MaaS Expert: Mobility-as-a-Service Initiatives on Wrong Track; New ‘Framework’ Needed
Mobility as a service, at least in its present form, will not scale and has little commercial sustainability. MaaS, in fact, may never live up to its hype or see large-scale rollouts.
Moscow to Test Mobility-as-a-Service Platform that will Include Use of Contactless Payments
The Moscow Department of Transport has announced it is launching a test of its planned “MultiTransport” mobility-as-a-service platform, which will enable users to plan and pay for rides on the Moscow Metro and other public transit, along with taxis. The city said it is planning to add other transport modes, including car-share and bike and scooter rental.
Australian Transit Agency to Launch Mobility-as-a-Service Trial as It Pursues Long-Term MaaS Strategy
Plans by Transport for New South Wales, Australia’s largest transit agency, to launch a trial enabling users to plan, book and pay for multimodal rides is the next step toward the agency’s long-term goal of building a full mobility-as-a-service, or MaaS, platform.
Indonesian Capital Seeks to Expand to Multimodal Fare Collection and MaaS
Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, whose metropolitan area is home to more than 30 million people, is notorious for its stifling traffic congestion. In response, the government metro and light-rail networks and now it is funding an expansion of the fare-collection system to enable more multimodal payments and to build a mobility-as-a-service platform.
Transit Operator Arriva Launches MaaS App in Netherlands; Hints at Expansion to Other European Countries
Arriva, one of the largest private transit operators in Europe, has launched a mobility-as-a-service app in the Netherlands, using white-label software from Israel-based trip-planning app provider Moovit.
MaaS Global Gets Much-Needed Funding, as It Continues to Navigate Difficult Mobility-as-a-Service Market
The CEO of MaaS Global, developer of the pioneering mobility-as-a-service app Whim, said the company’s latest capital infusion of €11 million (US$12.9 million), will help the start-up expand into a “selected markets” and provide capital for continuing operations.
Cubic’s MaaS Point Man: Control of MaaS Apps by VC-Funded Start-Ups Coming to an End; Whim App Chief: Not So Fast
Andy Taylor, senior director, global strategy for Cubic Transportation Systems contended that the MaaS market is at a crossroads and could fail if it doesn’t change course, including putting cities and public agencies firmly in the “driving seat” of MaaS apps.
MaaS Global CEO: Transit Agencies Should Not Control MaaS Platforms
Sampo Hietanen, founder and CEO of Finland-based MaaS Global agrees with most other industry experts that public transit should form the “core” of the mobility services on offer in any mobility-as-a-service app or platform. But he contends that it would be a mistake for the agency itself to run the platform, which Cubic Transportation Systems and some transit authorities have suggested.
Cubic: Recent MaaS Company Failures among Signs Pointing to Need for ‘MaaS 2.0’
There is little disputing the fact that mobility as a service has not yet lived up to its hype. And the industry’s largest automated fare collection system provider, Cubic Transportation Systems, said it believes that going forward, public transit services need to form the backbone of MaaS platforms, along with more demand-responsive transport.
Google Launches Ticketing in Maps after Delays; but Search Giant Says It has No Plans to Build MaaS App
Google has finally enabled users to initiate purchases of public transit tickets from its Maps app, following delays. Meanwhile, rival trip-planning app providers Moovit and Transit have been quietly moving forward with signing up most of the same small U.S. transit agencies to sell tickets in their apps.