Trier Smart Shuttle
Entity which complete it
Country
Town
Project name
Stating Year
Where it takes place
Range of age
Type of disability
Project link
Why is it a good practice of the Person-Centered Model?
On-demand transport pilot project, promoted by the Toyota Mobility Foundation, offering a free, electric and accessible service for elderly and people with disabilities in rural areas. The vehicle is 100% emission-free and adaptable to different types of mobility.
Person-centered approach: The design and operation of the service are based on direct feedback from users, incorporating their preferences in schedules, routes, accessibility and user experience.
Integrated Assessment (Person, Family, Housing) and Life History
Smart Shuttle Trier does not carry out a personal or clinical assessment of each user, but the project emerges from an understanding of mobility barriers faced by specific population groups: older adults, people with disabilities and residents in areas with limited public transport. The assessment is therefore community-based rather than individual. It recognises that many people struggle to travel independently due to distance, low bus frequency, or lack of accessible transport options. This situational understanding acts as the foundation for designing a mobility solution that responds to real-life needs.
Personalised Care and Support Plan for the Life Project
Although the project does not provide personal care plans, it offers a form of personalised support by allowing users to request transport exactly when they need it. The on-demand, electric shuttle service adapts to each person’s daily routines, appointments and social activities. For people with disabilities or reduced mobility, this flexibility can meaningfully enhance independence and participation. In that sense, mobility becomes part of a broader life project: enabling people to access services, maintain social connections and move freely within their community.
Support groups
Smart Shuttle Trier does not include support groups or peer-to-peer structures. It is conceived as a mobility solution rather than a social or therapeutic programme. Users interact with the service individually through the booking system, so community-building or shared support spaces are not part of the project’s design.
Case Management and Resource Coordinator
There is no individual case management for users, but the project relies on strong institutional coordination. The city, the mobility foundation, technology providers and transport operators work together to ensure that vehicles are accessible, routes are responsive, and the service is reliable. This form of organisational resource coordination guarantees that mobility needs are met efficiently, even if it does not follow a personalised case-management model.
Highlined results
Substantial improvement in access to basic services in areas with low public transport coverage, greater autonomy in daily travel and validation of a replicable model in other rural regions.
Inspiring ideas for other enviorments. It can works! 😉
The project shows how on-demand, accessible transport can transform mobility for people who are underserved by traditional public transport. Introducing electric shuttles, flexible routing and user-centred digital booking can make a city more inclusive and sustainable at the same time. This model can be adapted to rural areas, small towns or neighbourhoods with low bus frequency. It demonstrates that mobility innovation can directly improve autonomy, social participation and quality of life for people with disabilities or reduced mobility.
Other observations
Toyota Mobility Foundation