Mobility as a Service (MaaS)
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is the integration of various forms of transport services into a single mobility service, accessible on demand. Through MaaS offers, leasing firms and automotive rental providers can allow businesses and consumers to meet their mobility and transport needs with less vehicles and greater convenience.
A MaaS operator facilitates a diverse menu of transport options, be they public transport, ride-, car- or bike-sharing, taxi, car rental or lease, or a combination thereof. This can be more efficient and sustainable than single transport modes while contributing to the achievement of societal and environmental goals. The increased vehicle utilization rate aids in reducing transportation costs, whilst at the same time combating congestion and pollution. For the user, MaaS provides convenient mobility access through a single application and payment channel, instead of multiple ticketing and payment operations.
The role of leasing and rental
Leasing and automotive rental companies are a key part of the MaaS ecosystem, providing the vehicles for shared fleets as well as taking on the role of MaaS providers themselves through car sharing services. The rental and leasing industry have been offering a viable alternative to traditional vehicle ownership for decades, which is the ultimate goal of MaaS. To this end, efficient integration of public and shared transport modes is an essential part of a well-functioning MaaS ecosystem. Boasting a fleet that is cleaner than the average European car park, leasing and vehicle rental is ideal for shifting consumer behaviour while making journeys to and from public transport more convenient. Through MaaS, our sector can also offer opportunities to embrace new technologies and support digitalisation and growth in the mobility sphere.
Key priorities
In order for MaaS to grow effectively, a number of pre-conditions are needed:
- Sharing of information and data like APIs, vehicle information, user travel history and public/private transport schedules
- Avoid single operator monopolies in any geographic location
- Coordinating best practices and self-regulatory measures to simplify liability and passenger rights in a multimodal setting
- Address legislative issues, for example the Regulation on EU-wide multimodal information services and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Directive
- Improving the scalability of MaaS services at the EU level by addressing, for example, hindrances to cross-border services
Member of MaaS Alliance
Leaseurope is a member of the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Alliance, a public-private partnership creating the foundations for an open, single market for new mobility services centred on users’ needs. We participate in various workstreams around the deployment of Mobility as a Service, such as user needs and regulatory frameworks, business and governance models, and technologies & standards.