Good Practice - Case Study
Volunteer-driven transport service enhances mobility options in rural Belgium
A long-standing, volunteer-driven transport service evolves through an EU-funded project to innovate and enhance mobility solutions for rural residents in Belgium.
Summary
‘Mobitwin’, formerly known as 'Minder Mobielen Centrale', was launched in 1982 by the Mpact NGO to provide door-to-door social transport in Flanders. Over time, it expanded across Belgium, supporting over 40 000 members annually, 75% of whom live in rural areas, thanks to the efforts of 4 000 volunteers. Rebranded in 2023, Mobitwin introduced digital tools and innovations to enhance its service.
Under the EU-funded SMALL project (2022-2026), Mobitwin focuses on improving its volunteer model, addressing the imbalance between members and volunteers. By 2025, it had covered 106 municipalities in rural Belgium, facilitating more than 138 000 trips annually in rural areas alone.
Results
- Since 1982, Mobitwin has enhanced rural mobility in Belgium by engaging 4 000 volunteers, facilitating over 138 000 trips annually across 106 rural municipalities, introducing digital tools, and piloting co-creation initiatives, resulting in improved service capacity, stakeholder satisfaction, and a sustainable volunteer recruitment model.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers carried out 15 000 rides to vaccination centres.
- Specifically, the SMALL project has enabled:
- detailed insights into member and volunteer needs through surveys and focus groups, allowing prioritisation of solutions; preliminary outcomes show increased stakeholder satisfaction and improved collaboration;
- piloting co-creation initiatives by two Mobitwin desks, establishing a model to address volunteer shortages;
- a communication toolbox to streamline volunteer recruitment and ensure service sustainability for all Mobitwin desks in Flanders.
Promoter
- Mpact, non-governmental organisation
- Mobitwin Desks, public authority
Funding
- Interreg North Sea project SMALL, reference number 41-2-82-22
- Province of East-Flanders, Belgium
- Regional government of Flanders, Belgium
- Local authorities in Belgium
Resources
Documents
Volunteer-driven transport service enhances mobility options in rural Belgium
(PDF – 403.89 KB)
Context
Belgian rural areas face significant challenges, including ageing population and lack of affordable and flexible transport solutions. Commercial operators often hesitate to serve these areas due to logistical and economic constraints, leaving many residents unable to carry out essential activities such as shopping, medical visits, or social engagements.
Since its establishment in 1982, Mobitwin has addressed these challenges by offering a volunteer-driven, door-to-door transport model. The SMALL project, launched in 2022, builds on this foundation, focusing on improving volunteer engagement to better meet the growing demand for rural transport services.
Objectives
Mobitwin bridges rural mobility gaps and promotes social inclusion by:
- providing safe, affordable, and comfortable door-to-door transport for elderly and disabled residents;
- ensuring access to essential services and reducing social isolation;
- building a sustainable network of volunteer drivers to support long-term service delivery;
- using co-creation to tailor solutions to the needs of rural communities.
Activities, key actors, and timeline
- Since the pilot activity in 1982, desks have been set up across Belgium, enabling local municipalities to coordinate bookings and manage the service. Volunteers use their own vehicles for trips and are compensated with a capped kilometre fee set by the government.
- Over the years, the service expanded, with Mpact launching a central management system in 2001 and introducing digital tools in 2017 to modernise operations. In 2023, the service rebranded to Mobitwin, with a new website and logo.
- In 2022, the SMALL project provided resources for Mpact to conduct a large-scale survey engaging 91 desks, volunteers, and members. This research identified key challenges, including an imbalance between the 40 000 members and 4 000 volunteers.
- In 2023, Mpact conducted additional phone calls, focus groups, and interviews with 69 volunteers and 10 members, summarising insights in a report to better support operations.
- Co-creation experiments began in 2024 with two Mobitwin desks in Sint-Niklaas and Zwijndrecht. These experiments focus on testing new strategies to recruit and retain volunteers, aiming to address service capacity issues, and conclude in the end of 2025.
- In 2026, the experiments are being scaled up to develop a communication toolbox for volunteer recruitment, fostering long-term sustainability and ensuring the service remains adaptable to community needs.
Success factors/lessons learnt
- Mobitwin’s community-based, volunteer-driven model adapted to rural needs is key to long-term success and sustainability.
- The SMALL European initiative has expanded knowledge of volunteer engagement, highlighting the value of co-creation and European partnerships.
- Co-creation fostered trust and alignment among stakeholders, ensuring solutions were responsive to local needs.
- Partnerships with local authorities and other stakeholders ensured resource alignment and project success.
Contact Information
Isaura Lips, isaura.lips@mpact.be