Establishing Evidence of Initiatives undertaken by Non-Mobility Service Providers that are aligned with Sustainable Travel Behaviour Change as a next generation focus of MaaS as MaaF

Abstract

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has garnered a significant amount of interest over the last 15 years and yet we have very little to show in Western nations in terms of its influence on travel behaviour aligned with sustainability goals, as well as an encouraging business case with or without an injection of significant government subsidy or private venture capital. While we see claimed success in Japan and China, this is the result of a government led and controlled initiative with extensive subsidy, something which appears to be beyond possibility in most countries. Certainly, to date, there are examples of Governments (e.g., across Europe) claiming interest and commitment but no financial support beyond existing subsidy to public transport available to all users. In researching MaaS over the last 10 years, we have come to the position that its future may reside in a greater involvement of non-mobility service providers (NMSPs) in recognition that a multi-service focus may offer up some real prospects of not only delivering desirable travel behaviour change but in facilitating a scalable outcome. Mobility as a Feature (MaaF) is one interpretation of this revised eco-system and has informed us of the potential opportunities that can be invoked through participation of NMSPs. To understand whether this has prospects, a survey in six countries in 2024 was undertaken to identify initiatives that are already in place within private enterprise and government agencies that align well with contributing to sustainable travel behaviour goals. The results suggest that much is already happening, but it has not been recognised as a MaaS/MaaF-like initiative. This paper presents the evidence and suggests a re-interpretation of what a future MaaS portfolio may look like, noting that this scalable future does not have to depend on the transport service providers working together other than their presence in providing services in the market to anyone wishing to use them. The focus historically on transport service providers appears to have been a major roadblock in progressing MaaS.