The way we move around cities is being revolutionized by modern technology. There are many alternatives for getting from point A to point B thanks to the rise of ride-sharing apps and car-sharing platforms as well as the imminent arrival of autonomous vehicles. But what if one service won’t get you to your destination? That’s the problem that mobility as a service is designed to solve.
What to know about MaaS
MaaS (Mobility as a Service) is simply the idea that society is moving from private modes of transportation to mobility as a true service. To learn more, visit calysponet.org. Buses, cabs, and other types of public transportation are commonplace, and it’s hard to imagine living in the modern world without them. New transportation ideas, such as carpooling, have spread rapidly around the world. We are also becoming more accustomed to using our mobile devices and even smart cards to make purchases. We use apps to hail cabs, buy tickets, pay for shared scooters and get train schedules. Many of these concepts are included in the notion of “mobility as a service,” but it may also involve a complete redesign of transportation.
Users do not pay for specific trips when using a mobility service platform. Instead, we view transportation as a whole. All modes of transportation are prepaid, on-demand and readily available. With this idea, customers simply sign up for an app, select their mode of transportation, and log the time spent using it.
Why is mobility as a service necessary?
A suburban home and a nice vehicle characterized the ideal lifestyle in the 1950s and into the 1970s. However, most jobs are now in crowded high-rise buildings, and some are even only available online. The population of small towns declined as people moved from industries to skyscrapers for their lifestyle. Cities have expanded. The technology sector is more important than ever, drawing more families into cities. Many are looking for affordable and convenient transportation alternatives.
In other words, we are once again seeing a major shift in transportation. Given that this trend of urban sprawl will only continue, it is very necessary. Indeed, the United Nations predicts that by 2050, 66% of the population will reside in urban areas. With MaaS, problems such as traffic congestion, pollution and fuel consumption can be solved.
Why integrate public transport into mobility as a service?
Based on active mobility and an efficient public transport system, MaaS involves the integration of various transport services (public transport, carpooling, carsharing, bike sharing, scooter sharing, cab, car rental, etc.) into one service.
It is difficult to book and pay for these different services as new mobility options proliferate in cities.
In addition, the new normal has changed the travel habits of residents. There is a growing need for integrated applications to find, schedule and book various mobility services.
Building such a state-of-the-art integrated mobility platform requires stepping outside the usual enterprise boundaries, which is a challenge in itself. MaaS requires a business ecosystem in which multiple organizations collaborate across traditional industry and enterprise boundaries, including users in the co-creation process.