How Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Is Changing the Way the World Moves

Posted by Daniel Ferguson on Fri, Apr 10, 2020 @ 03:45 PM

Stevie-winner Cubic Transporation Systems has capitalized on the need for transportation services to create a service that allows travelers to plan effectively and stay on the move.

In the next decade, research suggests that fewer than 25 percent of Americans will own private cars. Instead, people will be making smarter choices inspired by environmental or budgetary concerns. Car sharing and taxicab-style options, such as Uber, are becoming even more popular. Travelers are also using traffic management apps to plan and to pay for their journeys on public transport to help ensure delay-free commuting. The future of transportation in cities is expected to change radically in the future, and mobility as a service (MaaS) has a large part to play in that.

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What Is Mobility as a Service (MaaS)? 

Mobility as a service, or transport as a service, places the consumer firmly at the center of the travel experience. MaaS provides an on-demand, mobile-friendly platform for commuters. It seamlessly integrates a combination of transport methods, from bike sharing to taxis to short-term car leasing. From travel planning to end payment, the consumer can organize an entire trip via the MaaS platform. By simply subscribing to an app such as NextBus, you will have real-time passenger information at your fingertips. 

Cubic_logoWhether you want to access an electric scooter to whiz around your city or you want to find the best route to your next business meeting, there is a specific MaaS app to get you there. Your journey will be faster, easier, and more affordable than if you’d used traditional transport methods. 

Cities that buy into MaaS, or what is sometimes called smart mobility, aim to reduce traffic congestion and to make getting around more efficient. 

Benefits of Mobility as a Service

The benefits of MaaS are numerous. Both end users and transport authorities note the following as reasons for its success:

  • An Intelligent Service: The personalized service MaaS provides is undoubtedly a huge plus. An app can build a relationship between consumer and provider by using past journey information and data gleaned from a user’s profile, meaning apps can continually refine travel suggestions and maintain all-important customer focus.
  • Secure Payment: With a variety of payment methods, users can pay for their trips without the hassle of carrying cash for each transport method used. Using a smartphone, smartwatch, or subscription service, travelers can plan the trips that best meets their needs—without worrying about payment. 
  • Simple Route Planning: When using multiple transportation methods, the ability to plan a journey in real time is invaluable. MaaS apps allow the consumer to get from one place to another by any method that suits his or her previously logged preferences, and the apps can also map a route that avoids congestion. 

With the continued interest of city transport planners and planning solution end users, the global conversation regarding MaaS has become more intense. Cubic Transportation Systems, from San Diego, California, USA, is comprised of innovators who, with their Trafficware, NextBus, and other proprietary systems, are collaborating with cities from Vancouver, Canada, to Sydney, Australia, to keep travelers moving. 

The United Nations estimates that by 2050 more than half the world’s population will be living in urban areas, compared to only one-third in 1970. With this massive change in global living habits, planners need to deploy intelligent solutions, such as MaaS, to ensure transport continues to flow. 

Because of their industry-leading MaaS travel solutions, Cubic Transportation Systems was named the winner of four Stevie® Awards at The 2019 International Business Awards®. Cubic received awards in the following categories: Gold in the Big Data Solution category; Two Silvers in Integrated Mobile Experience and Travel; and Bronze in Best New Product or Service of the Year – Transportation.

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Topics: International business awards, The International Business Awards, new products and services, 2019 International Business Awards, mobility as a service