BSC, Business Support Center, d.o.o., Kranj – Regional Development Agency of Gorenjska, at the 2nd regional event organized by the Regional Mobility Center of Gorenjska, on May 21, 2026, in Dvor Jezeršek, Zgornji Brnik, in the municipality of Cerklje na Gorenjskem, organized a training workshop on the topic of on-demand transport and presented good practices in the region and beyond as part of the RuralMED Mobility project, co-financed by the Interreg Euro-MED program.
Slovenia is entering a new phase of public passenger transport development, where classic models are increasingly giving way to flexible, digitally supported services. The “On-demand Transport” project, together with experiences from pilot environments such as Bohinj and the European RuralMED Mobility project, indicates a transition to more inclusive and sustainable mobility.
ToyotaGo offers municipalities a model that allows users to order transportation based on their actual needs, door-to-door – via phone, app or online – and thus optimizes both routes and costs.
The municipality of Bohinj is among the pioneers in introducing on-demand transportation in Slovenia. The system, which includes an electric van and the ToyotaGO digital booking platform, is already in use and serves various groups: locals, tourists and schools.
The results are telling. In the summer season of 2025, more than 56,000 passengers were transported on special routes, while 1,575 passengers used the on-demand transportation service.
However, the system also reveals financial challenges: ticket revenues amounted to approximately 47,700 euros, while total transportation costs of public transport exceeded 300,000 euros. The latter confirms that such services require public support and thoughtful management.
An important part of the transition to on-demand transportation is the electrification of the fleet. The RuralMED Mobility project emphasizes that e-mobility is not just a technological innovation, but part of a broader social and environmental transition.
Electric vehicles bring lower operating costs and lower emissions. The average energy cost is between 3 and 5 euros per 100 kilometers (depending on the energy source), which is significantly less than for fossil fuel vehicles.
At the same time, development requires appropriate infrastructure. For example, in Bohinj, a charging station with two connections was established as part of the project, and the total installation costs amounted to almost 48,000 euros, with the majority of funding provided by the European Union.
On-demand transport has important social impacts. It enables greater mobility for the elderly, easier access to services and greater independence for the physically challenged. For families, it means time savings, and for local communities, greater connectivity and quality of life.
At the same time, such systems contribute to reducing car dependence and encouraging the use of public transport, which is key to achieving climate goals.
Despite the positive effects, challenges remain. These include high initial costs, the need to digitize services, and ensuring a sufficient number of drivers and vehicles.
The data from Bohinj also point to operational limitations – including rejected requests due to limited capacity, which indicates the need for further optimization of the system.
User acceptance is also an important factor. Experience shows that free services are often not optimally used, which is why pricing models are being introduced that encourage responsible use.
By combining national policies, local initiatives, and European projects, Slovenia has the opportunity to establish a comprehensive on-demand transport system.
Pilot projects such as Bohinj and development initiatives within the framework of RuralMED Mobility represent an important test bed for future solutions. Their experience will be crucial in shaping a national model that combines sustainability, accessibility, and economic efficiency.
If cooperation between the state, municipalities, and users is successful, “on-demand transport” can become one of the key pillars of future mobility – especially in rural areas, where classic models often fail.
At the event, the representative of the ToyotaGO company, the author of the application and the director of the Sopotnik Institute, Marko Zevnik, presented the operation of the application. Good practices of on-demand transport were presented for the Brkini and Karst regions by the project manager of the Regional Development Agency of the Karst and Brkini, Jerneja Modic, the Municipality of Bohinj by Andreja Kemperle Lotrič, and the investment in the Municipality of Bohinj and the contents of the RuralMED Mobility project by the project manager at the BSC Kranj – RRA Gorenjska, Blanka Odlazek.
