tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca/topics/maas-82952/articlesMAAS – The Conversation2023-01-19T19:13:00Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1976202023-01-19T19:13:00Z2023-01-19T19:13:00ZVictorians won’t miss myki, but what will ‘best practice’ transport ticketing look like?<p>With fewer people using public transport and more working from home due to the COVID pandemic, public transport agencies need to do everything they can to encourage more people to use their services. An essential step is to make the ticketing and payment process as easy as possible. That means it needs to keep pace with emerging technology and trends.</p>
<p>Some agencies, such as Singapore’s <a href="https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/getting_around.html">Land Transport Authority</a>, have done so. Others have not – the <a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki">myki card system</a> in Victoria falls into this category. The state government has announced a “<a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/andrews-backs-smartphone-and-card-payments-over-myki-20230110-p5cbk2.html">best practice</a>” system will replace myki when its operator’s contract expires later this year.</p>
<p>Myki represented state-of-the-art technology when it <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-end-is-nigh-for-metcard-20120119-1q8f4.html">replaced paper tickets</a> a decade or so ago. It’s the ticketing system for travelling on trains, trams and buses in Melbourne, on trains from Melbourne to certain regional destinations, and on buses in major regional centres. However, the system now <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/finally-an-opportunity-to-fix-all-that-s-wrong-with-myki-20230110-p5cbls.html">clearly needs to be updated</a>. </p>
<p>This article outlines what a “best practice” replacement should look like. The new system must overcome the limitations that have emerged with myki, add the best features developed in other cities and build in the flexibility to keep up with the evolution of urban transport. </p>
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<h2>What’s wrong with myki?</h2>
<p>The first problem with myki is its restricted payment options. It does not allow direct payment with a credit or debit card when getting onto a train, tram or bus. </p>
<p>In 2019, the system was updated to allow direct payment for a trip using a digital myki on Android phones, but not Apple phones. This means about half of Victoria’s potential public transport users cannot use their phones to pay for their trip. (Nationally, the split is <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/245191/market-share-of-mobile-operating-systems-for-smartphone-sales-in-australia/#:%7E:text=As%20of%20March%202022%2C%20Android,share%20over%20the%20past%20decade.">54% Android and 46% Apple</a> – no city-level data are available.) </p>
<p>While Apple users can now automatically top up their myki card using their phones, they must still buy a physical myki card for $6, or $3 concession. </p>
<p>Second, while not directly impacting users, the myki terminals at public transport stations and on buses and trams use 3G wireless technology. This wireless network is due to be shut down in June 2024. Terminals will have to be updated to the 5G network.</p>
<p>Third, it is not easy for visitors to Victoria to understand the system. Before they can board public transport, they must first stop to buy a myki card for $6 (available at <a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/buy-a-myki-and-top-up/where-to-buy-and-top-up/">only some stations and retail outlets</a>) and add money to cover the fare.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-subscribe-to-movies-and-music-why-not-transport-119538">We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?</a>
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<h2>What is current best practice?</h2>
<p>Contactless payment with a credit card, smartphone or smart watch is becoming standard practice on public transport. The pandemic accelerated this trend because operators wanted to minimise contact points associated with either cash payments or buying a physical ticket or card. </p>
<p>Two large public transport systems in London and Amsterdam are now contactless and cashless. In Australia, Sydney and Adelaide have contactless payment in place. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman holds phone as she uses a card to pay for her bus trip" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505253/original/file-20230118-21616-regee0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Contactless payment systems typically allow people to pay with a credit or debit card or a phone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>Sydney’s example is worth noting because, while upgrading to contactless payment options, it has maintained the use of the <a href="https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal#/login">Opal card</a> as well as the option of buying a single-trip ticket. Thus, Sydney has kept the payment options as broad as possible so as not to disadvantage any potential users. Many systems lack this flexibility — particularly those that have gone contactless and cashless.</p>
