A Critical Review of New Mobility Services for Urban Transport
TL;DR: The objective of this paper is to review these newly existing mobility services and develop an index to evaluate the level of mobility integration for each based on the assumption that higher level of integration is more appealing to travellers.
Abstract: The growing pressure on urban passenger transport systems has increased the demand for new and innovative solutions to increase its efficiency. One approach to tackle this challenge has been the slow but steady shift towards shared mobility services (car-, bike-sharing etc.). Building on these new modes and the developments in information and communication technologies, the concept of “Mobility as a Service” (MaaS) has recently come to light and offers convenient door-to-door transport without the need to own a private vehicle. The term Mobility as a Service (MaaS) stands for buying mobility services based on consumer needs instead of buying the means of mobility. In recent years, various MaaS schemes have been arisen around the world. The objective of this paper is to review these newly existing mobility services and develop an index to evaluate the level of mobility integration for each based on the assumption that higher level of integration is more appealing to travellers. The review presented in this paper allows a comparison among the schemes and provides the background and the key points of MaaS systems that the research community could use for designing surveys. It also provides significant insights to transport operators and authorities on the elements they should take into account to apply an attractive MaaS scheme that could effectively shift demand away from private vehicles.
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29 Jun 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define a set of attributes through a literature review, which is then used to describe selected mobility as a service (MaaS) schemes and existing applications, and examine the potential implications of the identified core characteristics of the service on the following three areas of transport practices.
Abstract: Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a recent innovative transport concept, anticipated to induce significant changes in the current transport practices. However, there is ambiguity surrounding the concept; it is uncertain what are the core characteristics of MaaS and in which way they can be addressed. Further, there is a lack of an assessment framework to classify their unique characteristics in a systematic manner, even though several MaaS schemes have been implemented around the world. In this study, we define this set of attributes through a literature review, which is then used to describe selected MaaS schemes and existing applications. We also examine the potential implications of the identified core characteristics of the service on the following three areas of transport practices: travel demand modelling, a supply-side analysis, and designing business model. Finally, we propose the necessary enhancements needed to deliver such an innovative service like MaaS, by establishing the state of art in those fields.
475 citations
Cites background from "A Critical Review of New Mobility S..."
...Even if the integration of transport modes is the first requirement in MaaS schemes, payment integration and ICT integration are also main components in the supply integration thatMaaS offers, as it has also been reported by Kamargianni et al. (2016)....
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...Other definitions considered the user-centred perspective from an operational point of view (Ghanbari, Álvarez San-Jaime, Casey, & Markendahl, 2015; Kamargianni et al., 2016; Rantasila, 2016)....
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...…Stadtwerke PlusCard (Münster, Germany), Stuttgart-Services (Stuttgart, Germany), SwissPass Plus (Switzerland), Switchh (Hamburg, Germany), Tripkey (Netherlands), Ylläs Around (Ylläs area, Finland), and other schemes included in MaaSiFie project (König et al., 2016) and Kamargianni et al. (2016)....
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TL;DR: A stated choice survey of 252 individuals administered via a face-to-face method is conducted in Sydney, Australia and a state-of-the-art preference model is estimated to address the research questions as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Mobility as a Service (MaaS), which uses a digital platform to bring all modes of travel into a single on-demand service, has received great attention and research interest Different business models have emerged in which travellers can either pre-pay for their mobility services bundled into a MaaS plan, or pay-as-they-go using a smart app linked to the service This study aims to understand how large the potential market of MaaS would be if travellers are offered this one-stop access to a range of mobility services, and how much potential users might value each item included in a MaaS plan A stated choice survey of 252 individuals administered via a face-to-face method is conducted in Sydney, Australia and a state of the art preference model is estimated to address the research questions Results indicate that almost half of the sampled respondents would take MaaS offerings, and the potential uptake levels vary significantly across population segments, with infrequent car users being the most likely adopters, and car non-users the least On average, Sydney travellers are willing to pay $640 for an hour of access to car-share, with one-way car-share valued more than station-based car-share Estimated willingness-to-pay for unlimited use of public transport is $590 per day which is much lower than the current daily cap These findings suggest a careful segmentation of the market and a cross-subsidy strategy is likely to be required by MaaS suppliers to obtain a commercially viable uptake level
159 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the development of a new service model for accessing transport, namely Mobility as a Service (MaaS), and present one of the first critical analyses of the rhetoric surrounding the concept.
