Mobility As A Service (MaaS)

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of Instructor]

[Subject]

[Date]

Mobility as a Service (MaaS)

Introduction

South Florida is facing traffic situations that are getting worse with every passing day. As real estate is booming, the crisis related to traffic are empowered. As South Florida is experiencing unprecedented levels of investment and growth, still their infrastructure of transportation continues to lag. Although several strides are incorporated to address it, still the issue is unresolved. It is asserted that South Florida is listed at 12th number of those regions that are adversely affected by traffic issues and have terrifying traffic congestions. It is more added that as South Florida is still growing continuously as a global region with new projects that are casting a direct impact on traffic, both in and around the Brickell Financial District, paving the way to think critically in terms of prevalent issues. One of the solutions to address issues that are faced by South Florida is MaaS, (Mass as a Service). Mass as a Service is defined as an integration or amalgamation of different forms of transport services into a single mobility service. This service is accessible on demand (Faisal, et al. 2019, pp. 45-72). A MaaS operator facilitates and addresses the diverse need of people by providing them with a menu of transport option, it can either be a diverse menu of transport option i.e. ride, a car, rental car, a public transport or a combination of all of these. There is a single payment method and a single application to access mobility rather than multiple channels and multiple payment options (Faisal, et al. 2019, pp. 45-72). In order to address the issues proposed by traffic along with a blockage to daily life activities, MaaS is one of the solutions and options that can help to address these issues at earliest along with the incorporation of future prospects that can prove positive in the long run.

Discussion

South Florida is facing serious traffic issues. According to a study it is found that the congestion of traffic is causing serious issues to the internal structure of South Florida. It is found that nearly 80% of the residents who are relying on cars for transportation are spending 105 hours each year in gridlock (Jiang, et al. 2019, pp. 146-151). Adhering to the notion that traffic issues are discouraging startups and disorganizing large corporation from shifting their business into South Florida, a great deal of attention is required to address traffic issue (Faisal, et al. 2019, pp. 45-72). MaaS is one of the solutions and an option that can be used to address traffic concerns. MaaS is capable of bringing new business ideas and ways to operate various transport options that can provide an improved and better version of transport accompanied by easy access to user and the opportunity to meet the unmet transport demands (Coconea, et al. 2019). MaaS can be used as a catalyst that can bring between information and data services together with an aim to enhance the experience to transport for the transporters' and exploit the indirect benefits. Taking into account the Mobility as a Service that explains the shift from personally owned modes of transportation towards general mobility options. It would not be wrong to say that there are some potential benefits associated with MaaS in reducing challenges to traffic (Faisal, et al. 2019, pp. 45-72).

MaaS can provide transportation facilities to travellers. Travelling becomes easy when the travellers are being given the one-stop-shop where they could get and access the services as per their need (Jiang, et al. 2019, pp. 146-151). It has been witnessed that one of the most reported hustles that travellers complain of is the unavailability of a proper stop where they could gather to get their mobility needs i.e. maybe there is a traveller who wanted to avail car and there is another traveller who wants to travel by bike. One-stop-shop also provides transportation facilities for the patient who may need special sort of commercial products i.e. wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, patients lifts, pool lifts and platform lifts, it helps the customers in the mobility by providing easy and safe ride (Coconea, et al. 2019).

MaaS will not only bring ease to transportation but it is one of the opportunities that can be productive and cost-saving by reducing the cost that an individual has to face because of having a vehicle. MaaS provides more flexibility and choice for mobility along with provisions of mobility level services that can help to mitigate the disruption in the infrastructure of traffic (Coconea, et al. 2019). MaaS is not only effective for facilitating transport but it also enhances the revenue of public transport, encouraging the economy of the country in the long run. It increases the ridership by facilitating the mobility users by addressing the challenges through integration with other modes of transportation (Jiang, et al. 2019, pp. 146-151). MaaS optimises the supply of public transport and improve its efficiency by incorporating a better understanding of the required demand through analysis of the data captured (Coconea, et al. 2019). MaaS can incorporate some environmental, economic and social benefits to South Florida as well because it will reduce the single-occupancy vehicle trips. It will also encourage the public and active transport through the understanding of the required demand. The reduction in vehicles will also reduce pollution by improving air quality. MaaS can bring potential improvement in terms of road safety along with empowering managing of the road space. If a long-term perspective is visualized, it is highlighted that MaaS is one of the opportunities for South Florida to reduce concerns regarding traffic and improve the global aspects of the environment as well (Coconea, et al. 2019). A philanthropist view highlights that MaaS can increase access to the different source by reducing the barriers in the way such as reaching to hospitals and workplaces would be facilitated. It will also improve the mobility and the transport of disabled or ageing people. Innovation is another option that would get promoted because of MaaS because it is one of those opportunities that can help to address technological aspects. It allows centralisation of transport by introducing some new and innovative modes and options that can help to reduce traffic issues. South Florida would be having a great deal of improvement in terms of delivery of services that are driven by data or internet by the integration of some multi-sourced data (Jiang, et al. 2019, pp. 146-151).

MaaS can also address the integration of mobility service with the other major apartments of life such as Real Health and Insurance, taking into account the idea that it will lead to ideate business models and innovative services of a business. MaaS is not only an option or a service that can help people save their lives and money but it will prove economical in the long run. It is highlighted that people in South Florida are facing numerous issues because they are becoming victim of accidents due to serious road blockage which can all be recovered by MaaS (Jiang, et al. 2019, pp. 146-151).

Conclusion

After an in-depth analysis of the traffic issues that are faced by residents of South Florida, and an understanding of the future prospects and positive approach associated with MaaS, it is asserted that MaaS can play a central role addressing issues related to traffic. MaaS will not only let people get themselves facilitated by a quick service but it will also help people to live a safe life and get themselves facilitated with better and comfortable rides. Moreover, MaaS is also an approach that can help the city to gain progress in the long run because it will be casting numerous social, ecological and economic benefits for both government and public.

Work Cited

Coconea, Laura, et al. "Insights on traffic management in the MaaS value chain." 13th ITS European Congress. 2019.

Faisal, Asif, et al. "Understanding autonomous vehicles: A systematic literature review on capability, impact, planning and policy." Journal of Transport and Land Use 12.1 (2019):45-72.

Jiang, Chenming, et al. "Miss-and-run: Factors contributing to two-vehicle phantom vehicle crashes in Florida." Traffic injury prevention 20.2 (2019): 146-151.