<p>Something that is often overlooked, but is a critical feature of exemplary public transport systems, is a well-designed seamless website or app that supports the payment system. Infrastructure Victoria highlighted this issue in its report, <a href="https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Fair-Move-Better-Public-Transport-Fares-for-Melbourne-FINAL-1.pdf">Better Public Transport Fares for Melbourne</a>.</p>
<h2>And how will public transport evolve?</h2>
<p>Mobility as a service (MaaS) is one of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/all-your-transport-options-in-one-place-why-mobility-as-a-service-needs-a-proper-platform-157243">emerging trends</a> in public transport. The goal is to allow users to have access to a range of transport options in a single app. However, COVID has slowed <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">its progress</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/all-your-transport-options-in-one-place-why-mobility-as-a-service-needs-a-proper-platform-157243">All your transport options in one place: why mobility as a service needs a proper platform</a>
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<p>Most of the cities that have implemented mobility as a service are in Europe. They include: Vienna, Austria; Antwerp, Belgium; Turku, Finland; the West Midlands region in Britain; the Flanders region of Belgium; and all of Switzerland. Tokyo also has it. </p>
<p>However, many cities across the globe are hopeful of implementing the idea. Among them is Sydney, which is trialling the bundling of transport services – including taxis, ride-share vehicles and e-bikes – in one transaction. Public transport agencies are attempting to provide access to the full range of traditional public transport (trains, trams, buses and ferries) and non-traditional options (taxis, e-bikes, e-scooters, rideshares and so on).</p>
<p>Another innovation being trialled in Singapore is <a href="https://www.smartnation.gov.sg//initiatives/transport/contactless-fare-payment">“hands free” ticketing</a>. It uses radio frequency identification technology to detect a commuter’s fare card when passing through a sensor. This will do away with the need for pausing to tap on with a phone, card or watch.</p>
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<img alt="Person holds their smart watch against a scanner to pay for their trip on public transport." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505258/original/file-20230118-15-4s5mz5.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=479&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">While some public transport systems allow users to pay with a smart watch, Singapore is going a step further to eliminate the need to pause at a scanner.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/160866001@N07/49586372688/">Marco Verch/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to solve our transport woes, some things need to change</a>
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<h2>3 things Victoria’s new system must deliver</h2>
<p>Victoria’s next public transport ticketing contract should deliver the following:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>multiple payment options, including smartphones, smart watches, bank cards and single-ticket cash purchases, so users who don’t have smart devices or credit cards aren’t disadvantaged (though this represents a small minority of riders, they are often the most dependent on public transport)</p></li>
<li><p>5G wireless technology to connect the ticketing network</p></li>
<li><p>the flexibility to accommodate a MaaS model that allows third-party integration with a single interface where users can pay for all their transport options.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Only a system that does all of the above will deliver on the promise of a “best practice” replacement for myki.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197620/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Neil G Sipe has received funding from the Australia Research Council. </span></em></p>The Victorian government has announced it is replacing the state’s public transport ticketing system. So what essential features should a state-of-the-art system offer users?Neil G Sipe, Honorary Professor of Planning, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1819722022-04-28T11:24:56Z2022-04-28T11:24:56ZTransport apps are being hailed as a sustainable alternative to driving: but they’re not female-friendly<p>The UK’s roads are some of the <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/roadtransportandairemissions/2019-09-16">main culprits</a> of its greenhouse gas emissions. And in 2020, <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-statistics-great-britain-2021/transport-statistics-great-britain-2021">92%</a> of passenger kilometres travelled in the UK was made by cars, vans and taxis. That means getting around by private vehicle has a disproportionately large negative impact on the environment. </p>