Abstract: In this paper we focus on the development of a new service model for accessing transport, namely Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and present one of the first critical analyses of the rhetoric surrounding the concept. One central assumption of one prevalent MaaS conceptualization is that transport services are bundled into service packages for monthly payment, as in the telecommunication or media service sectors. Various other forms of MaaS are being developed but all tend to offer door-to-door multi-modal mobility services, brokered via digital platforms connecting users and service operators. By drawing on literature concerned with socio-technical transitions, we address two multi-layered questions. First, to what extent can the MaaS promises (to citizens and cities) be delivered, and what are the unanticipated societal implications that could arise from a wholesale adoption of MaaS in relation to key issues such as wellbeing, emissions and social inclusion? Second, what are de facto challenges for urban governance if the packaged services model of MaaS is widely adopted, and what are the recommended responses? To address these questions, we begin by considering the evolution of intelligent transport systems that underpin the current vision of MaaS and highlight how the new business model could provide a mechanism to make MaaS truly disruptive. We then identify a set of plausible unanticipated societal effects that have implications for urban planning and transport governance. This is followed by a critical assessment of the persuasive rhetoric around MaaS that makes grand promises about efficiency, choice and freedom. Our conclusion is that the range of possible unanticipated consequences carries risks that require public intervention (i.e. steering) for reasons of both efficiency and equity.
154 citations
Cites background or methods from "A Critical Review of New Mobility S..."
...Our analysis of the documents utilises a traditional understanding of the art of rhetoric overlaid on to a discourse analysis that sceptically interrogates the validity of the key persuasive claims made by pro-MaaS actors (Jasanoff, 2016; Kamargianni et al., 2016)....
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...The first group of synergistic applications include ticketing systems, particularly those which integrate payment and access through a single interface, such as London’s Oyster Card (Kamargianni et al., 2016)....
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TL;DR: An overview of methods for modelling and simulation of UAM will wrap up the prior discussion and provide insights on first modelling results, and literature on operational concepts, possible market structures and the interaction with existing transport systems will be reviewed.
151 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a revised approach to improve the urban realm, against the backdrop of new models for delivering transport services as digitalisation, collaborative consumption and autonomous technologies take hold.
Abstract: This overview article proposes a revised approach to improve the urban realm, against the backdrop of new models for delivering transport services as digitalisation, collaborative consumption and autonomous technologies take hold. We propose the concept of modal efficiency illustrated through a conceptual framework situating both existing and emerging modes of transport around spatial and temporal dimensions. This framework helps us evaluate how the push towards smaller and more flexible transport services in questionable settings can have significant and adverse effects on road capacity, increasing congestion and in the longer term impacting urban form. We propose linking urban land use characteristics to travel price and modal efficiency to improve the broader transport system and guide the sustainable development of our cities. Mobility as a service (MaaS) based on shared mobility and modal integration constitutes a major opportunity to deliver on these ideals, if organised appropriately. Widely diverging service delivery models for MaaS are introduced, including commercially-motivated models (which may exacerbate efficiency issues), and systems which incorporate an institutional overlay. We propose consideration of a government-contracted model for MaaS, where road pricing is incorporated as an input into package price, defined by time of day, geography and modal efficiency. In amidst the hype of new mobility technologies and services, a critical assessment of the realm of possibilities can better inform government policy and ensure that digital disruption occurs to our advantage.
140 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify customers' desired quality of integrated multimodal travel information provision in public transport and identify the main determinants are time savings (travel and search time) and effort savings (physical, cognitive and affective effort).
255 citations
"A Critical Review of New Mobility S..." refers background in this paper
...Grotenhuis et al. (2007) used the term “integrated multimodal travel information” for ICT integration in public transport and identified passengers’ desired quality upon such service via a survey in Netherlands....
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...It is expected to facilitate and support travellers throughout the journey during “pre-trip”, “wayside” and “on-board” stages (Eryilmaz et al., 2014; Grotenhuis et al., 2007) by including functions such as journey planning, booking and real-time information....
