Helmond innovates: smart transport for an attractive city

For 2 euros with the shared taxi to the train station. Get in a self-driving bus that stops in front of your work location. Always a shared bike nearby. You don't need a car to live and work in Helmond. Thanks to the innovative mobility projects that the Municipality of Helmond is working on with partners. Such as FabulosX and Deeltaxi. Read the insights of project leaders Gustavo Reyes Rodriguez and Joop Veenis here.

'Helmond is a very nice city where a lot is happening', says Gustavo Reyes Rodriquez. 'Moreover, it is certainly a real leader in innovation in the field of mobility. That makes it very attractive to work here. And that will only get better in the future.'

Self-driving shuttles

For example, with self-driving transport, which Gustavo has been working on since June. 'It started with the Fabulos project (Future Automated Bus Urban Level Operation Systems) that focused on the question of how cities can use self-driving buses in a systematic way. That project lasted six months. At the moment it is being further developed as a self-driving public transport service on the BZOB business park in Helmond. The goal is to ensure that we can continue to offer public transport in the future. More and better than now. Due to the growing shortage of workers, this is only possible with self-driving solutions.'

Is that safe?

Because such a self-driving public transport vehicle is completely new, it is innovative in all areas. Gustavo: 'Technically, legally and socially. Think of the necessary new laws and regulations. Or the desired technical requirements. And do people dare to get in? Many parties are involved in this project. Such as the Municipality of Helmond, the Province of Noord-Brabant, RDW, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and Brainport Bereikbaar. There is a lot of interest in what we are doing here, because this project can be scaled up well to other regions. Since 2022, we have been testing a self-driving bus in the LIVINGLAPT for functionality and safety. In addition, we are conducting research into how people react with the MOVE2CCAM project.'

With and without driver!

Starting next year, a self-driving bus will drive a fixed round on the BZOB business park from the mobility hub at the new bus stop for line 320. 'The first period with a safety driver: that helps people to cross the threshold. In the long term, we want to have the bus drive without a safety driver. We think that it is eventually possible for one person to remotely monitor about 5 to 6 buses. And we hope that from 2027, buses will also drive between two train stations and the Automotive Campus and in the city center. We are really going to have a very positive impact on Helmond society and economy with these solutions.'

Bravoflex: to the station for 2 euros

That is precisely why the Bravoflex and Deeltaxi are also widely used in Helmond. Joop Veenis is just standing on the BZOB business park when we call him. 'This is the place where everything will come together', he says. 'From 29 October there will be a new bus stop for line 320 with a hub with shared bicycles. This is also a boarding point for Bravoflex: a flexible transport service on demand that travels from stop to (transfer) stop without a fixed route. Is there no bus? Then you can book the Bravoflex via an app that will drop you off at the station for 2 euros. In addition, Deeltaxi now also offers door-to-door transport. This service was known in Helmond as Taxbus OV.'

Shared taxi

In most municipalities, Taxbus only operates within the social domain for residents with a WMO indication. 'Helmond has chosen to make door-to-door transport available on demand for every traveller in Helmond. For 4 euros, Alptax will pick you up and drop you off at your doorstep in Helmond. You can easily book this in the Munckhof Regiotaxi app. Through surveys, we discovered that a major barrier to public transport is that people are worried that they will not be able to go home immediately if necessary. Knowing that you can then call Taxbus OV removes that barrier.'

Attractive city

Helmond is working in all sorts of ways to reduce car use. Joop 'I think the great strength is that we really listen to what people need and look for solutions for that. In close cooperation with all sorts of parties. For example, we are also working on safer walking paths with even nice detours for employees. In this way, we make it easier to achieve what we want: an easily accessible and vital city that is attractive to work and live in!'