The global conversation on public transport needs voices that understand the reality of how billions of people actually move through cities. Over five days in June, Trufi’s brought our perspective to one of the world’s most influential mobility gatherings: The UITP Summit 2025 in Hamburg.
“The summit was amazing actually,” said Christoph Hanser, Trufi’s president, comparing it to another significant gathering: the ITS World Congress. Trufi’s participation in these conferences speaks to our growing recognition within the global transport sector.
(L-R) Denis Paz Jiménez, Eva Asturizaga, Christoph Hanser
A Unique Voice in the Conversation
The limited attention given to informal transport in official programming reinforced why Trufi’s participation matters. “There still was not a lot of attention given to informal transportation,” Trufi’s Eva Asturizaga said. “We are still one of the only organizations that addresses it.”
Informal transport serves as the primary means of mobility for millions of people globally. Yet many conference attendees are primarily expertise in European or formal transport systems are unfamiliar with the transport world where we work.
“A lot of them still don’t fully understand what informal transport is,” Asturizaga explained. “Once we explain it and once they realize, they are quite impressed because a lot of people are not super familiar with the terminology or not really thinking outside of their European bubbles.”
Trufi’s Hamburg Footprint
The Trufi delegation connected with transport authorities from many countries, and also researchers, consultants, and organizations such as Mobility Data.
Hanser met with senior transport officials in Hamburg, including meetings with the local transport authority HVV and Hamburg’s Minister of Transport.
“He knew Trufi already from the ‘Not Without My Bike’ project,” Hanser recalled, demonstrating that Trufi’s is known in European contexts, not just the global South.
The Paratransit Working Group
The focus on Trufi came when we hosted dinner for the paratransit working group; roughly 20 thought leaders in the global conversation around informal transport. “It was like the who’s who with Jackie Klopp, Benjie de la Peña and many other people we hosted in one evening,” Hanser said. “We had a wonderful evening and discussions and how to bring informal transport – or paratransit – forward.”
Having so many of our fellow travelers in one place was a chance to help others understand what’s possible when cities embrace rather than eliminate informal transport. Trufi applications incorporate informal systems – the primary systems people use in the global South – into journey planning alongside formal systems. “In a lot of cases, there doesn’t seem to be the idea to offer this kind of integrated application,” Asturizaga said.
The Challenge and Opportunity
Cities worldwide grapple with mobility challenges, yet many lack a framework or basic data to be able to incorporate existing informal networks into comprehensive solutions. Trufi’s approach — using open data and open-source tools to digitize and legitimize these systems — offers a path forward that many hadn’t considered.
“My hope would be that they know that this is possible; and they know that this is possible through us” Asturizaga said.
The summit demonstrated Trufi’s profile in the global transport discussion. “Trufi is a very respected member,” Hanser noted, describing how attendees consistently expressed support for our work.
This respect translates into practical opportunities. One example is that Asturizaga, who is relocating to Senegal, connected with Dakar’s mobility agency managing director, opening potential collaboration.
Trufi’s Voice Matters
While the sector increasingly and rightly focuses on technological innovation and sustainability, only a few organizations bridge the gap between these aspirations and the transportation reality for billions of people worldwide. “A lot of people were rooting for us.” Asturizaga said.
Hamburg proved that Trufi belongs at these tables as essential contributors to conversations about the future of transportation.
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Featured Image: Image capture from UITP Summit 2025 – Wrap-Up Video