Emerging transport technologies and the modal efficiency framework: A case for mobility as a service (MaaS)

Abstract

The land passenger transport sector lies on the cusp of a major transformation, guided by collaborative consumption, next generation vehicles, demographic change and digital technologies. Whilst there is widespread enthusiasm across the community for this nexus of disruptors, the wholescale implications on road capacity, traffic congestion, land use and the urban form remains unclear, and by extension, whether this emerging transport paradigm will bring a net benefit to the transport system and our communities. Some issues include the proliferation of point-to-point transportation, a continuation of universal vehicle ownership, and the demise of fixed route public transport—all envisaged by various industry leaders in technology and transportation. In this paper, we develop the modal efficiency framework, with axes representing spatial and temporal efficiency to illustrate why some of these developments may be geometrically incompatible with dense urban environments. We then investigate three potential scenarios likely to emerge and explain why they may be problematic with reference to this framework. Mobility as a service (MaaS) based on shared mobility and modal integration is then introduced as a sustainable alternative which accounts for the realities of spatial and temporal efficiency. Various models for implementing MaaS are evaluated including the distinction between commercially-motivated models (presently well advanced in research and development), and systems which incorporate an institutional overlay. The latter, government-led MaaS, is recommended for implementation given the opportunity for incorporating road pricing as an input into package price, defined by time of day, geography and modal efficiency. In amidst the hype of this emerging transport paradigm, a critical assessment of the realm of possibilities can better inform government policy and ensure that digital disruption occurs to our advantage.