© designed by Bo Peng
Between tax incentives, the evolution of the mobility budget and employees’ expectations, soft mobility is gradually becoming part of corporate policies.
During rush hour, Brussels still hesitates between car horns and bicycle bells. Yet the landscape is changing. The bicycle is increasingly emerging as a credible response to traffic congestion, climate pressure and the new expectations of workers. The question remains whether the capital is ready to shift up a gear, and whether companies are ready to follow. Interview with Joule* and Mbrella**.
A city learning to pedal
Brussels did not grow up with cycling culture deeply rooted in its DNA. Comparisons with Flanders quickly arise in conversations. There, cycling has long been part of everyday life. Here, the momentum is more recent and more fragile.
Cycle lanes have multiplied and infrastructure is improving, but it remains a sensitive topic: route continuity, safety at intersections, secure parking. “We are making progress, but there is still work to be done,” acknowledges Jean-Baptiste Cayman, Account Manager & Partnerships at Joule. What he does observe, however, is a clear shift in Brussels, more pronounced than in Wallonia. In a dense city, where commuting distances are often short, cycling becomes a logical alternative: “The potential is huge,” he says simply.
National figures point in the same direction. According to the Federal Public Service Mobility & Transport (2025), cycling use continues to grow in Belgium, particularly thanks to electric bikes. The Brussels Region is following the trend, even if the pace remains measured.
Companies facing a new equation
Since 2019, the mobility budget has allowed employees to exchange their company car for a budget that can be used for alternative mobility solutions. Initially received with caution, the mechanism has gradually become part of common practice. According to federal announcements relayed notably by Securex, it is expected to become mandatory for companies that include a vehicle in their salary package.
In Brussels, the concept is gaining traction. “Many employees do not actually need a car on a daily basis,” notes Amaury Gerard, CEO of Mbrella. The budget is calculated based on the total cost of the car and can then be redistributed toward public transport subscriptions, a bicycle, or even housing closer to the workplace. “Once you try it, you adopt it: we have not seen a single case of someone reverting to a company car once the mobility budget was activated,” he says.
Cycling as a salary benefit
In this context, bike leasing naturally finds its place. At Joule, the bike is financed by the employee through their salary package (gross salary, end-of-year bonus or mobility budget) within a tax-advantaged framework. The employer does not bear any additional direct cost.
“It’s a win-win formula,” summarizes Jean-Baptiste Cayman. Employees benefit from an insured and maintained bike, with full support. HR teams, for their part, are relieved of operational management thanks to integration with social secretariats.
Beyond the financial tool, companies also have a cultural role to play: secure parking, promotion of cycling (or even walking) allowances, internal communication. Mobility is becoming a structuring element of the salary package, just like other benefits. For Amaury Gerard, “the goal is to help employers build a coherent mobility policy.”
The two approaches are compatible. Mobility budgets and bike leasing can be combined, broadening options without increasing administrative complexity.
A broader transition
Both companies share a common shareholder, D’Ieteren Group. A detail that says a lot. The group, historically associated with the automotive industry, is now investing in solutions that go far beyond the car.
Beyond soft mobility, the transition aims to rethink transportation as a whole. At Mbrella, electric fleet management is now part of the offering. In Brussels, this shift is taking place on several levels. It is part of a broader evolution in salary policies, legal obligations and societal expectations.
The bicycle may not yet be king, but it is no longer marginal. The capital does not yet resemble Antwerp or Ghent during rush hour, but bicycle bells are becoming more frequent.
*About Joule
Founded in Ghent and active throughout Belgium, Joule specializes in B2B bike leasing. It enables employees to access a bike, traditional or electric, through their salary package. The company supports organizations from implementation to administrative management, in coordination with social secretariats.
** About Mbrella
Founded in 2021, Mbrella develops a mobility benefits management platform for employers. Mobility budget, public transport subscriptions, cycling or walking allowances, electric fleet charging management: the objective is to centralize the entire home-to-work journey within a single tool.