<p>What’s more, only <a href="https://www.smmt.co.uk/2020/03/to-drive-the-transition-to-zero-emission-motoring-we-need-carrots-not-sticks/">5.8%</a> of vehicles on UK roads are ultra-low emission. Even <a href="https://youmatter.world/en/are-electric-cars-eco-friendly-and-zero-emission-vehicles-26440/">electric vehicles</a>, though they create less pollution when driven, have a substantial environmental impact thanks to the materials used to create them. Getting rid of them has an environmental cost, too. And in some areas, car ownership is growing – the county of <a href="https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/about-the-council/data-and-information/active-travel-strategy.pdf">Hertfordshire</a> is expected to become home to 20.9% more private cars by 2031.</p>
<p>If sustainability and mobility are equally important concerns, how do we make sure they’re both addressed? One solution is encouraging people to share transport through a system known as “<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/766759/Mobilityasaservice.pdf">Mobility as a Service</a>” (MaaS). </p>
<p>MaaS is essentially a personalised travel management platform that slots together available modes of transport in an area to create a unified journey for its users. For example, Finnish MaaS company <a href="https://www.phocuswire.com/Whim-ground-transport-app-creator-MaaS-Global-secures-11M-round#:%7E:text=The%20Finland%2Dbased%20startup%20is,investors%20NordicNinja%20and%20Mitsui%20Fudosan.">Whim</a> allows people to use shared cars, bicycles and public transport to create a journey that works for them. </p>
<p>In some cases, this has been very successful in reducing the number of private cars on roads. In several cities in Finland, for example, MaaS has pushed private car usage down from 40% to 20%. However, there’s something that’s been overlooked by transport designers (who, at least <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/transport-not-gender-neutral">in Europe</a>, are overwhelmingly male): the fact that women’s transport needs are different to men’s.</p>
<h2>MaaS and gender</h2>
<p>Women, who generally across the world have less access to private cars, face more risks than men when getting from one place to another. <a href="https://ramboll.com/-/media/files/rgr/documents/markets/transport/g/gender-and-mobility_report.pdf">Across Europe</a>, an average of 37% of women (compared to 72% of men) own their own car, while 51% (81% of men) hold a driving license. Yet despite this, women are still less likely than men to use MaaS. In EU countries including Norway, Finland, Germany and Denmark, it’s been tried by <a href="https://ramboll.com/-/media/files/rgr/documents/markets/transport/g/gender-and-mobility_report.pdf">40% of women</a> compared to 49% of men.</p>
<p>Reasons for these disparities are partly tied to <a href="https://www.bsa.natcen.ac.uk/media/38457/bsa30_gender_roles_final.pdf">gender roles</a>. Women are more likely to be the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4804270/">prime caretaker</a> of their household, meaning that they have multiple errands to run, often requiring multiple journeys within a shorter radius. </p>
<p>For instance, women of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5381933/">child-rearing age</a> typically drive to the supermarket, the gym and to school, as well as ferrying children to different locations. They’re also more likely to need space to carry shopping, prams and car seats – and children – which many MaaS offerings do not cater for. </p>
<p>Another factor is that women typically <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/genderpaygapintheuk/2021">earn less</a> than men, and access to MaaS applications is reliant upon smartphone ownership and <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-3g-and-why-is-it-being-shut-down-an-electrical-engineer-explains-176781">4G connectivity</a>: something which may be unaffordable for or inaccessible to lower earners. </p>
<p>Women’s concern for their personal safety also often leads them to choose the relative security of private cars. Even in the UK, where recorded rates of gendered harassment on public transport are comparatively low, <a href="https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/20866/1/FINAL_Gekoski_Gray_Adler_Horvath_October_2016.pdf">15% of women</a> report experiencing harassment on buses or trains. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/gender-makes-a-world-of-difference-for-safety-on-public-transport-80313">Gender makes a world of difference for safety on public transport</a>
