The ReKoMo project set out to transform the fragmented mobility landscape in Germany’s urban areas by creating a regional cooperation and mobility platform that unifies diverse transport services into a single, user‑friendly interface. The initiative was driven by the growing trend of flexible mobility choices, the decline of private car ownership, and the rapid spread of smartphones and mobile internet. Existing mobility portals were largely national in scope and failed to capture local providers, leaving customers with multiple registration processes, disparate pricing models, and limited visibility of nearby shared vehicles. ReKoMo aimed to eliminate these barriers by integrating local mobility offers, streamlining booking and payment, and providing context‑aware guidance for each step of the user journey.

Technically, the project delivered a modular system architecture that supports plug‑in mobility providers through standardized APIs. The core platform aggregates data from car‑sharing, bike‑sharing, e‑scooter, and public transport operators, normalises fare structures, and exposes a unified booking service to end users. A key milestone was the deployment of a demonstrator in the Rhein‑Main metropolitan area, where the platform was connected to over 30 local providers and served more than 10,000 active users during the field‑test phase. Evaluation metrics showed a 45 % reduction in average transaction time compared with traditional booking flows, a 30 % decrease in the number of required app installations, and a 25 % increase in repeat usage of shared vehicles. The platform’s data‑driven routing algorithm also improved vehicle utilisation rates by 18 %, as measured by the proportion of vehicles in active use versus idle time. These results confirm that a regional, cooperative approach can deliver measurable gains in efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The ReKoMo platform was built on open‑source technologies, enabling rapid integration of new providers and scalability across regions. The architecture incorporates a microservices layer that handles authentication, payment processing, and real‑time availability, while a front‑end web portal and mobile app provide a consistent user experience across devices. Security and privacy were addressed through token‑based authentication and anonymised data aggregation, ensuring compliance with EU data protection regulations. The platform’s extensibility was demonstrated by the successful onboarding of a new e‑bike provider during the final quarter of the project, which required only a few days of configuration and no code changes.

Collaboration was central to ReKoMo’s success. The project was led by rms GmbH, which provided system design, integration, and field‑testing expertise. Key partners included local mobility operators from the Rhein‑Main region, municipal authorities such as the city of Frankfurt, and technology collaborators that supplied the API gateway and cloud hosting services. The consortium operated under a joint governance model that allocated responsibilities for data management, user experience design, and business development. The project ran from January 2021 to December 2023, spanning three years of development, integration, and evaluation. Funding was secured through a German federal grant under the Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure’s mobility innovation program, with additional support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 framework.

In summary, ReKoMo delivered a technically robust, regionally focused mobility platform that demonstrably improves user experience and operational efficiency. By unifying disparate mobility services, reducing transaction friction, and enabling data‑driven optimisation, the project provides a scalable blueprint for future regional mobility ecosystems. The collaborative model, supported by public funding and a diverse partner network, showcases how public‑private cooperation can accelerate the transition to sustainable, flexible urban transport.