1. Mobility as a Service (MaaS):
What is it Actually? What’s Beyond the Hype?
John from here
Roger Teal
DemandTrans Solutions

2. Mobility as a Service (MaaS): What is It?
A Concept
Integrated view of all relevant service options for a specific user trip
On-demand access to service(s) of choice with no-hassle provider payments
Necessity of ownership of personal mobility options potentially eliminated
An Application
Google Maps-like views of trip plans, service options, O-D times and costs
Booking, scheduling, payments, notifications all included in functionality
An App
Accessible from your smartphone for immediate use, tailored to your situation
As easy to use as single function travel apps (e.g., Uber, UAL, Hotels.com)

3. MaaS as Trip Planning on Steriods
Trip planning is the essential service but highly enhanced
All mobility options
integration of options into single trip plan
Traveler-specific and situation-specific
“Memory” of user preferences and prior trips
Integration of service booking with selected trip plan
Google Maps-like approach with additional functionality
Payment integration as feasible, OTA-like w/multiple accounts

4. MaaS as Mode/Payment Transactional Integration
Core Premise:
Effective private vehicle replacement requires “multi-modal” services
Public transportation, “new mobility” services, on-demand, etc.
Must be easy to obtain seamlessly integrated trip by trip service
Payment must be simple and essentially automated
Enhanced trip planning is necessary but not sufficient
Transactional integration including payments is key to Uber-like ease of use and customer attractiveness
MaaS platform fully handles payment integration

5. MaaS as Subscription-Based Service Packages
MaasGlobal (Whim) was first MaaS platform provider to focus on service packages and subscriptions
Explicit focus on replacement of private HH vehicle(s)
Helsinki/Finland initial target market for this approach
Concept: customers want a bundle of mobility services that they can use as appropriate and have largely pre-paid
Different packages with different service costs and types and amounts of service
“One-stop shopping” and automated payment approach

6. MaaS as Mostly Hype—For Now
Many players, some large, are in space or financing ventures (Daimler, Siemens, Xerox until recently)
But very limited uptake of MaaS by consumers to date
No MaaS systems appear to be fully transactional including access to and payments for all potential services—no Expedia’s
Integrated trip planning with click thru to book & pay—best case
Subscription type approaches limited and miniscule usage in overall context of USA and European metro areas
No successful business models yet, aspirational ventures

7. MaaS as Mostly Hype—For Now
Projections of near-term use and growth have little foundation
Examples
$ Billion in MaaS revenues by 2025; $ Billion by 2023; similar others
2.3 Billion automobile trips replaced by 2023 (not clear if USA or world-wide)
Growth rates of 33-36% annually
But no obvious “scientific” methodology behind such estimates
Ride-hailing, car sharing and bike sharing are major drivers of forecasts—but didn’t need MaaS to grow to current size
Automobile trips replaced projection: <1% of current auto trips

8. What MIGHT Be the Potential of MaaS?
How big is the real market?
Predictions of major MaaS impact imply big shift away from private auto ownership and use, are AVs a prerequisite?
WHY should MaaS result in major changes in consumer travel behavior?
Without AVs, MaaS provides primarily convenience advantage
Doesn’t fundamentally alter comparative utility of urban travel choices on situation by situation basis

9. What MIGHT Be the Potential of MaaS?
OTA experience as useful analogy for pre-AV situation?
Important improvement in choice and convenience for consumers
Increased competitiveness of choices—within limits
But no fundamental change in consumer travel behavior
Amazon re book sales another analogy for MaaS uptake?
MUCH easier to find and buy books than 20 years ago
e-book sales flourished initially, but have stalled
Print book sales now similar to 15 years ago with recent growth
Huge impact on distribution channels for books—similar to AVs vs. current single owner/user automobiles?

10. What MIGHT Be the Potential of MaaS?
Key potential role: New organizing framework for collective and/or publicly available transportation services
“Universal Mobility as a Service”—all such transportation services become accessible via Amazon/Google Maps/OTA- like functionalities
Open data infrastructure is critically important if this to occur
“New mobility” modes such as ride-hailing, car sharing, bike sharing, scooters etc. have not needed MaaS to grow
Incorporating them in such a framework is mutually beneficial

11. What Do We Need for Effective MaaS?
Open data and transactional data specifications
Public sector integration of/with multiple public and private sector mobility services at planning and payment level
Multiplicity of organizing models can be incorporated into overall MaaS framework if transactional data specs exist
Work trips, community transport, health care-related, others
Service access via APIs, data and payment integration are key
Business models for (privately) financially sustainable MaaS services may need to await AVs—10 years away?