One year after its launch, Brussels' all-in-one mobility app Floya has been downloaded more than 150,000 times and has around 35,000 regular users, according to Brussels public transport operator STIB, which developed the app.
With Floya, users should be able to find their way around Brussels more easily without using their own car. In addition to planning a trip, users can also use the app to reserve means of transport and pay for tickets.
"The range of possibilities within Floya brings soft mobility very close and makes it easier to leave your own car at home," STIB said in a press release.
It brings together ten providers of shared mobility. In addition to SNCB and the public transport companies STIB, De Lijn and Tec, operators such as Poppy, Cambio, Bolt, Dott and Taxis Verts are also part of the app. It also shows the way to Villo! stations and drop-off zones for shared scooters and bikes.
Expensive Google Maps
After a few months, the app had already been downloaded 100,000 times. Now, a year after its launch, the number has risen to over 150,000 downloads. The app has around 35,000 regular users, with people using it at least once a month.
While Floya has won several awards (including the 'IF Design award’ in Germany for its brand design), the app has also been heavily criticised. According to outgoing Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), the app cost €14 million spread over eight years.
In the Brussels Parliament, the opposition questioned the need for such an app. "I already have a mobility app. It is called Google Maps," said David Weytsman (MR) at the time. While the difference with apps such as Google Maps is that users cannot purchase tickets or reserve rides, Floya's most-used function is the route planner: users have already entered more than 1.5 million searches in it.
