The Impact of Mobility as a Service on Urban Transportation and City Planning

Economic benefits of MaaS in Latin America

Management of traffic - Urban Traffic Control systems could be expected to improve the efficiency of transport networks through cutting on delays to vehicles. That has additional benefits of minimising emissions and fuel use. The economic benefits here would be calculated in terms of the time saved. The time saved could specifically be for users of public transport, for general traffic and even for cyclists. Mexico experiences high traffic congestion which slows economic growth and slows businesses. More cars o roads bring about increased congestion of traffic, road safety challenges and pollution. MaaS could help minimise the traffic congestion in Mexico.

MaaS also has the potential of increasing the efficiency of public transport and reducing the reliance of the members of the public on automobiles. This goes a long way in lowering the cost of living for the general public.

London

MaaS makes it easier for transit agencies to access new serice areas, the so called, “gray zones”. In such areas, public transportation would not be practical for both geographical and economic reasons. The required infrastructure for such services is way lower because no overhead power lines or new rails are required.

Private Mobility as a Service and new public solutions in the form of software and autonomous vehicles provides new levels of efficiency and intelligence for planners of transportation which facilitates the economic enjoyment of such services by citizens in different cities.

Safer cities

• Planning of cities affects safety and also affects the perception of people on safety.
• Public space and city streets management is also pivotal in ensuring that neighbourhoods stay safe. That does not only fall around the roles of local authorities, there are models where management and community is essential in maintaining the safety of spaces (Welle et al., 2015).
• Safe cities are supported by properly functioning governments and proper governance.

Urban governance

• Here exists large gaps between the better off and poor urban residents with regard to access to political, social and economic opportunities and take part in and leverage those benefits that are associated with urban living.
• Urban governance plays a role that is critical in shaping urban regions social and physical character.
• Has an influence on the quality and quantity of local services and delivery efficiency.
• Determines the costs of sharing and resource distribution among groups that are different.
• Has an effect on the ability of residents to access the local government and engage in making of decisions. That affects the accountability of local governments and responsiveness to demands by citizens.

Smart Hub Solutions and services

• Mobility as a Service capabilities provide solutions that are customised and digital platforms that are user friendly through which commuters can choose the travel mode they prefer based on convenience, cost and time.
• Provision of integrated public transportation that is also affordable and sustainable is a key condition for improvement while also promoting sustainability.

Commercial opportunities for MaaS

• Transport operators – one of the main suppliers to the MaaS provider are the transport operators and they are positioned at the core of the business ecosystem. They sell their capacities to MaaS operators and also facilitate access to their data through Application Programming Interfaces that are secure (Sochor, Karlsson and Stromberg, 2016).
• Provision of ICT infrastructure – a critical role is played by internet connectivity to MaaS providers. MaaS customers must be able to access the services through the MaaS mobile application or the website in real-time so as to request
• Providers of ticketing and payment solutions – MaaS providers cooperate with those firms that offer smart capabilities related to payment so that customers can be capable of paying for their purchases of MaaS services. Smartphone wallets are the most appropriate ideal ticketing solutions because MaaS services are offered through smartphones.
• Providers of dynamic Multiservice Journey Planners – there exists numerous available planners for journeys in the market together with open journey planning platforms. Providers of MaaS, usually are at will to host journey planners that are already available on their platforms.

References

• Chesbrough, H. W. Business Model Innovation: Opportunities and Barriers. Long Range From a Field Trial and Implications For Understanding Demand. 95th Annual Meeting of the Planning, 2010, Vol. 43(2–3), 354–363.
• SMARTCITIESDIVE. (2019). Mexico City's Traffic Congestion Slows Economic Growth, Costs Businesses. [online] Available at: https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/mexico-city-s-car-congestion-slows-economic-growth-costs-businesses/1068781/ [Accessed 8 May 2019].
• Sochor, J., M. Karlsson, and H. Strömberg. Trying Out Mobility as a Service: Experiences Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2016
• Welle, B., Liu, Q., Li, W., Adriazola-Steil, C., King, R., Sarmiento, C. and Obelheiro, M., 2015. Cities safer by design: guidance and examples to promote traffic safety through urban and street design.