NUMO alliance erects ‘big tent’ to build more sustainable cities

A new alliance has formed to help governments and cities around the world integrate ride-hailing, dockless bikes and scooters and autonomous vehicles into communities.

NUMO (New Urban Mobility Alliance) is to launch a range of pilot projects and will conduct public engagement research in cities which it hopes will serve as a guide to policy makers and the private sector.  

3874 Zipcar co-founder Robin Chase, executive chair of NUMO’s steering committee, explained: “The pace of innovation and disruption on city streets is forcing everyone – residents, city staff, regulators, and the private sector – to rethink long-held assumptions. It presents us with the opportunity to correct current problems and remake cities for the 21st century. NUMO seeks to bring together a diversity of actors to bring new voices to the challenge of how to do this and encourage bold experimentation.”

Backed by a $6 million grant from Stephen Ross, board member of the 4722 World Resources Institute Ross Center, NUMO says it will be a “big tent alliance” which is committed to bringing Zipcar’s Shared Mobility %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Principles false https://www.sharedmobilityprinciples.org/ false false%> to life.

Harriet Tregoning, an Obama administration veteran, will be director of NUMO. She was previously principal deputy assistant secretary of the office of community planning and development at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and director of the District of Columbia Office of Planning.

In the coming months, the organisation says that NUMO working groups will begin developing work plans and initial projects.