Federal Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants NMBS to introduce a special train subscription for teleworking for everyone by January 2022. “People no longer work in the office every day and therefore expect flexible train formulas,” he said in a press release on Saturday.
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The NMBS is currently running a pilot project that was presented through the employer to about 6,000 to 7,000 employees of a number of large companies: the FlexAbo. This is a digital subscription for a month that contains a certain number of journeys that can be activated during that period.
After evaluation, Gilkinet wants to expand the system to everyone in January: individuals, companies or government departments. “The entire system has to be adapted for this, because for optimum ease of use, the formula connects to the parking subscriptions and the systems of the regional transport companies,” explains the minister.
The initiative is part of Gilkinet’s aim to get more people on the train. “People generally demand more flexibility in their mobility, which we also see with the mobility budget, for example,” Gilkinet continues. “An extensive and flexible train offering must form the backbone of our mobility. Because fewer people in traffic jams and more people on the train, that is good for our health, for the economy and for the climate.”
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