Why are mid-sized companies implementing mobility budgets today

Companies in Belgium are facing a perfect storm in 2025: rising employee expectations, stricter sustainability rules coming in 2026, hybrid work changing commuting behaviour, and salary budgets reaching a point of saturation. That’s why more companies between 100 and 500 employees are turning to mobility budgets, as these can help save costs but also provide competitive benefits and regulatory alignment without inflating fixed compensation packages.

This market study shows what mid-market organisations are offering today, how much they allocate, and why the mobility budget is rapidly becoming a must-have before the 2026 regulations.

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1. Why rethinking their mobility now?

Companies often face the same expectations as larger enterprises but have fewer resources. HR teams are under pressure to offer more flexible, personalised benefits, CFOs are dealing with rising fleet and reimbursement costs, and leadership teams have to demonstrate progress toward sustainability goals with limited capacity.

But these pain points are accelerating the interest in implementing mobility budgets as they allow to solve multiple challenges at once: reducing operational complexity, cutting total mobility spend, increasing employee choice, and aligning with the upcoming 2026 regulations for companies with fleets. Let’s not forget that hybrid work has also fundamentally reshaped how people commute. Rare are the employees who still travel five days a week, and traditional mobility packages such as fixed company cars are no longer cost-effective.

The result? Mobility budgets went from a  “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” perk. A compliance-ready, future-proof, cost-controlled benefit.

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2. What is a competitive mobility budget in Belgium? 

Unlike traditional benefits with fixed amounts, mobility budgets do not follow a universal monthly average, but are legally tied to the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a company car or to a percentage of the employee’s annual gross salary. Public sources confirm that mobility budgets in 2026 range from:

• Minimum legal amount: 3 233€ per year (269,41 €/month)
  
  
• Maximum legal limit: up to 20% of annual gross salary, capped near 17.244€ per year
  
  

This means that mobility budgets can vary widely depending on role, seniority, and company car policies especially for these mid-market companies, where car policies are often mixed and evolving.

According to a PwC research, fewer than one in ten mid-sized Belgian companies currently offer a formal mobility-budget programme and only 37.5% of companies included the Federal Mobility Budget in their mobility policies. What we do see is that companies are getting ready for the mandatory mobility budget implementation in the course of 2026, setting budgets in line with car TCO, often falling somewhere within the legal minimum-to-maximum spectrum depending on the job role and seniority.

Because of how this is structured, there is no single “average” mobility budget for companies, but rather a legal framework that guides budgets between roughly €264 per month and a TCO-aligned upper range that can exceed €1,000/month for roles historically tied to a company car.

In short, mobility budgets are designed to replace company cars, not to mimic a flat allowance. That’s why amounts differ substantially across Belgian organisations.

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3. What companies include in their mobility budget programmes?

The strongest mobility programmes don’t rely on a single mode of transport. Instead, they offer a mix of options that can accommodate hybrid work, sustainability goals, and different commuting preferences.

The most common components are:

• Public transport subscriptions
  
  
• E-bike leasing
  
  
• Car-share and bike-share services
  
  
• Reimbursement for electric charging or fuel
  
  
• Reimbursement of mortgage or rent

• Occasional car rental or car-pool contributions
  
  

What stands out in this year’s study is the rising popularity of e-bike subscriptions with 66% of leased bikes in Belgium and rapidly growing shared mobility services. Teams want a balance between cost efficiency and employee satisfaction and multimodal mobility is the most affordable way to deliver that.

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4. Why a high and fast adoption rate? 

While large enterprises still lead the way in mobility budget adoption, mid-market companies recorded the fastest year-over-year growth. In 2025, their adoption rates reached around 55%.

There are two main reasons for this growth:

1. The war for talent: Employers need to differentiate their packages without over-increasing salary mass. Mobility budgets offer a higher value for the same cost.
   
   
2. Regulatory pressure: With 2026 approaching, many companies are phasing out outdated car or commuting policies to remain compliant and avoid rushed, last-minute adjustments. The government might be slow to find an agreement but once it will, regulations will need to be in place rapidly.
   
   

By adopting a mobility budget before 2026, companies can better and more strategically spread their change management load, inform employees properly, and avoid being forced into reactive, expensive decisions. In a recent interview, Matthias Soeteway, Corporate Mobility Consultant at Mobility Solutions by D’Ieteren (MSBD), said: Belgians aren't afraid of change. They're afraid of uncertainty. Once they understand what's happening and why, the change itself goes very smoothly. That means communication is everything.”

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5. Why act before the 2026 regulations are decided?

This shift will push organisations even further towards sustainable mobility. Even though nothing is set in stone yet, we know what’s coming. Companies still operating large car fleets, rigid commuting compensation, or outdated reimbursement methods will face higher compliance burdens and potential cost increases.

Implementing a mobility budget now allows organisations to:

• Transition gradually away from legacy benefits
  
  
• Align with sustainability requirements early
  
  
• Optimise costs before regulatory pressure intensifies
  
  
• Avoid internal disruption associated with last-minute compliance changes
  
  

The companies that delay until 2026 will face stronger financial and operational costs.

Is a mobility budget worth it for mid-sized companies? 

Yes. Between  rising costs, hybrid work, talent pressure, and the upcoming 2026 regulations, mobility budgets are a strategic necessity. By acting now, companies gain a competitive advantage, simplified mobility management, and financial predictability. Waiting too long will lead to rushed, compliance-driven changes.

As Belgium’s leading mobility budget company, we support organisations of all sizes in designing, launching, and managing mobility programmes that are compliant, cost-efficient, and loved by employees. The earlier you begin the transition, the smoother and more beneficial it will be.