DefMobil - a hailed shared taxi for an alpine valley

The hailed shared taxi system “DefMobil” operates in an alpine valley in East Tyrol and fills gaps in the mobility supply in three municipalities of the Defereggen Valley. Due to the mountain terrain with large differences in altitudes and a low population density due to the dispersed settlements in the valley, there was no possibility for starting a regular bus line because it would be too expensive and not affordable for the municipalities. As a result, the three municipalities located in the valley established an association ("Defereggental mobil") and launched a flexible transport solution that suits the physiographic and spatial conditions of the area. The main goals were to provide mobility at reasonable intervals for residents and tourists, to be able to offer an attractive alternative to private transport and to establish a cost-efficient and user-tailored mobility offer. The DefMobil operates according to a fixed time table, routing varies on demand. Users need to book via phone call one hour in advance. A strong cooperation between the three municipalities of the valley, the Regional Management East Tyrol, the local taxi operator, the Tourism Association East Tyrol, Government of Tyrol, Ministry of Austria (by funding) and the University of Natural Resources was cruical for the project development.