Mobility as a Service (MaaS) offers integrated, multi-modal transport as a subscription-based service enabled by a phone or web app. It integrates traditional public transport with additional, newer mobility services, allowing a door-to-door travel using a single interface or point of contact. It allows whole journey (point-to-point) planning and booking demand-responsive, shared taxi modes.
MaaS requires integrated ticketing and payment systems across modes and potentially providers. Legislative, commercial, governance and technological aspects are required to establish MaaS.
The CO2 reduction of MaaS are achieved through sustainable travel and reducing the demand for private car travel. The sub-modes that MaaS comprises are the source of CO2 reductions, compared to conventional private cars.
MaaS can lead to CO2 reductions by responding to passengers' needs for services like on-demand shared buses and efficient payment systems which can stimulate shift from private car to public transport. Although the studies available are mostly small-scale, the findings indicate reduced private car use. The study for Ulm (Germany) shows that in the most plausible scenario the CO2 emissions per average car2go user would reduce from 2787 to 2549 kg CO2/year due to the modal shifts. This result comes from a model rather than from empirical evidence.
MaaS costs stem mostly from the IT-related costs of creation and operation of the MaaS platform. There are costs for the operators associated with bringing their data to a specific format. MaaS is usually associated with introduction of shared vehicles, necessitating the acquisition and operation of the vehicle fleet. No articles or reports providing empirical evidence have been identified.
- Improved air quality and congestion reduction due to reduced private car use.
- Reduction of transport costs.
- Reduction of travel time.
Risk of facilitating mode shift from already sustainable modes, such as walking, cycling to car-based modes, such as taxi or car sharing.
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