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TL;DR: In this article, a free month travel card was given to car owners in order to promote commuting by public transport in a field experiment and based on a solid behavioural-theoretical framework.
195 citations
"A Critical Review of New Mobility S..." refers background in this paper
...In a field experiment with over hundreds of participants, Thøgersen (2009) found the provision of a free monthly travel card led to a doubling of the use of public transportation in the experiment group and the positive effect remained half a year after the intervention....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present models using structural equation modelling to test a-priori hypotheses on the paths linking car availability, season-ticket-ownership and modal usage.
133 citations
"A Critical Review of New Mobility S..." refers background in this paper
...Further, Simma and Axhausen (2001) demonstrated that committing to a specific mode by purchasing a mobility tool reduced the usage of other modes....
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19 May 2014
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a way to reorganize the passenger transport sector so that it would promote the concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS), that is, convenient provision of a versatility of attractive mobility services.
Abstract: The passenger transport sector is being affected by several major trends. These trends alter the requirements of the transport system, thus creating a challenge to the city development. However, it seems that the current organization of the public transport service provision in Helsinki fails to sufficiently respond to the challenge. Simultaneously, the objective of the national transport policy is to increase the share of sustainable travel modes. In addition to the altering requirements, modern technology, such as means of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), provide a spectrum of possibilities in the field. The deployment of ITS could contribute to more efficient utilization of resources, including infrastructure and fleet, improved fluidity of traffic due to real time information, and attractive provision of mobility services. Having said this, it appears that the passenger transport sector in Helsinki needs to be transformed. In order to discover a possible form and course for the transformation, the Helsinki City Planning Department has procured this study. This study discovers a way to reorganize the passenger transport sector so that it would promote the concept of “Mobility as a Service” (MaaS), that is, convenient provision of a versatility of attractive mobility services. This study provides a suggestion of a transformed mobility sector. Furthermore, it provides a scheduled proposal for action for executing the transformation. The study examined former transformations in four industries: telecommunications, energy, airline, and railroad industries. The author aimed to identify the most significant factors that contributed to the success of the transformations. These numerous factors were then formed into proposals for action and crystallized into seven most considerable ones. The seven proposed actions were then appointed to a time scale from 2015 to 2025, thus creating a road map for the transformation of the passenger transport sector in Helsinki. The results show that all stakeholders should cooperate in the transformation, and legislation as well as regulation should be revised. In addition, purchase and subsidization procedures, as well as mobility service provision should be reorganized, and transformed operations established. Additionally, pilots should be conducted from the beginning to gain practical experience.
108 citations
"A Critical Review of New Mobility S..." refers background in this paper
...First proposed by Heikkilä (2014), the Helsinki Model discovers a way to reorganize the personal transport sector and to create a door-to-door mobility service....
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17 Sep 2011
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the extent that this data offers the possibility to both build and measure future of travel-based ubiquitous computing applications, focusing on two potential end-users: first, how travellers may be aided by feedback mechanisms in order to realign misperceptions of their travel behaviour and leverage this data to change their habits.
Abstract: The widespread adoption of automated fare collection (AFC) systems by public transport authorities around the world means that, increasingly, people carry and use passive sensors (embedded inside of public transit tickets) to record their daily movements. Unlike mobile phones, the records held by AFC systems provide a rich and detailed source of data about peoples' transport habits: times of travel, modalities, destinations, trip durations, and fares paid. In this work, we explore the extent that this data offers the possibility to both build and measure future of travel-based ubiquitous computing applications. We focus on two potential end-users: first, how travellers may be aided by feedback mechanisms in order to re-align misperceptions of their travel behaviour and leverage this data to change their habits. In particular, we analyse differences between 85 travellers' surveyed perceptions of their public transport habits and their actual usage of the system. Second, how transport authorities can use this data to measure and implement incentive mechanisms that produce the expected impact. We use anonymised AFC data to measure the extent that financial incentives implemented by London's transport authority (such as peak-hour fares and student discounts) correlate with measurable changes in millions of travellers' behaviours.
73 citations