Maas Prototype: Mobility-as-a-Service Integration for TFGM (Transport for Greater Manchester)
This project developed a DEAS-focused prototype model for Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) integration in Greater Manchester (GM).
This £1.4m EPSRC-funded NetworkPlus brings together a vibrant community that will position the UK as the internationally leading research hub for Digitally Enhanced Advanced Services. Rather than focus on the product or service that is delivered, Digitally Enhanced Advanced Services (DEAS) focuses on how the product or service is used.
Greater Manchester (GM) poses a challenging case in the context of digitally driven mobility transitions – involving institutional and technical change – characterised by multiple modes of public transport and multiple competing service providers. The approach identified the barriers, initiatives and attitudes surrounding an initially hypothesised MaaS prototype. Emergent innovations with capability to disrupt or enhance services – such as on-demand mobility, sharing, and micro-mobility – were included in the study.
The research created a DEAS-influenced MaaS Prototype Model for Greater Manchester. The model incorporates the visions and preferences from a range of stakeholders from Greater Manchester, including local government, transport operators/consultants, and users. The model has the capacity to function through a central management system (centralised scenario), but still enables peer-to-peer communication for lending of personal assets (decentralised scenario).
By working directly with Greater Manchester’s Transport Authority TfGM, and their stakeholders (other departments and service providers), the MaaS prototype for TfGM provides feedback directly to the policy-making body, which is currently in the process of developing the MaaS strategies for Greater Manchester. The method used in the workshops provides a current, short–term, and long-term futures perspective on technologies, service provision, and usage preferences (resident survey) for a MaaS solution specific to Greater Manchester, but replicable (in terms of process to findings) elsewhere. TfGM, a project partner, will incorporate the findings of the project into their strategic policy development.
Aims & Objectives
Greater Manchester (GM) poses a challenging case in the context of digitally driven mobility transitions – involving institutional and technical change – characterised by multiple modes of public transport and multiple competing service providers.
The approach identified the barriers, initiatives and attitudes surrounding an initially hypothesised MaaS prototype. Emergent innovations with the capability to disrupt or enhance services – such as on-demand mobility, sharing, and micro-mobility – were included in the study.
The research will result in a comprehensive review and innovative approach to developing the next generation of travel planning applications, and how these can better focus on user engagement, behavioural change and evidence-based planning for sustainable/greener transport choices.
People
The working team for this project were the [CPU]Lab members. This project was conducted as part of a larger £1.4m ESPRC-funded NetworkPlus – DEAS.
Digitally Enhanced Advanced Services (DEAS) brings together a vibrant community that will position the UK as the internationally leading research hub for DEAS. Rather than focusing on the product or service delivered, DEAS focuses on how the product or service is used.
Principal Investigator: Ulysses Sengupta
Co-Investigators: Solon Solomou, Mahmud Tantoush, Sigita Zigure
Advisory Board: University of Exeter