Flemish Institute for Mobility

The Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit (VIM), or Flemish Institute for Mobility, is a Belgian organisation dedicated to making traffic and mobility in Flanders more sustainable. Until 2016 it operated as an independent non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk). Since then it has been integrated into the Antwerp Management School as one of its five expertise centres, specifically the Smart Mobility expertise centre. It remains a collaborative platform where transport companies, government bodies and knowledge institutions work together on mobility challenges. Mobility is described by the institute as one of the greatest national and international challenges of this century. Both governments and companies are encouraged to make their mobility and mobility policies smarter and more sustainable. Smart Mobility, as the VIM is now known within Antwerp Management School, focuses on acquiring and building knowledge that leads to new or improved tools, methods and services. This knowledge is disseminated through publications, training courses, seminars, technology transfer and advisory services. In addition, Smart Mobility serves as a meeting place where industry, government and academia exchange knowledge about the latest developments and trends in mobility. The organisation runs projects under three main focus themes. Business Mobility develops innovative and sustainable solutions for commuting and business travel, with the aim of improving the accessibility of companies and business parks. Projects include Lean & Green Personal Mobility, which guides companies towards a sustainable mobility policy with a target of 20% less CO2 emissions in five years, and De Kantoorbus / Office on Wheels, a mobile office in a coach that turns travel time into working time. Smart & Connected Mobility focuses on ICT solutions for intelligent mobility services with sustainable business models that create value for end users. Projects include Vebimobe, which demonstrated that the Flemish government's traffic sign database can be updated through traffic sign recognition using sensors in modern cars and smart cameras, enabling speed maps and sustainability maps that provide drivers with automatic speed advice and sustainable routes. Dynacity is a platform for intelligent mobility services based on mobility data from various sources, such as parking occupancy, public transport schedules and shared bicycle availability; it was tested in Ghent and is now open to other cities and municipalities. New Mobility Concepts (NMC) explores new concepts that make the transport of goods and people more efficient through modes other than road. Projects include a shared trailer parking facility along a congestion-prone route, allowing carriers to temporarily leave loaded or empty trailers or chassis, and Watertruck+, an innovative freight transport solution for small waterways (CEMT I-IV) using small, self-propelled or non-propelled standardised barges. The VIM's official website is vim.be. The organisation is based in Antwerp, Belgium, and operates primarily in Flanders.

The Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit (VIM) was originally established as an independent non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) in Flanders, Belgium. Its mission was to bring together transport companies, government and knowledge centres to make traffic in Flanders more sustainable. Until 2016 it operated under this independent non-profit structure. In 2016 the organisation was integrated into the Antwerp Management School, becoming one of its five expertise centres under the name Smart Mobility. Despite this integration, it retained its collaborative character as an organisation in which transport companies, government and expertise centres continue to work together on sustainable mobility in Flanders. As part of Antwerp Management School, Smart Mobility has continued to run mobility projects across three focus themes: Business Mobility, Smart & Connected Mobility, and New Mobility Concepts. These projects have included Lean & Green Personal Mobility, which helps companies achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions over five years; De Kantoorbus / Office on Wheels, a mobile office concept tested in practice; Vebimobe, which demonstrated the updating of the Flemish traffic sign database through traffic sign recognition; Dynacity, a mobility data platform tested in Ghent; a shared trailer parking pilot; and Watertruck+, an innovative freight transport concept for small waterways. The organisation remains active as the Smart Mobility expertise centre of Antwerp Management School, based in Antwerp, Belgium.

• Until 2016, VIM operated as an independent non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk).

• In 2016, VIM became part of Antwerp Management School as one of its five expertise centres, specifically the Smart Mobility expertise centre.

A collaborative knowledge centre bridging industry, government and academia to make mobility in Flanders smarter and more sustainable.

• Lean & Green Personal Mobility

  A programme guiding companies towards a sustainable mobility policy with a target of 20% less CO2 emissions in five years.

• De Kantoorbus / Office on Wheels

  A mobile office in a coach that turns travel time into working time, tested in a pilot project.

• Vebimobe

  A project demonstrating that the Flemish government's traffic sign database can be updated through traffic sign recognition using sensors in modern cars and smart cameras.

• Dynacity

  A platform for intelligent mobility services based on mobility data from various sources, tested in Ghent and open to other cities.

• Shared trailer parking

  A guarded parking facility along a congestion-prone route where carriers can temporarily leave loaded or empty trailers or chassis.

• Watertruck+

  An innovative freight transport solution for small waterways (CEMT I-IV) using small, self-propelled or non-propelled standardised barges.

1. 1Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Vlaams Instituut voor Mobiliteit - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org