Cities take the lead

Oslo is not exactly a huge metropolis by global measure. Nevertheless, with well over 650 000 inhabitants, it is home to 23 per cent of Norway’s population.

Ruter – the company that covers the greater Oslo region – has stated that all the modes of transport it operates, including buses, boats, minibuses and taxis, will become entirely emission free in the next decade.

Ruter produces a lot of the solutions it needs using open source and off-the-shelf software, and is eager to share its digitalisation expertise with any country that is interested.

Bergen is Norway’s second largest city, and the unofficial capital of Western Norway. With a population of just over a quarter million, it is designing a smart city where shared mobility is one of the keywords. The city has recently opened two of about 10 mobility hubs – the first of their kind in Norway.

The core of each mobility hub comprises permanent, reserved parking spaces for car-sharing cars, primarily electric ones. Mobility hubs are located close to public transport and ride-sharing stops, and offer secure bicycle parking, access to city bikes and chargers for electric vehicles (EV).