Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in the Global South: research findings, gaps, and directions

Abstract

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) – bundled mobility and transport services accessible on-demand and on a single platform – has been a popular research topic in recent years. Most MaaS studies, however, are embedded in the context of cities in the developed world, where most of the existing MaaS schemes are operational. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of first findings of studies in developing countries. We aim to answer the following questions: Is MaaS likely to gain traction in developing countries? How does MaaS in developing countries differ from the known model? Can MaaS mitigate existing transport problems in developing countries? Following a systematic literature search, we identified 23 relevant papers that were included for full-text analysis. A qualitative synthesis of these papers suggests that: (i) there is a considerable demand and preference for integrated, app-based mobility services and that both public and private actors are likely to push the MaaS concept; (ii) however, different regulatory frameworks, available infrastructures, and user preferences, among others, require an adjusted MaaS model; and (iii) there is initial evidence that MaaS can indeed promote more sustainable mobility behavior in the developing world, although these findings require further validation from MaaS pilots and comprehensive simulation studies. Overall, the results of this study are of interest to policymakers and transport professionals in order to plan MaaS schemes in developing cities. We also identify knowledge gaps and outline research opportunities to guide future studies in this incipient field of research.