A few days ago I was reading a Stripe report on the current state of the mobility sector and the impact on society of the concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) as a dynamic element in this sector.
Among its main conclusions, the report notes that 42% of Europeans would prefer to use a single integrated application to manage all their transport options. At the same time, it concludes that almost a third of Europeans would use a wider range of transport services if they could manage all their options through a single app.
These insights fully coincide with the conclusions of the I GoTo Multimodal Mobility Study, pioneer in analyzing multimodal mobility in Spain. It explains the reasons why users prefer a single application in which they find different transport options.
The main reason seems clear: ease of use. More than three-quarters of those surveyed consider the possibility of being able to access all vehicles with a single application to be very positive, and 7 out of 10 would like it to only be necessary to register and pay one company. On the contrary, 50% of those surveyed cite the need to use different apps and to know the different conditions and rates of the different providers as the main obstacles to making multimodal trips.
Another of the report’s findings is that there is a clear demand to facilitate multimodality in cities. And the great trend pointed out by the more than 2,000 respondents who participated in the study call for more mobility options, easier to use and more convenient to combine different modes of transport when traveling. In fact, 9 out of 10 users strongly (35%) or quite (55%) agree with the fact that there should be more easy and comfortable options for combining different modes of transport.
In addition to being a demand from citizens, which improves their travels and makes them more convenient, putting them at the center and satisfying their needs, multimodality also contributes to caring for the environment. When going from the simple route or displacement to cover a need of the users with an orientation Mobility as a Service, we find in multimodality an ally and a real alternative to the private vehicle, more sustainable and ecological. Yes, electric carsharing contributes to reducing traffic – and obnoxious traffic jams, harmful emissions and noise pollution, encouraging the livability of cities.
And just as urban travelers change and bet on multimodality, we also observe how cities are transforming their concept of urbanism, creating and redesigning more livable cities. For example, in Europe we find examples in which to inspire ourselves such as Helsinki, in which the last mile is key in its mobility strategies and in which the collaboration of public and private companies is key to offer a multimodal public service for citizens.
Therein lies the secret: in the joint work of private and public companies, in the use of the best technology and a customercentric orientation. Only in this way will multimodality cease to be a buzzword and become a reality, necessary for people, the environment and cities. We already carry it in our DNA. And you?
