With Agile City Partners.
- Kustar, Anna, et al. (2023) ”Connecting Informal Transport to the Climate Agenda: Key Opportunities for Action.” Produced in collaboration with World Resources Institute (WRI).
- Shaheen, Susan, et al. (2022) ”Shared Mobility in Low- and Middle-Income Regions”
- Song, Susan, et al. (2022) ”Status and Opportunities of Shared Mobility Systems in China”. Produced in collaboration with World Resources Institute (WRI).
- Behrens, Roger, et al. (2021) ”Informal and Shared Mobility: a Bibliometric Analysis and Researcher Network Mapping.”