Collective road transport by bus and coach, as well as highly flexible taxi services, play a key role in the sustainable mobility of people. They guarantee social cohesion and integration by providing people, including tourists, with safe, green, flexible and affordable mobility.

In Europe alone, the potential demand for accessible services has reached 50 million customers, with a projected increase of 25-30% in the next 25 years due to the aging population in developed economies.

The road transport sector is committed to contribute to improving accessibility for customers with disabilities or with reduced mobility. It has taken proactive steps to develop industry guidelines and provide guidance and advice to taxi operators and drivers in order to raise their awareness and help them improve the quality of the services offered to their customers and, in particular to customers with disabilities and customers with reduced mobility, including older persons, pregnant women, parents with small children, schoolchildren etc.

IRU Position on accessibility of taxis for mobility-impaired people, (2005)
Accessibility of taxis and hire cars with driver for persons with reduced mobility is a high priority for the International Transport Forum (ITF, ex-ECMT), the European Commission and some EU Member States. The IRU sresses that the taxi sector is willing to offer services for mobility impaired people, but not at a financial loss. The IRU and its Members support vehicle accessibility for mobility impaired people, provided it is introduced in line with the IRU’s 3 "i" Strategy, based on Innovation, Incentives, and Infrastructure.

IRU position on access to long distance buses and coaches for mobility impaired people, (2005)
As the European Commission plans to present a new proposal for a regulation on passenger rights for people with reduced mobility on long distance bus and coach journeys, the IRU stresses that when considering mandatory vehicle accessibility, an increase in operation costs as well as special tariffs for people with reduced mobility must be taken into account. The IRU therefore advocates its 3 "i" Strategy, based on Innovation, Incentives and Infrastructure to introduce vehicle accessibility for mobility impaired people.