projects 
SMART engages in selected projects focused on sustainable transportation in global urban regions. They are generally related to five themes:
1. Systems Integration: Connecting the Dots
2. The Accessibility Paradigm: Getting Ends and Means Straight
3. Supporting the Emergence of a Vital New Mobility Industry: New Roles for the Private Sector in Sustainable Urban Transportation
4. Socio-Cultural Context: Values, Aspirations, and Making Sustainable Transportation Hip and Attractive
5. Building Capacity for Now and for the Next Generation
Collaborative projects both emerge from and inform SMART research efforts, and are currently underway in:
• South Africa
New Mobility Industry Opportunities for the World Cup & Beyond (PDF)
Pioneering New Mobility in Cape Town (PDF)
• India
New Mobility Hubs in Chennai (PDF)
Kochi (PDF)
Vytilla Mobility Hub (PDF)
• Brazil
• Selected US cities
• Closer to Home: Southeast Michigan
SMART’s projects are undertaken in partnership and with the support of Ford Motor Company, and in collaboration with the Cape Town New Mobility Alliance, the Confederation of Indian Industry, Janaagraha, City Connect (Bangalore and Chennai), the Prince of Wales Business and Environment Program, the Cambridge Program for Industry, and a range of business leaders, public officials, and community and non-governmental groups , as well as with SMART’s research partners.
SMART projects complement and build on existing efforts being undertaken by governments, NGO’s, businesses, and academic institutions. They fill a gap by focusing on:
• “connecting the dots” to support seamless, multi-modal (and safe and affordable) door to door trips for all transport users. In particular they focus on New Mobility Hub networks, IT innovations and enhancements, service innovations, urban planning and design for accessibility, innovative financing and policies, an other integrative approaches.
• catalyzing private sector partnerships for innovation (“Public Private Innovation”) in integrated urban mobility . These partnerships support the development of a vital New Mobility industry. By innovating to provide integrated sustainable transportation solutions, this emerging multi-sector industry can help to address local transport challenges while at the same time offering new business and employment opportunities locally and globally.
• collaborative research opportunities that help to accelerate the deployment of New Mobility and accessibility innovation
SMART projects have generally evolved through positive connections with people in city regions where there is a need for better transportation and an opportunity to explore innovations collaboratively. They usually start with small meetings of community leaders, in particular private sector leaders and innovators, but also with government officials and community and non-governmental groups. Together we identify needs, opportunities for integrated innovation, and resources available, and we work together to craft a game plan.
The projects, particularly in South Africa and India, have in a very short time generated more energy and activity than anticipated. The South Africa project began in January 2007 with a meeting of 15 business leaders co-organized with SMART by the Cambridge Program for Industry. This small group has grown into the Cape Town New Mobility Alliance, a network of over 200 business, government, and community leaders who are working together to develop a New Mobility hub network in Cape Town. They aim to connect the dots of sustainable mobility in South Africa, with the 2010 World Cup, but more importantly, long term sustainability and quality of life, as motivating and accelerating forces.
The India project also began in January of 2007 with a meeting of Indian business leaders who were turning their attention to emerging urban issues in India. It was organized by Janaagraha, the Confederation of Indian Industry, and ICICI Bank. SMART was invited to make a presentation on sustainable transportation. From there, many meetings and conference calls later, a rich collaboration has evolved and has resulted in exciting Hub network pilots in Bangalore and Chennai. US pilots have followed international efforts, and are currently in various exploratory phases.
CONNECT AND PROSPER: Accelerating Mobility & Accessibility Opportunities for Southeast Michigan is a forum, or “link tank” that brings together transportation, business, economic, and community leaders from across the region. Our efforts connect sustainable transportation and accessibility initiatives region-wide, and strive to rekindle Southeast Michigan’s role as a major center of transportation innovation and business opportunity.
Building on current existing efforts, it works to:
• Accelerate and create pilots and ongoing initiatives focused on New Mobility (connected, multi-modal, sustainable transportation & accessibility)
• Catalyze innovation, funding, business, and research partnerships (local, and region-wide)
• Promote and provide key events, networks, and supporting resources, including case studies and best practices from around the world.
The origin of this process has been organic and responsive. While in many ways it has been a tough time for the world (and for this region in particular), there are also many innovative and hopeful transportation and accessibility-related projects and plans in the works. However, with such a needed and positive focus on specific individual projects, today there is no singular forum or space for bringing them together in a way that will make transportation integrated (and therefore feasible) for the user, or that will provide a connected, region-wide picture that is ready to benefit from upcoming federal funding opportunities. Our forum begins to address this gap of connectivity in Southeast Michigan.
Project updates are available on this website, and through SMART e-News. If you would like to get involved in any of the projects, contact Susan Zielinski, Managing Director, SMART.