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<p><a href="https://researchprofiles.herts.ac.uk/portal/en/projects/investigating-the-inclusivity-and-safety-issues-of-shared-mobility-which-affect-women-the-case-of-mobility-as-a-service(dabfccb4-5997-41d5-8f07-753dc8e29529).html">Our research</a>, which is being conducted in Hertfordshire, UK, provides even more evidence for these problems. Female participants highlight concerns about sharing vehicles with unknown people and receiving unwanted attention. </p>
<p>Shifts between vehicles (for example, getting out of a car and onto a bicycle), made participants feel particularly vulnerable. And additional risks can arise when transport services are late, exposing the waiting traveller to potentially dangerous situations. These factors put MaaS at a disadvantage compared to private vehicles, which many women view as safe “cocoons” for mobility. </p>
<h2>Making MaaS safer</h2>
<p>It’s vital that these issues are addressed if MaaS is to bring the full range of sustainability and safety benefits it promises. Although more research is needed in this area, it’s clear that if women and men adopted MaaS at the same rate, there’d be a significant positive impact on the environment, with thousands of private cars no longer needed on roads.</p>
<p>Some of our participants proposed strategies to protect and reassure female MaaS users. For example, MaaS providers could build safety features into their apps to keep users’ friends informed of their whereabouts and generate maps based on crime data that show the safest route home. Users could also access driver details if necessary. <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1369847816304107">A study</a> has found that 62% of people – women more than men – would be interested in using features like these, although their privacy flaws remain <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/10/16/top-travel-apps-for-android-and-iphone-fail-privacy-and-security-tests/?sh=13893daf4321">concerning</a>.</p>
<p>Another strategy could be to design smaller and more local MaaS systems that foster a sense of community and trust. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/8976/htm">In Sweden</a>, for example, carpooling is often used in residential estates and local neighbourhoods, where community and trust networks already exist.</p>
<p>Smaller, localised MaaS systems developed around pre-existing groups like these – where, crucially, sharers would be not total strangers – could help make users feel safer. But ultimately, we need to redress <a href="https://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/4325/women-and-planning.pdf">gender imbalance</a> in the transport sector to ensure that the cities of the future reflect the needs of 100% of their inhabitants: not just 50%.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181972/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maurizio Catulli receives funding from The British Academy and has previously been funded by DEFRA on a previous project. He would like to thank Robyn Thomas for her input and authorship.</span></em></p>Research shows apps designed to make journeys more environmentally friendly aren’t considering women’s transport needs.Maurizio Catulli, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Innovation, University of HertfordshireLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1572432021-04-26T20:06:10Z2021-04-26T20:06:10ZAll your transport options in one place: why mobility as a service needs a proper platform<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396441/original/file-20210422-15-rwkc5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=2002%2C1688%2C2631%2C1670&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/knR3v0TZ0IA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink">Edi Kurniawan/Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Uber, Ola, Car Next Door, GoGet, Urbi and Shareabike have transformed the mobility experience for millions of people, but are just the tip of the looming iceberg of changes in transport. Globally, <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/833743/us-users-ride-sharing-services/">93 million travellers use the Uber app</a> on a monthly basis. More Australians use <a href="http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8098-uber-overtakes-taxis-june-2019-201908260239">Uber (22.9%) than taxis (21.8%)</a>. </p>
<p>The public clearly has an appetite for mobility as a service (<a href="https://maas-alliance.eu/homepage/what-is-maas/">MaaS</a>). People want to plan, book and pay for various forms of transport via a digital platform. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to solve our transport woes, some things need to change</a>
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<p>However, mobility service providers are actors in search of a stage. As with software, computing and entertainment, only when a properly designed and managed platform underpins all the services will the real transformation be unlocked. </p>
<h2>The 3 pillars of the platform</h2>
