Brussels 27 March 2012. Yesterday Vice-President Siim Kallas Commissioner for Mobility and Transport and the members of the Transport Committee of the European Parliament congratulated the winners of the first Smart Mobility Challenge.
The four winners of the first Smart Mobility Challenge on European multi-modal journey planners initiated by Vice-President Siim Kallas in 2011 were announced on 12 March 2012 and had the opportunity to present their projects before the honourable Members of the European Parliament during the Transport Committee meeting today. The two winners in the category of “operational journey planners” were CHAPS with its proposal IDOS a door-to-door journey planner for the Czech Republic and Slovakia and Trenitalia with SIPAX a service which provides train bus and ferry connections in Italy and neighbouring countries. German company Penelope Ventures GmbH (now named Door2door GmbH) won for its journey planner idea Zlyck while French SNCF was rewarded for its Mytripset idea. Both Penelope Ventures GmbH and SNCF won in the “innovative ideas” category.
Brian Simpson Chair of the Transport Committee and member of the jury within the “innovative ideas” category welcomed the Committee and introduced the winners. “I was highly impressed by the range of innovative ideas submitted for consideration in the Smart Mobility Challenge. The winning ideas not only met the criteria of the competition but also demonstrated real possibility for practical use. The development of a European multimodal journey planner should encourage faster cheaper and easier travel and I am confident that the winning ideas have the potential to meet the needs of passengers across Europe”.
Vice-President Siim Kallas also spoke during the Committee session. Mr Kallas presented the initiative and shared thoughts on political issues related to co-modal travel. “I am happy to see that the Challenge helped to give a great push to the development of such integrated multimodal and cross-border planners yet there are still many difficulties to overcome. Let’s work together to make this vision a reality”.
Other members of the jury chaired by Meglena Kuneva Special Adviser to Vice-President Kallas on passengers’ rights included Henrik Hololei Head of Cabinet of Vice-President Kallas and Hermann Meyer CEO of ERTICO; Dr Katrin Dziekan from the Technical University of Berlin also provided her expert knowledge.
The Committee meeting was followed by a cocktail sponsored and organised by ERTICO – ITS Europe. Hermann Meyer ERTICO CEO welcomed the guests on behalf of ERTICO and its Partnership. Dr Meyer highlighted the importance of deploying ITS for a sustainable mobility which should be safe smart and clean; real-time multi-modal journey planners represent a landmark for this purpose. “The ERTICO – ITS Europe Partnership very much welcomes this competition and congratulates the winners. European co-modal travel planners will contribute to a further integrated Europe and integrated intelligent mobility”.
In addition to this special event held at the European Parliament the four winners have received an invitation to participate in the 19th ITS World Congress in Vienna (22-26 October) and to showcase their projects at the Congress at the European Commission stand (C20).
For more information please contact Henry Wasung.
Download the full ERTICO Press Release here.
The Smart Mobility Challenge winners presented their proposals during the Transport Committee
Meeting
Hermann Meyer ERTICO CEO and Vice-President Siim Kallas
Link to original Article
http://www.ertico.com/smart-mobility-challenge-winners-celebrated-at-the-european-parliament/
Original Publication Date: Tue 27 Mar 2012
