A new report published by the Transport Systems Catapult suggests we are at the beginning of a “Mobility as a Service” (MaaS) revolution. MaaS will change how many of us travel and may see a move away from traditional car ownership.
The TSC is calling on policy makers and the private sector to work towards a shared vision for how to make MaaS a success. The report highlights what the future of MaaS could look like and how policy makers and the transport sector can innovate to meet the changing expectations of consumers.
Several trends identified in the report support future growth of MaaS: consumers are increasingly expecting their transport to be delivered as a ‘service’. Adoption of MaaS would also incentivise technological advances around improving journey experiences.
James Datson, lead author of the report explained:
“MaaS is about using a digital interface to source and manage transport related services to meet customer needs. Key influencers are now talking seriously about MaaS from an innovation perspective, as it embodies what many of us working in the transport industry see as the future.
There are many opportunities ahead – it’s an exciting time for investors and for the travelling public. The private sector sees MaaS as an opportunity to offer customers better journeys, and the public sector can embrace MaaS to help address the UK’s transport challenges.”
The report suggests that the rewards of moving from existing business models that focus on single modes of transport, to the provision of flexible end-to-end travel services, could be significant. MaaS can address many of thepain points in journeys and enable policy makers to make more efficient use of transport assets.
Lucy Yu, Head of Mobility as a Service at the DfT and CCAV, said:
“The idea of buying and selling mobility as a service represents a profound change in the way we think about transportation. Although the market will not transform overnight, clear signs of a shift are already present as well as the possibility for joint value creation across the public and commercial sectors.
MaaS offers a compelling opportunity to help local and regional areas meet their policy objectives in relation to the economy, congestion and pollution, as well as a potential means for re-framing how government subsidises and provides public transport services in the future.”
The report ‘Exploring the Opportunity for Mobility as a Service in the UK’ was commissioned by the Department for Transport and seeks to help define what MaaS is, how it can help us travel, and what the future could look like once it becomes mainstream. You can read the complete report at ts.catapult.org.uk.
You can download the full report here
Original Source: Transport Systems Catapult
