Mobility as a Sustainable Service? An exploration of the sustainable impacts of MaaS using a Business Model Perspective.

Abstract

Cars are the most dominant and most popular form of transport in the Netherlands. However, car use causes heavy traffic congestion and air pollution in and around big cities. An innovation that is now discussed as a possible sustainable solution for these problems is Mobility as a Service (MaaS). MaaS offers travellers access to several modes of transport without the need to own any vehicle. It also promises travellers seamless and carefree travelling. However, there are concerns about the real sustainable impacts of MaaS. The goal of this thesis is to give more insight into this topic. A business model perspective is used to explore what the MaaS business model elements entail and what their potential contribution to a more sustainable mobility regime can be. The results show that there is great conformity in the literature around the set-up of the MaaS business model and service: the value proposition entails seamless travelling, access to different modes of transport, an unburdening of travel pains and in some cases a cleaner environment. These values can be offered because collaborations with transport operators are made (the supply chain) and because a customer interface that enables users to plan, book and travel their journeys is developed. The financial model of MaaS is based on MaaS’ role as an intermediator, the actual use of the service by users and / or a fee for taking away administrative tasks. With regard to the sustainability impacts, the results show that the MaaS business model elements can have a positive contribution to a more sustainable mobility regime if: 1) the modes that are offered are sustainable 2) the quality of the service is high enough so that users develop positive attitudes towards sustainable transport modes 3) the users shift to sustainable modes and 4) the financial model allows the MaaS companies to earn a profit by offering sustainable transport. These findings on MaaS can take away some of the ambiguity surrounding the topic. This information can be used to show policy makers or investors how a MaaS project or company can contribute to sustainability and in what way. This knowledge can facilitate them in their investment or policy decisions.