<p>MaaS is part of a broader evolution as novel technologies have driven the rapid transformation of products and offerings into collections of services. Smartphone applications rely on digital distribution platforms such as Google Play Store, Apple Store, Microsoft Store and Amazon Cloud. Similarly, the evolving technologies and mechanisms of mobility systems require a platform for distribution. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-subscribe-to-movies-and-music-why-not-transport-119538">We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?</a>
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</em>
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<p>The platform concept should include at least three key elements: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>integrated ticketing and payment: user payments are managed in a uniform and adaptable manner across all providers</p></li>
<li><p>accessible, standardised regulations with open data: regulations and data are managed to be accessible/plug-n-play, secure and equitable</p></li>
<li><p>reputation management: reputations of providers and users are managed in a scalable, fair and efficient way.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>If the platform is designed poorly, markets will be distorted, privacy will be violated, and escalating infrastructure costs will continue to burden taxpayers.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The 3 critical elements of mobility infrastructure as a platform" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394741/original/file-20210413-23-1v4jje5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The critical elements of mobility infrastructure as a platform.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Moving towards integrated payment</h2>
<p>Historically, the transport platform has simply been the physical networks – roads, walking paths, cycle paths, rail and so on – and the ancillary infrastructure such as stations, airports, ports, vehicle storage and parking. Governments must reimagine existing physical infrastructure as part of the mobility services platform. </p>
<p>Recent innovations have focused not only on infrastructure development – autonomous vehicle systems, for example – but also on managing existing infrastructure. For example, cities around the world have moved towards <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040162515004217?casa_token=A7yKna6gNDsAAAAA:l0gVSeOgdxiC4i4Z5Qy0F2sHSTv0kybrtUaqxpD7FVML5D84ZyYH_7hFWiwAi_foii8UiCYT1WWT">rail automation</a> and smart ticketing for public transport (Opal, Oyster, Octopus and Myki cards). The smart cards market for public transport in the US alone was valued at <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349589060_Public_Transport_Smart_Cards_Market_was_valued_at_US_5720_Bn_in_2018">US$57.2 billion (A$73.9bn) in 2018</a>.</p>
<p>Setting up seamless payment across services is the first pillar of the platform needed to support mobility as a service. It removes a major barrier to entry for service providers and users. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="public transport station with the words 'Did you tag off?' painted on the pavement" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396471/original/file-20210422-21-1braeyg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Smart cards were an essential step towards an integrated system of ticketing, payments and patronage data.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SmartRider_Did_you_tag_off_Welshpool.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Significant efforts to integrate payments are ongoing. The other two essential pillars of a MaaS platform require much more attention.</p>
<p>Mobility as a service is seen as a solution to various transport problems, particularly by reducing private vehicle use. Customers are being promised efficient door-to-door multi-modal travel through a single holistic application. In reality, the infrastructure to achieve this is not yet present. </p>
<p>Research has raised questions about its benefits, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856418309601">social impacts and governance</a>. For instance, emphasising smaller-scale, more flexible mobility services in unideal environments can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965856418312229?casa_token=QJn8ooRQiPoAAAAA:5lsMxJTdk-YVj36BK19sXNx6zJ00FmizwiwtmJ6RY-xs0Ne-Yn2mbc-sgPN7ZXSSjEElh6qGMUM">increase congestion and undermine urban planning goals</a>. </p>
<h2>Why regulation is essential</h2>
<p>The value and risks the platform creates for mobility providers, users, disadvantaged groups and society must all be kept in mind. The aim should be to create a fair marketplace that enables participation, innovation, equity and quality service. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/billions-are-pouring-into-mobility-technology-will-the-transport-revolution-live-up-to-the-hype-131154">Billions are pouring into mobility technology – will the transport revolution live up to the hype?</a>
</strong>
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</p>
