A Study on MaaS in Catalonia Shows How This Service Helps to Make Mobility in the City More Efficient, Accessible, Inclusive, and Sustainable
- Autopistas and Abertis Mobility Services, CARNET, RACC, Saba, Banco Sabadell, and SEAT S.A. have collaborated in the preparation of the study, developed by Factual and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC)
- The study “Mobility as Service (MaaS) in Catalonia: Challenges and Opportunities”, explores the viability of this new ecosystem in Catalonia and the requirements to support the growth of this sector
- The results of the study will be presented on November 30th in Barcelona, with representatives from the participating organisations and a special guest from the MaaS Alliance
During that last year, several mobility entities located in Catalonia such as AMB, Autopistas and Abertis Mobility Services (AMS), CARNET, RACC, Saba, Banco Sabadell, and SEAT S.A. have collaborated in the preparation of a study on MaaS in Catalonia, developed by Factual and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC), led by Dr Miquel Estrada, mobility specialist and professor of the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Camins, Canals i Ports de Barcelona (ETSECCPB) at the UPC.
The study “The Opportunities of MaaS in Catalonia” discusses the state of the art of MaaS, building on a comprehensive review of existing literature and the development of workshops, debates, and co-creation sessions with various experts at the local, national, and international level. The study reveals that opportunities for the development of MaaS in Catalonia will be driven by opening mobility data and integrating the various processes involved (booking, ticketing, payment, and user management), as well as efficient public-private collaboration.
The study will be presented on November 30th at the venue Recinte Modernista de l’Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona and will involve representatives of the collaborating entities, as well as a special guest from the MaaS Alliance (international entity for the study and promotion of MaaS).
MaaS has become an effective solution to mobility problems in cities
MaaS has been on the agenda of European countries for years. Following the leap to fame of systems born in northern Europe, MaaS has gradually become a synonym of solving mobility problems in our cities. The expectations created have become very high: more efficient, accessible, inclusive, and sustainable mobility that will become a real alternative to the private vehicle and at the same time put the user at the centre. Over the past decade, a number of circumstances that are favourable to the development of a new mobility ecosystem have emerged.
A unanimous definition for Mobility as a Service has not yet been reached, but it can be described as a means to grant integrated access to various mobility services (public and private) through a digital application. Integrated access results in the user being able to plan, pay and obtain their multimodal transport ticket, all through a single intermediate. Therefore, it is a convenient way to unify a large number of mobile applications, merging them into one.
Shared mobility services in Catalonia are increasing
In 2021, the private car/public transport dichotomy has become obsolete. Several mobility services have proliferated in recent years. This way, the use of shared bicycles, e-scooters, mopeds, and carsharing, as well as on-demand options, has grown in our cities. On the other hand, new generations have developed a climate change awareness and a preference for flexibility (switching from ownership to access). It is becoming increasingly infrequent for young people to pursue a driving license as soon as they turn eighteen. Finally, digitalisation of all everyday activities has not left mobility out, which favours the achievement of innovative solutions such as MaaS. In addition, these technological, social, and market changes in mobility have been catapulted by the pandemic, which has accelerated the need to adapt the transport supply to the “new normal” context.
MaaS is currently on the agenda of all Catalan administrations, but its level of development is still incipient. Regarding governance, the study reaches the consensus that a balance must be sought between the public and private sectors. Public bodies will have to ensure the right to mobility for everyone in a sustainable way, reducing negative externalities, by developing an appropriate framework of action. At the same time, this framework should allow for the development of new business models driven by private operators involved in the new mobility playfield.
The presentation of the study will take place on November 30th from 9:00 to 13:00 at the Pau Gil Room within the Recinte Modernista venue at the Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.es/e/211579308407
