“A reservation I have is that presumably no travel app will improve the actual services”: Place based perspectives of mobility as a service

Abstract

Understanding the perceptions and needs of different types of prospective end-users of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is an important step towards successful scheme and customer-facing app design. The travel behaviour literature typically favours quantitative approaches; however, qualitative methods can offer unique insights in this regard. To this end, this article reports on a series of online focus groups held with 146 residents of a region in which Mobility as a Service is on the cusp of being rolled out. Participants’ perceptions of MaaS, in terms of their information needs, the incentives that might help them use it, and the challenges they perceive, were explored with respect to their place of residence: urban, peri-urban, or rural. Inductive thematic analysis of over 30,000 words of text lead to the identification of a variety of themes and sub-themes. Accurate, reliable, and up-to-date information is a core requirement for all. For those in urban areas, the presentation of multiple journey options, with associated information on travel time and cost, are key. For those in peri-urban areas, detailed route information that facilitates the linking of private transport with public transport, and the facilities available at stations and stops, are of particular significance. For those in rural areas, fundamental service provision limitations hamper the potential for traditional, urban-focussed MaaS schemes reliant on public transport networks. A successful rural MaaS system will be distinct from urban MaaS, with a lesser focus on traditional public transport, and peri-urban residents represent an important target group for encouraging modal shift and improving transport system sustainability.