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<p>The second pillar, accessible, standardised regulations with open data paradigms, will enable service providers to participate in a market that delivers societal benefits. Innovations by providers must conform to a common “plug-n-play” approach that meets the mobility needs of the community as efficiently as possible. Crowd-sourced data (such as from Google or TomTom), user demand data from travel cards and traffic volume data should be available in the one platform for all service providers. </p>
<p>This is a complex undertaking, and data privacy must be a core component. It calls for strong professional leadership.</p>
<p>A big part of the challenge is that <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/A-Cox/publication/227910305_Managing_construction_supply_chains_The_common_sense_approach/links/5c239797299bf12be39c132a/Managing-construction-supply-chains-The-common-sense-approach.pdf">civil infrastructure cannot be unified in the same way as IT infrastructure</a> or cloud computing. Civil infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, is also expensive to build and maintain over its long lifespan, so the MaaS platform must be able to help optimise existing infrastructure to meet public mobility needs. </p>
<p>Regulation based on the protection and service of society is the only way to achieve this. The regulatory framework must be standardised, fair and accessible. This means any service providers adhering to the standards can join (and leave) the market without “insider” barriers. </p>
<h2>Balancing profit with public benefits</h2>
<p>Though it is a difficult task, we should apply the <a href="https://www.sam-solutions.com/blog/everything-as-a-service-xaas-definition-and-examples/">“everything as a service” concept</a> with clear standardisation and regulation to deliver equitable and sustainable transport services. </p>
<p>This also offers a way to integrate profit maximisation and social welfare within transport but also involving <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191261520304057">adjacent services such as parking</a>.</p>
<p>In the rail industry, standardisation has enabled more commoditised heavy and light rail systems and vehicles. Commoditisation is a process that creates reliable nearly identical products – rail services in this case – in the eyes of consumers. They can choose between these competing products based on cost and which best suits their needs at the time. This process has improved the economics, safety, accessibility and technology of rail services. </p>
<p>Over the past decade, the European Commission has implemented laws and policies to create a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965856413001687">Single European Railway Area</a>. The goal is to revitalise the sector by creating a single market for interoperable rail services that are more innovative and competitive. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="map showing progress on Single European Railway Area" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/396439/original/file-20210422-17-1c3yw9n.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Single European Railway Area is a long-term project that is starting to show the benefits of integration.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://eu.boell.org/en/rail-the-challenges-of-a-single-european-railway-area">Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung/European Union</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Managing reviews and reputations</h2>
<p>Finally, reputation management is essential for a mobility infrastructure platform. Reviews and reputation management have been a driving force for Uber, <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2016/amazon-puts-new-limit-customer-reviews-no-5-week-except-verified-purchases/#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CCustomers%20can%20now%20only%20submit,reviews%20will%20not%20be%20impacted">Amazon</a>, eBay, iTunes, Airbnb etc. </p>
<p>A user-driven reputational management system must be trustworthy, scalable and resistant to tampering and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342443933_A_robust_reputation_system_using_online_reviews">malignant reviews</a>. Blockchain technologies could help build the required trust.</p>
<p>Mobility will increasingly be delivered as a service to travellers. New technologies combined with social awareness and strong professional leadership will all be needed to develop the platform.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>This article was co-authored by Victor Prados-Valerio, a Senior Associate at the advisory firm TSA Management, who has been a project manager and senior rolling stock engineer on train, light rail and depot procurement projects in Australia and overseas.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157243/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This article was co-authored by Victor Prados-Valerio.
