Mobility as a Service: The future of mobility

And in the middle of this revolution was born the famous "Mobility as a Service" that everyone is talking about. But what exactly is MaaS? Don't worry because throughout this article we will explain what it consists of, what the different levels are and all the advantages of betting on the mobility of the future.

What is the Maas?

Of all the definitions that have been given since its appearance, the most accurate for us is the one created by “The MaaS Alliance” which defines this concept as :

"Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is the integration of different modes of transport services into a single accessible mobility service on demand."

Definitions generally tend to focus on the service, which confuses the term "integration". In addition, this new multimodal service also includes other important elements, such as customer needs, integrated payment, information on travel trends, more personalized service, traveler preferences, etc.

What are the benefits of Mobility as a Service?

The value offered by this service then becomes incredible, since through a single application you can access all types of transport, be it metro, bus, electric motorbikes... In addition, thanks to this unification, all payments are made from one same portal avoiding having to register in numerous applications or buy several tickets. On the other hand, this service also provides valuable information on travel trends in a city, which allows greater adaptability and reaction capacity for both mobility operators and the public administration. From better traffic management to better control over the vehicle fleet, Mobility as a Service applications provide a huge range of benefits.

Maas levels

According to the Boston Consulting Group, MaaS is based on 4 levels of integration that represent an increase in sophistication and services as you level up. Each one requires a different business model, with its own limitations, and which obviously depends on the specific characteristics of each city where it is implemented. Here we can see the 4 levels and what each one offers:

• Level 1: "planning". Here the platforms coordinate the different modes of transport and create a route based on the available data. As for the basic service, the value of this first level is the support to find the best trip and facilitate the choice regarding the time of day, the route or the mode of transport used. Example: Google Maps
• Level 2: “planning + ticket sales”. At this level, in addition to having a personalized itinerary, users can book different mobility services. The platforms have a commission for each sale. At this level, the value provided by the service is based on much easier access for the user to mobility, especially when making payments since everything happens in the same portal. Example: Free Now
• Level 3: "planning + ticketing + subscription packages". The difference between level 2 and this is that, in addition to selling transport tickets, for example, the platforms use strategies to attract customers by offering "all-inclusive" prices or, for example, some type of subscription that brings together different mobility options. Example: Whim
• Level 4: "planning + ticket sales + subscription packages + incentives" In this last level, in addition to providing all the above services, the added value is based on a reward system for betting on mobility sustainable In this way, these platforms can encourage, for example, that users use public transport during off-peak hours and thus benefit from reduced fares. Also, with the growing popularity of reward systems or gamification there are different algorithms and artificial intelligence functions that create challenges and games around a much more environmentally friendly way of moving. Example: Mivo Mobility

Conclusion

More and more cities around the world are starting to test "Mobility as a Service" as a definitive option to promote sustainable mobility. That is why we are presented with a unique opportunity with the recovery of the pandemic one to take the step and transform the urban transport sector.

Some cities have already started, even have been at the forefront of this for some time movement, but the vast majority need to go a step further. That's why it will be necessary a boost from a public-private initiative in which with transport public as the central axis, an efficient MaaS infrastructure is built that complements it with other mobility services such as taxis, motorbikes and electric scooters, the shared bike, etc.