The purpose of FUT conferences is to bring together researchers with key stakeholders responsible for urban transportation systems, in settings where the participants can learn from each other and develop new ideas. The conferences are intended to provide participants with an opportunity to analyze and discuss different needs and opportunities to influence future development toward sustainable urban transportation systems. But they are also useful for identifying both the barriers that stand in the way and the factors that are favorable for that type of development.
 
The 2012 FUT Symposium, Urban freight for liveable cities — How to deal with collaboration and trade-offs, is the 5th FUT Conference. The very first FUT conference, held in 2000, was a pure research conference. Since then, the perspective has gradually changed, toward creating meetings between researchers and practitioners. This year´s event focuses on the agents of change that are likely to be instrumental in forming, implementing and disseminating new ideas, methods, business models or technology.