How can we build Trust and Collaboration among Mobility as a Service (MaaS) stakeholders?

Abstract

The concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has grown in popularity resulting in a number of MaaS trials and solutions in recent years. Extant literature indicates that lack of trust and collaboration among the key stakeholders in the MaaS ecosystems is one of the key factors that hamper the formation of sustainable MaaS organisational models. This study investigates the factors that build trust and collaboration in a MaaS ecosystem using a mixed methods approach which consists of two phases. Phase I followed a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach using two MaaS case studies namely, the Whim MaaS scheme in Helsinki, Finland and the Sydney MaaS trial, in Australia to understand how stakeholders of the MaaS ecosystem perceived the factors that build trust and collaboration. Data was collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with the representatives of key stakeholders in the two MaaS ecosystems. Two conceptual models were developed for each case to illustrate how the constructs that emerged through the analysis interact with each other in building trust and collaboration. Phase II was based on an international survey of professionals with an interest in MaaS which is developed using the constructs identified in Phase I. The factors extracted in Phase II using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were investigated with the constructs that emerged in Phase I to identify a set of generic factors that build trust and collaboration in a MaaS ecosystem. The identification of stakeholder motives (commercial and societal), understanding among the partners, expectations management, having a shared vision or a common goal, identifying conflicts, having a MaaS champion and understanding about MaaS emerged as essential for collaboration apart from the trust. Drawing on these findings, policy implications have been postulated for regulatory authorities to enable a conducive environment for MaaS implementation.