S. Travis Waller is a Director at Mobility Thinking Pty Ltd. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Transport for NSW, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd and CISCO Systems. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kasun Wijayaratna is a Director at Mobility Thinking Pty Ltd and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Research Centre for Integrated Transport Innovation at UNSW. He has received funding from Transport for NSW and the City of Adelaide. </span></em></p>It has happened with software, computing and entertainment, but we’re still waiting for the platform needed for mobility as a service to reach its full potential.S. Travis Waller, Professor and Head of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW SydneyKasun Wijayaratna, Lecturer in Roads and Transport Engineering, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1311542020-02-23T19:57:27Z2020-02-23T19:57:27ZBillions are pouring into mobility technology – will the transport revolution live up to the hype?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/316398/original/file-20200220-92493-16dhl1h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C152%2C5976%2C3730&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/san-francisco-ca-usa-april-27-1080711815">Toshifumi Hotchi/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Over the past decade almost <a href="https://files.pitchbook.com/website/files/pdf/PitchBook_Q4_2019_Emerging_Tech_Research_Mobility_Tech_Executive_Summary.pdf">US$200 billion</a> has been invested globally in mobility technology that promises to improve our ability to get around. More than US$33 billion was invested last year alone. Another measure of interest in this area is the <a href="https://travelandmobility.tech/lists/unicorns/">number of unicorns</a>, which has doubled in the past two years. </p>
<p>A unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at US$1 billion or more. In early 2018 there were 22 travel and mobility unicorns. By last month the number had grown to 44. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-battle-to-be-the-amazon-or-netflix-of-transport-103351">The battle to be the Amazon (or Netflix) of transport</a>
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<p>The top categories in the mobility area are: ride hailing, with 11 unicorns (25.0%); autonomous vehicles, with ten (22.7%); and micromobility, with three (6.8%). The remaining 20 unicorns are in the travel category (hotels, bookings and so on).</p>
<p>Mobility technology is more than just autonomous vehicles, ride hailing and e-scooters and e-bikes. It also includes: electrification (electric vehicles, charging/batteries); fleet management and connectivity (connectivity, data management, cybersecurity, parking, fleet management); auto commerce (car sharing); transportation logistics (freight, last-mile delivery); and urban air mobility.</p>
<h2>Promised solutions, emerging problems</h2>
<p>Much of the interest in mobility technology is coming from individuals outside the transport arena. Startups are attracting investors by claiming their technology will solve many of our transport problems. </p>
<p>Micromobility companies believe their e-scooters and e-bikes will solve the “<a href="https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/9780784413210.007">first-mile last-mile</a>” problem by enabling people to move quickly and easily between their homes or workplaces and a bus or rail station. While this might work in theory, it depends on having <a href="https://theconversation.com/fork-in-the-road-as-danish-and-dutch-style-cycle-routes-spread-19744">safe and segregated bicycle networks</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-love-the-idea-of-20-minute-neighbourhoods-so-why-isnt-it-top-of-the-agenda-131193">frequent and widely accessible public transport</a> services. </p>
<p>Ride-hailing services might relieve people of the need to own a car. But <a href="https://www.som.com/ideas/publications/som_thinkers_the_future_of_transportation">there is evidence</a> to suggest these services are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-ride-hail-utopia-that-got-stuck-in-traffic-11581742802">adding to traffic congestion</a>. That’s because, unlike taxis, more of their time on the road involves travelling without any passengers.</p>
<p>Navigation tools (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze) have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps">been around longer</a> than most other mobility technologies and are meant make it easier to find the least-congested route for any given trip. However, <a href="https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/%7Etheophile/docs/publications/Cabannes_19_ACM.pdf">research</a> suggests these tools might not be working as intended. The <a href="https://www.som.com/ideas/publications/som_thinkers_the_future_of_transportation">backlash</a> against them is growing in some cities because traffic is being directed onto neighbourhood streets rather than arterial roads.</p>
<p>Autonomous vehicles have the goal of reducing injuries and deaths from car crashes. Only a few years ago many bold predictions were being made that these self-driving vehicles would be having positive impacts by now, but this hasn’t happened. The enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles has cooled. <a href="https://www.vtpi.org/avip.pdf">Some now believe</a> we won’t see many of the social benefits for decades. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-feel-about-our-cars-means-the-road-to-a-driverless-future-may-not-be-smooth-125874">How we feel about our cars means the road to a driverless future may not be smooth</a>
