by InTrieste
In a collaborative effort to enhance sustainable mobility initiatives, the Municipality of Trieste, the University of Trieste, and Trieste Trasporti Spa officially signed a memorandum of understanding. The agreement, approved by the municipal council on November 28, as per proposal by Territory Policies Assessor Michele Babuder, aims to foster joint ventures in the development and promotion of sustainable mobility and Mobility Management.
Present at the signing ceremony were Mayor Roberto Dipiazza, University of Trieste Rector Roberto Di Lenarda, and Trieste Trasporti President Maurizio Marzi Wildauer. Mayor Dipiazza emphasized the significance of inter-agency collaboration, stating, “Results are evident when entities work together.” He highlighted plans to address traffic issues in Trieste over the coming years, leveraging the protocol for effective solutions.
University Rector Roberto Di Lenarda underscored the protocol’s goal to enhance collaboration among entities in sustainability, mobility, and shared transport management expertise. Di Lenarda also expressed the protocol’s aim to contribute scientifically and culturally to the improvement of the city.
Trieste Trasporti President Maurizio Marzi Wildauer expressed hope that the protocol would not be a mere legal obligation but a continuation of a longstanding collaboration between the three entities—a testament to a unified system.
The protocol lays the groundwork for more efficient mobility demand management, focusing on social, environmental, and energy-saving objectives. It introduces quantitative analysis methods for evaluating the effectiveness of proposed services and measures, promoting integrated management of local public transport and traffic decongestion. This encapsulates the essence of Mobility Management.
Since 2020, the Municipality of Trieste is mandated to adopt an annual Home-Work Commuting Plan (PSCL) for its employees by December 31. This obligation, introduced by law n. 77 on July 17, 2020, applies to businesses and public administrations with over 100 employees in regional capitals, metropolitan cities, provincial capitals, or municipalities with over 50,000 inhabitants. The involved municipalities are required to appoint a company Mobility Manager and an area Mobility Manager to facilitate continuous professional support and coordination of activities.
The protocol aligns with this legal framework and establishes the foundation for joint initiatives in various areas:
- Public mobility services and related offerings
- Analysis and assessment of scenarios for improving collective transport services
- Implementation and management of systematic mobility databases
- Scientific research, technological and process innovation in transport and mobility
- Educational activities, seminars, conferences, internships, and stages
- Participation in projects funded by private, regional, national, and European funds
- Internal and external communication related to protocol initiatives
The signatories have a history of collaboration, including a 2018 Protocol of Intent between the Municipality and Trieste Trasporti to enhance local public transport and a 2019 Framework Convention between Trieste Trasporti and the University for mutual exchanges and collaborations. In 2022, the Municipality, University, and Trieste Trasporti initiated a collaboration on Mobility Management, aiming to establish a common protocol for the collection, analysis, and management of mobility data, as well as the drafting and evaluation of PSCLs at both company and area levels.
With the signing of this protocol, the synergy among the three entities will be strengthened, establishing a technical-scientific steering committee on mobility management. This committee will propose and share a common model and data management structure, facilitating the analysis of all home-work commutes, coordination of actions, and evaluation of optimized interventions at systemic levels.
Key contacts for protocol activities include Paola Capon, Company and Area Mobility Manager for the Municipality of Trieste; Prof. Giovanni Longo, University Mobility Manager; and Giuseppe Zottis, Operations Director of Trieste Trasporti.
