Collaboration between different stakeholders is argued to increase the efficiency and quality of the transition to sustainable mobility by supporting the diffusion of knowledge and fostering innovation. In this paper, we examine the important role of collaborative capacity as an institutionalized practice in public transport by providing a 10-year collaborative academic and non-academic partnership case study from Sweden, including interviews with key non-academics. Three different collaboration working-forms are identified, exemplified, and discussed: joint efforts, parallel projects, and collaboration loops. It is shown that collaboration and research communication can be a very valuable asset that benefits all parties if it is done systematically and responsibly. However, if the translation from research to managerial implications does not materialize, the benefits of collaboration may get lost. Building upon Commitment-Trust theory, it is shown that even if dialogue between academics and non-academics may be exposed to pressure and challenged in different ways, if carried out responsibly it builds trust and respect for different knowledge horizons, problem formulations, time logics, and working methods. Over time goodwill trust may evolve. Although collaboration loops may be the most promising method to aim to develop collaborative capacity, general learnings are that small projects are equally important, especially if clustered, to provide benefits to both non-academic and academic partners. It is concluded that developing a collaborative capacity among both non-academic and academic partners can create new collaborative practices, increasing the possibility of contributing to difficult societal challenges, such as achieving a sustainable future.