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<p>The final mobility tech area is known as mobility as a service (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobility_as_a_service">MAAS</a>). It’s basically a platform designed to make better use of existing infrastructure and transport modes. MAAS begins with a journey planner that is linked to one-stop payment for a range of mobility services – ride-hailing, e-scooters, e-bikes, taxis, public transport, and so on. </p>
<p>MAAS is the newest entrant in the mobility tech field. It has attracted US$6.8 billion to date, but is expected to grow to <a href="https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobility-as-a-service-market-78519888.html">over US$100 billion by 2030</a>. This idea is creating great enthusiasm, not only among private entrepreneurs, but also in the public sector. It’s too early to know whether it will improve transportation.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to solve our transport woes, some things need to change</a>
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<h2>3 trends are driving investment</h2>
<p>So, why do venture capitalists <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnfrazer1/2019/03/11/new-mobility-worth-billions-venture-capital-thinks-so/#198cda2247d8">continue to show so much interest</a> in mobility technology startups despite poor company performance to date? It appears they believe personal mobility will become increasingly important. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnfrazer1/2019/03/11/new-mobility-worth-billions-venture-capital-thinks-so/#198cda2247d8">Three trends</a> support this belief.</p>
<p>First, urban dwellers increasingly value the ability to move around easily. It’s thought to be a key ingredient for a liveable city. The problem is public transport is often not very good, particularly in the US and in outer suburbs in Australia. </p>
<p>This is due to historically low funding relative to roads. The prospect of more funding and better public transport services in the future is not good. In part that’s because many <a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/8/10/9118199/public-transportation-subway-buses">view public transport as welfare</a> and not an essential public service. Thus, if cities want to become more liveable and competitive, they must look beyond government-funded public transport for other mobility alternatives. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-bolster-our-fragile-road-and-rail-system-we-need-to-add-a-micro-mobility-network-124895">To bolster our fragile road and rail system we need to add a 'micro-mobility' network</a>
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<p>The second trend is declining vehicle ownership. Since 1986 US sales of car and light trucks per capita have dropped by <a href="https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2020/02/04/vehicle-sales-per-capita-our-latest-look-at-the-long-term-trendh">almost 30%</a>. In Australia, new car sales <a href="https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/australian-car-sales-statistics.html">remained relatively constant</a> over the past decade, but a <a href="http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7982-new-vehicle-purchase-intention-march-2019-201905240039">decline since 2017 is expected to continue</a>. These trends are due in part to the cost of owning a vehicle, but also because of a growing view that owning a car may not be necessary.</p>
<p>This brings us to the third trend, which involves demographics and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/delay-in-getting-driving-licences-opens-door-to-more-sustainable-travel-57430">post-millennial desire for access to mobility</a> services <a href="https://theconversation.com/car-ownership-is-likely-to-become-a-thing-of-the-past-and-so-could-public-transport-110550">rather than vehicle ownership</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-subscribe-to-movies-and-music-why-not-transport-119538">We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?</a>
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<p>These trends, combined with expectations of an upward trend in prices of these services, suggests there may be good times ahead for ride-hailing and micromobility companies. It also means venture capital funding for these startups will not be diminishing in the near future.</p>
<h2>The future of transport isn’t simple</h2>
<p>Transport systems are multifaceted. No one single app or technology will solve the challenges. And, as we are discovering, some of the purported solutions to problems might actually be making the situation worse. </p>
<p>If the goal is to get people out of their cars (for <a href="https://theconversation.com/designing-suburbs-to-cut-car-use-closes-gaps-in-health-and-wealth-83961">better health and quality of life and a better environment</a>), this will require more than a technology. Better infrastructure and public policies (including better integration of land uses and transport to reduce the need for transport) will be required – <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-why-congestion-charging-is-fairer-than-you-might-think-124894">congestion pricing</a> being one of those.</p>
<p>That is not to say technological innovations are not welcome as part of the solution, but they are just that … “part” of the solution.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131154/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Neil Sipe receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Over US$33 billion was invested in mobility tech last year in response to claims it will transform our lives. Based on what we have seen so far, which of these promised solutions will be delivered?Neil G Sipe, Adjunct Researcher in Transport and Planning, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.