Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) from a Transport Operator’s Perspective : Opportunities and challenges

Abstract: Congestion and pollution are challenges that have started to build pressure on urban cities to introduce more environmental-friendly transportation alternatives. One transport solution that has gained attention in the light of digitalization is a concept called mobility as a service (MaaS) that has the potential to change how people travel today. However, the main issue related to MaaS is that there is no sustainable or long-term business model in place, and it is unclear how value can be created for actors that are considering to integrate themselves to this ecosystem. The purpose of this study is to investigate what the potential opportunities and challenges are from a transport operator’s perspective when considering to integrate their transportation service to MaaS. This study further addresses the key elements that are needed in this service and its system-level enablers, as well as, how transportation operators’ ability and desire differ to influence the development of MaaS. The study is moreover built on a qualitative research approach where actors from both private and public organizations were interviewed. The gathered data was in combination with a literature review and business model theory analyzed to provide an answer to the current opportunities and challenges with MaaS. The results indicate that both public transport and carpools are essential parts to even consider developing MaaS further and to be able to compete with privately owned vehicles. To be able to make MaaS an attractive transportation solution and to be able to develop this service further, thirdparty resellers have to be granted permission by PTA’s to sell their travel tickets, and that carpool cars have to be given a definition to receive parking subsidies. Next, it was concluded that a clearer added value is needed in order for private and public transportation operators to see the actual value that MaaS could potentially offer their businesses and customers. Moreover, both roles and responsibilities have to be determined to make transport operators aware of how an integration of their service into the MaaS ecosystem could affect them. Additionally, transportation operators that are operating within procured public traffic are limited in their ability to influence the development of MaaS, since they do not have the mandate to make that decision. On the contrary, private transport operators do have the ability to affect the development of MaaS and could have the potential to create their own MaaS solution.