New urban mobility solutions such as ride-hailing, sharing services, on-demand transport, or carpooling are on the rise. Used smartly they can make mobility more efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly.1
With the rise of 5G networks and real-time data, demand for more personalized transport services has created optimal market conditions for Mobility as a Service (MaaS). But what exactly is a MaaS and what does the future hold?
The concept of MaaS enables the seamless integration of various modes of transport into single and intermodal travel chains with bookings and payments managed end-to-end via a single application.
The objective is to provide commuters with the best value proposition by offering a viable alternative to private car usage that is sustainable and on-demand.2
The shift towards MaaS in recent years has been accelerated due to several factors. Firstly, inner cities are growing at staggering rates with millions of people flocking to urban centers. Not only is traffic congestion becoming a major issue for many cities around the world, but Co² and greenhouse gasses are a primary driver of climate change – and present one of the world’s most pressing issues.
Secondly, Millennials are replacing Baby Boomers as the new working population leading to a shift in attitudes. While owning a car was once perceived as a status symbol, millennials are more occupied with technology.3
Third, in today’s sharing economy, sometimes also called collaboration economy, low cost and minimal obligations have taken center stage.4 As cars require more maintenance and depreciate in value rapidly, it is no wonder that millennials are opting to use on-demand mobility.
Finally, MaaS is gaining in popularity among corporate customers. Rather than recruiting a fleet manager to purchase, sell, and maintain various company cars for employee use, companies are now hiring mobility managers who operate beyond traditional asset management and focus on a broader selection of transport and mobility options – this is particularly attractive for companies with global operations.5
At Localrydes we are pushing for a more carbon-neutral passenger transport industry. By allowing travelers to search and book ‘green vehicles’ we plan to change the mindset of users and eventually cancel out vehicle emissions by collaborating with partners whose fleet consists predominately of electric vehicles as well as investing in carbon offset projects.6
Moreover, by making passenger transportation more accessible to travelers of various socioeconomic demographies, we can vastly reduce private car ownership and the number of overall miles which is the heart of the transportation problem.
Finally, with Localrydes smart algorithm, we plan to help customers book empty-leg rides at lower costs and considerably reducing the number of times drivers travel without any passengers in the car.